It’s that time of year when every website posts gift guide
lists full of e-commerce links in the hopes that their readers actually buy
something so the site makes a little extra cash on the side. Absolutely
disgusting, truly. So welcome to the official PSXBoxIndies Holiday Gift Guide!
Running a site dedicated to almost exclusively download-only indie games does
make creating a gift guide a little difficult, however, so our gift guide
includes mostly smaller stocking stuffer-type gift ideas for the PS4, Xbox One,
and Nintendo Switch. Continue reading for ideas on all the gifts you never knew
anyone wanted but now can’t possibly live without.
PSA: Even if you don’t buy the stuff we link to if you buy
anything at Amazon after going through our links it still helps the site. So
click away and happy shopping.
Digital Currency Cards
The first, easiest, and most obvious gift idea for a gamer
is PSN, Xbox Live, or Nintendo eShop cards. With these digital currency cards
the recipient can then buy any game they want. Just make sure you buy a card /
code for the right system! You can buy either a digital code and simply print
it out, or order a physical card.
Nintendo Switch Gift Cards - http://amzn.to/2hN6GRw
Sony PlayStation 3 / 4 / Vita Gift Cards - http://amzn.to/2zjlnCT
Xbox One / 360 Gift Cards - http://amzn.to/2hS0mbz
Online Play Subscription Cards
The second easy and obvious gift idea is online gaming subscription
cards. The PS4 and Xbox One / X360 require a paid subscription in order to play
online so giving a gamer a few extra months or a year worth of Xbox Live or PSN
isn’t a bad way to go.
Xbox Live 12 Month Subscription - http://amzn.to/2hSIBIN
PSN 12 Month Subscription - http://amzn.to/2hOUQGs
EA Access Subscription
Also, available only on Xbox One, is the EA Access
subscription service. With EA Access you get early access to new release games
to play them for free for up to 10 hours a few days early, discounts if you
decide to buy them, and access to a vault of older EA titles that you can play
for free as much as you want. There are a ton of great games available on EA
Access and new games are added to the vault all the time. This is a great
value.
12 Month EA Access Subscription - http://amzn.to/2iMlZuH
Rechargeable Batteries
Keeping controllers charged is also very important for
gamers and can make a handy stocking stuffer gift. The Xbox One can use any
“AA” batteries, so we suggest the Eneloop rechargeable battery kit. They charge
fast, are relatively inexpensive, and last a long, long time. I personally
swear by them.
Eneloop Rechargeable Battery Kit - http://amzn.to/2BiTQTs
USB and HDMI Cables
The PS4 controller’s built in battery charges via USB cable,
but the cable the system comes with is pretty short and kind of drab, so why
not perk things up with a 12-foot KontrolFreek Gaming Cable available in a
range of different colors. The end of the cable also has a light on it so
you’ll always be able to easily find it, even in a dark game room.
KontrolFreek Performance Gaming Cable PS4 / XONE - http://amzn.to/2zjLbyT
KontrolFreek also has a line of HDMI cables with the same
flat braided design as the USB cables so they don’t get tangled easily. HDMI
cables aren’t exactly the flashiest gift, but having an extra isn’t a bad
thing, especially when they actually look kinda cool.
KontrolFreek HDMI 2.0 Gaming Cable - http://amzn.to/2hOW5p6
KontrolFreek Controller Stick Tops
Of course, KontrolFreek is best known for its line of
controller stick tops that can actually improve your performance in a wide
range of games by giving the sticks more travel and, thus, more precision in
their movement. A set of KontrlFreek caps are fairly inexpensive and make for a
cool gift idea. They are available for Xbox One, PS4, and Switch. Make sure you
buy for the correct system as they are not one size fits all.
Shop KontrolFreek Thumbstick Caps on Amazon - http://amzn.to/2hPpMpX
New Controllers
Extra controllers are a solid gift idea, too. I have to
strongly suggest only buying first-party official pad (as in, made by
Microsoft, Sony, or Nintendo) because third-party pads are pretty poor.
Third-party pads may be cheaper, but they cost less for a reason – they aren’t
as good – so buy official pads. Controllers come in a huge variety of colors
these days, so give the recipient a new controller in their favorite color for
a double win!
Xbox One Controllers - http://amzn.to/2A9xWCb
PS4 Controllers - http://amzn.to/2iOFnXK
Nintendo Switch Controllers - http://amzn.to/2hPdeim
External USB Hard Drive
The Xbox One and PlayStation 4 both allow the use of
external USB hard drives for extra storage, which is pretty much a necessity these days because games are huge and the systems' internal hard drives fill up extremely quickly. Any USB 3.0 hard
drive will work, so you can buy any size and speed you like. Again, this
doesn’t seem like a flashy gift idea, but you’ll be surprised how much a gamer
will appreciate having some extra space.
Shop USB Hard Drives at Amazon - http://amzn.to/2i3NwKJ
Action Figures
Out final suggestion is gaming action figures and
memorabilia. Funko Pop figures in particular are a solid choice as they are
inexpensive and cover a broad range of not just gaming but all geeky culture
franchises. Find out what your recipient’s favorite game or movie is and get
them a figure!
Shop Funko Pop at Amazon - http://amzn.to/2BjpqAE