This is the starting point for buying a gaming gift for someone else. It is written for the person who does not play much themselves and wants to get it right: a partner, a parent, a friend shopping for the gamer in their life.
Use the filter to show picks for the kind of player you are buying for, or browse by tier from small to big. Every pick has a short “Check first” note, because in gaming the wrong version is the most common gift mistake. Our deeper guides, linked throughout, go further on each type of player.
Before you buy: quick fit checks
- Which console, and which model. Switch or Switch 2, Series S or Series X, PS5 or an older PS4. Controllers, cases and storage are rarely interchangeable between them.
- Their storage type. PS5 takes an M.2 NVMe SSD, Xbox Series X|S uses proprietary expansion cards, and Switch 2 needs microSD Express. Details in our storage expansion guide.
- Their online membership. If they already pay for PlayStation Plus, Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online, find out which tier before buying more time.
- Gift card region and store. US cards are for US accounts, and PC players may buy on Steam or somewhere else entirely.
- Wired or wireless, and their phone. For headsets, know which they prefer; for phone controllers, know their phone model and connector.
Who are you buying for?
Stocking stuffers
Small, useful, and very hard to get wrong. Good on their own or paired with something bigger.
PlayStation Store, Xbox or Nintendo eShop gift card
The one gaming gift that can never arrive in the wrong version. Store credit lets them buy the game they actually want instead of the one you guessed at, and it pairs well with one small physical item from this list. Physical cards are easy to wrap; digital codes arrive by email.
Check first: Which console they play on, and that the card matches their account region (US cards are for US accounts). Nintendo eShop credit works on both Switch and Switch 2. Buy cards from a major retailer, not a marketplace reseller.
Read our small-gifts guide →Steam gift card
For PC players, Steam credit is the closest thing to a universal currency. They keep wishlists, they wait for sales, and they will usually spend it within days. It is a better gift than a peripheral you have to guess at.
Check first: That they actually buy on Steam rather than another store, and that their Steam account region matches the card.
Steam vs GOG vs Epic →Tempered glass screen protector for Switch 2
Cheap insurance for a large handheld screen, and something almost nobody buys until after the first scratch. Packs that include an alignment frame make installation easy, even for a nervous first-timer.
Check first: It must be made for Switch 2. The screen is larger than the original Switch, so older protectors will not fit.
Read our Switch 2 accessories guide →Gamebit screwdriver set and cleaning supplies
Classic cartridges and consoles are closed with security screws, and 3.8mm and 4.5mm gamebits open most Nintendo and Sega hardware. Add isopropyl alcohol and cotton swabs for cleaning contacts and you have the kit every collector needs and rarely gets round to buying.
Check first: Nothing major. Even if they already open their own hardware, a well-made bit set is an upgrade over the cheap one they probably have.
How to spot fake cartridges →Controllers and audio
The most reliable gaming gift category there is: useful the same day, never obsolete, and it improves games they already own.
PlayStation DualSense Wireless Controller
A second pad turns a solo PS5 into something two people can use, and a replacement fixes the stick drift most people quietly put up with for months. The adaptive triggers and haptics are part of how many PS5 games play, which is something third-party pads often skip.
Check first: It is a PS5 controller and does not work with a PS4 console. It also works on PC.
Replace or repair a drifting pad →Xbox Wireless Controller
One of the most comfortable standard controllers made, and the default pad for PC gaming too, because Windows supports it without any setup fuss. Good as a second pad for couch co-op or a replacement for a worn one.
Check first: It runs on AA batteries out of the box. Adding a rechargeable battery pack makes it a more complete gift.
Read our Xbox guide →Nintendo Switch 2 Pro Controller
Joy-Con 2 are fine for short sessions, but a full-size pad is far more comfortable for long ones, especially when the console is docked to a TV. Nintendo’s own Pro Controller for Switch 2 adds two remappable rear buttons and a dedicated GameChat button.
Check first: That they own a Switch 2 rather than an original Switch, which has its own older Pro Controller.
