Gaming

AIPT 2022 Gaming Gift Guide: Game Pass, D&D, Dark Souls, and more

Not sure what to get the gamer in your life? AIPT has you covered.

December 5, 2022

What’s something a gamer can never have too many of? Games! We’re talking video games, board games, card games, tabletop RPGs — all of ’em! Games make the perfect gift, but there are plenty of gaming-adjacent gifts as well we recommend. Read on for AIPT’s gaming picks for this holiday shopping season.

A New Console

Microsft/Sony

Let’s swing for the fences! This holiday season feels like the first one where the new-generation consoles are kinda sorta maybe actually available. No need to meet up in a gas station parking lot to buy an Xbox Series X for $850 from a scalper or wait for hours before sunrise in a line outside of Best Buy for a PS5. Sure, procuring a console still needs some planning and patience, but both the Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5 are enjoying increased levels of availability. Personally, even though I have no need for it at all, I’m particularly drawn to deals on the digital-only Xbox Series S that sees its price around $250 and sometimes include a retailer-specific gift card depending on where you purchase it from.

Game Pass/PS+ Subscription

Microsoft

Once you’ve secured a new console for a loved one (or yourself – let’s be honest), give the gift of games. All the games! Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass is an absolute steal: at $10 bucks a month on console or PC – or $15 for both – Xbox owners get streaming access to hundreds of games, from indie gems to some of the biggest Triple-A releases from recent years. Defeat the Covenant in Halo: Infinite, survive the plague in 2022 Game of the Year contender A Plague Tale: Requiem, and journey to the past with Assassin’s Creed: Origins – all on Game Pass. PlayStation Plus Premium offers something similar with subscribers able to stream hundreds of games from the original PlayStation all the way up to the PS5. Notable hits available now on PlayStation Plus Premium include both Spider-Man games, God of War, and Returnal.

A Game of the Year Contender

Sony

Streaming any game you want is wonderful, but some of the best video games of the year still need to be purchased to be played. Pick up a contender for Game of the Year and you’ll know your money was well spent. Elden Ring, Horizon Forbidden West, and God of War Ragnarok are some of the most beautiful and engrossing games of the year and would be worthy award winners. Don’t forget about indie darlings like Tunic or Stray either as they’re contenders in their own right.

Boss Fight Books

Boss Fight Books is like the 33 ⅓ series but for video games. Each paperback volume sees a writer diving deep into a single video game with behind the scenes stories, interviews with creators, and analysis of the game’s cultural impact. Some have a very singular focus, like the Final Fantasy VI volume in which writer and musician Sebastian Deken analyzes the score and musical structures of FFVI. Personally, I can’t wait to get my hands on the Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic volume.

Fangamer Clothing

Fangamer

Does the gamer in your life already have enough games to play? No problem – give them some dope clothing from Fangamer. Grab a Hades tee, an Elden Ring hoodie, or Hollow Knight pajama pants. Accessorize with a nice ballcap or cozy up with a pair of socks, which always make for a sweet gift. Fangamer is also home to some extremely fashionable pins, keychains, stickers, and patches if you want to keep it cute yet simple.

Family Game Night

Catan Studio

Turn your Christmas dinner into a Christmas game night with some fun party games the whole family can enjoy. Dominate the trade market with Settlers of Catan, be the last one standing in Exploding Kittens, and enjoy a safe for work Cards Against Humanity-like game in Apples to Apples. The classics never go out of style either, like Connect Four, Uno, and Monopoly, if you don’t mind receiving coal next year.

Dragonlance: Shadow of the Dragon Queen

Wizards of the Coast

Dragonlance comes to 5E! The setting created by Margaret Weiss and Tracy Hickman nearly 40 years ago makes its Dungeons & Dragon Fifth Edition debut with a campaign set during the War of the Lance. In Shadow of the Dragon Queen, players will run through a gauntlet of enemies from the Dragon Army as they grow from level 1 to 11. There’s also a companion board game, Dragonlance: Warriors of Krynn, that zeroes in on large-scale military battles in the war. The TTPG and board game can make for perfect gifts for both the experienced players and D&D newcomers in your life.

Tune & Fairweather Books

Tune & Fairweather

The Dark Souls/From Software fan in your life will praise the sun – as well as praise you, of course – after receiving a wonderful tome from Tune & Fairweather. They’re an Irish publisher of beautiful books, and are known for their cloth- and leather-bound editions of You Died, the definitive book about the history and legacy of Dark Souls. After backing it on Kickstarter a year ago, I’m particularly fond of Souls Arts in which Tune & Fairweather partnered with soulsborne YouTuber VaatiVidya to compile the artwork from his various competitions into one gorgeous hardcover. The pages are rich with creative and stunning artwork, and the book will made a magnificent addition to any bookshelf.

Christmas Ornaments

Hallmark

If you’ve read through these gift ideas (and last year’s!) and still find yourself stumped, might I suggest the simple yet sweet gift of a Christmas ornament? You can never have too many Christmas decorations, and everyone could use more ornaments to keep the rotation fresh each year. Grab a Pokeball for the gamer who just can’t put down the new Pokemon games, a Sonic the Hedgehog set for fans of the games and films, or an SNES ornament to recapture the nostalgia of Christmas mornings from yesteryear.

Fixture S2

Fixture

One of the joys of the Nintendo Switch is that it can easily played on your television or as a mobile device. If you plan on doing much of the latter, consider the Fixture S2 for a more comfortable experience. The Fixture S2 is light and distributes weight nicely for a balanced feel while using the Switch in handheld mode. It is specifically designed for a precise fit with the OLED model and Pro controller, but can also be used as a tabletop stand. Two levels of adjustability allow relaxed ergonomic gameplay regardless of positioning. Spring for the case bundle to cover all your on-the-go gaming needs — it conveniently fits the Switch, Pro controller, and Fixture S2. — Gary Cating