Read our Switch 2 buying guide →8BitDo Ultimate 2 Wireless Controller
A well-regarded third-party pad for PC and Steam Deck players, with TMR sticks designed to avoid the drift that wears out ordinary sticks, plus extra mappable buttons. A strong pick for someone whose current controller is showing its age.
Check first: 8BitDo sells several Ultimate versions for different platforms. This one is aimed at PC and similar devices; for a Switch, buy the version whose box lists Nintendo Switch.
Read our PC controller guide →8BitDo 2.4G wireless pad for a classic console
Original pads wear out and their cables never reach the sofa. 8BitDo makes wireless versions for several classic systems with a small receiver that plugs into the original controller port, so collectors can play real hardware from across the room.
Check first: Each version is made for one console’s port, so confirm the exact system (NES, SNES, Genesis and so on) before you buy.
Read our retro controller picks →HyperX Cloud II wired headset
If they are still playing through TV speakers, a comfortable wired headset is a real upgrade. The Cloud II is a long-running, widely recommended model that plugs straight into a controller, a Switch or a PC, with no batteries or pairing to manage.
Check first: HyperX also sells a separate wireless Cloud II, so make sure the listing is the version you mean. The wired one connects through the controller’s headphone jack on PS5 and Xbox.
Read our headset picks →Backbone One phone controller
Clips a phone into a controller-shaped grip for Remote Play from their console, cloud gaming and mobile games. Good for someone who travels or shares the TV, and it is compact enough to live in a bag.
Check first: Their phone model and connector (USB-C or Lightning), and whether they use a thick case that may need to come off. There is a PlayStation-styled edition for PS5 players.
Read our handheld guide →Storage and memberships
The gifts nobody buys for themselves until they are forced to. Storage cannot be duplicated, and nobody has ever had too much of it.
SanDisk microSD Express card for Switch 2
Switch 2 games fill the internal storage quickly, and expanding it needs a microSD Express card specifically. SanDisk makes Nintendo-licensed versions, which takes the guesswork out of buying the right type.
Check first: Regular microSD cards, including fast ones, will not run Switch 2 games. Look for “microSD Express” on the card itself.
Read our storage expansion guide →WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe SSD with heatsink
Every PS5 model has an internal M.2 slot, and a fast PCIe Gen4 drive with a heatsink is the standard way to fill it. The SN850X is a long-running, well-known choice; the Samsung 990 PRO with heatsink is an equally sensible alternative. Either also works in a gaming PC.
Check first: For PS5, buy the heatsink version. Installing takes a small screwdriver and a few minutes; if they are nervous about opening the console, offer to help.
Read our storage guide →Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X|S
The Series S in particular runs out of room fast, and current-gen Xbox games have to run from internal storage or this kind of proprietary card. It plugs into the back of the console with no setup. WD_BLACK makes a C50 card that does the same job.
Check first: Series X or S only. A cheap USB hard drive can hold older games, but it cannot run titles optimized for Series X|S.
Storage for big new releases →PlayStation Plus, Game Pass or Nintendo Switch Online membership
Online play on all three consoles generally needs a membership, free-to-play games aside, and the higher tiers add game libraries. Membership time is a good gift for someone who already subscribes, because it covers a bill they pay anyway.
Check first: Which service and tier they have now, and how it renews, so your code adds time instead of clashing with their plan. Buy codes from a major retailer.
Is a subscription worth it? →Big gifts
For a main present. Each of these depends on one thing you should confirm first, so read the fit note before you buy.
PlayStation DualSense Edge
Sony’s pro controller adds back buttons, swappable stick modules and adjustable trigger stops, and saves control profiles. A strong gift for a PS5 player who already has a working pad and plays a lot of shooters or competitive games.
Check first: Its battery life is shorter than a standard DualSense. Replacement stick modules are sold separately if one ever wears out.
Read our controller guide →PlayStation Portal
A handheld screen with full DualSense controls built in, made for streaming games from their PS5 over Wi-Fi. Ideal for someone who shares the TV or wants to keep playing in another room.
Check first: It streams rather than running games itself, so it is really a gift for someone who owns a PS5 and has solid home Wi-Fi.
Read our PS5 guide →Meta Quest 3S
A standalone VR headset that needs no console or PC, which makes it one of the few big gaming gifts that works straight out of the box. The Quest 3 is the step-up model with sharper lenses, and both can connect to a gaming PC for PC VR.
Check first: Setup needs a Meta account and a smartphone, and Meta has age rules for accounts. Some people get motion sick in VR, so it helps to know whether they have tried it.
Is a VR headset worth it? →Elgato HD60 X capture card
For someone who wants to stream or save their console gameplay. It sits between the console and the TV and sends the picture to a computer over USB while they keep playing normally, and Elgato’s capture software is free.
Check first: It needs a PC or Mac to record to. On PS5, HDCP has to be switched off in the console settings before capture works.
Are capture cards worth it? →Upscaler or HDMI adapter for original retro hardware
Old consoles often look soft and laggy on modern TVs. A dedicated upscaler is the single biggest improvement to playing original hardware on a flat screen, and collectors routinely put it off. The respected RetroTINK line is mostly sold direct by its maker; simple plug-in HDMI adapters are the budget route.
Check first: Which consoles they connect and which outputs they use (composite, S-Video or RGB). Ask, or quietly look at the back of their setup.
Read our retro collector gift guide →Gifts to skip
- Original Switch accessories for a Switch 2 owner. Old cases, screen protectors and standard microSD cards are the classic mismatch. Buy gear labelled for Switch 2.
- No-name wireless controllers and headsets. Unbranded pads and cheap wireless headsets are where gift money most often goes to waste — see what not to buy.
- A gaming chair as a surprise. Fit and comfort are personal, and the wrong chair is worse than none. Our take on chairs.
- A charging dock for someone with one controller. Marketed hard, but a USB cable already solves the problem. It only earns its place in a house with several pads.
- A specific game you are not sure about. They may already own it digitally. Pair a gift card with a note instead, or check our physical vs digital guide before buying a boxed copy.
Gift receipts and return windows
More gift ideas
This hub covers the essentials. Each of these goes deeper on one type of player, one budget, or the Black Friday window.
Gaming gift FAQ
What is the safest gaming gift if I do not know what they own?
A gift card for the store they actually use: PlayStation Store, Xbox, Nintendo eShop or Steam. It cannot be the wrong version, and they will spend it on something they want. If you can find out which console they play on, a second controller or extra storage for that exact console is the next safest option.
Do original Nintendo Switch accessories work with Switch 2?
Many do not. The Switch 2 is larger and its Joy-Con 2 attach differently, so screen protectors, cases and grips need to be made for Switch 2. For storage, Switch 2 games need a microSD Express card; regular microSD cards will not run them. When in doubt, buy accessories labelled for Switch 2 — see our Switch 2 accessories guide.
What kind of storage does each console use?
PS5 takes a standard M.2 PCIe Gen4 NVMe SSD, ideally with a heatsink. Xbox Series X and S use proprietary expansion cards, such as the Seagate Storage Expansion Card or the WD_BLACK C50. Switch 2 uses microSD Express cards. Gaming PCs usually take M.2 NVMe drives, but check that their machine has a free slot. More in our storage expansion guide.
Should I wait for Black Friday to buy gaming gifts?
If you can, it is worth checking. Black Friday falls on November 27 and Cyber Monday on November 30, and controllers, headsets and storage are among the categories that tend to see deals that week. Compare against the price you have seen recently, not the list price, before deciding a deal is real — our Black Friday gaming guide covers what to watch.
Can I give someone a digital game as a gift?
It depends on the store. Steam and the Xbox store both let you buy a game as a gift for another account. On PlayStation and Nintendo, a gift card is the simpler route. Either way, check that they do not already own the game digitally before you buy it — and look up our verdict on the game first.