The holidays are quickly approaching, and here I am still waiting on my gift! Ok, you should probably buy your loved ones or yourself something first. Before you go shopping, you need to know a few things about the person you are buying for and how much you are willing to spend. First, you need to check your wallet and ensure you have enough money for gaming presents or just enough to buy dinner. Seeing how meat prices are up over 20%, you might want to buy a cow or two first. Once you have dinner figured out, it is time to moooove to shopping for fun items.
Because you can buy some of the best games at discount prices, there is no need to empty your life's savings on a new game. Nobody wants you to buy Elden Ring Collector's Edition for almost $200. It is ok, it's sold out anyway. There I saved you some money, you're welcome! Why not spend more money on peripherals instead? Besides a flooded market of free-to-play MMO's or Fortnite, you can buy your friends and family some great budget games.
Budget Games
Great news, if you still own a PS3 or just upgraded to a PS5, GTA V Premium Edition is always there for you. It is a fantastic game that has constant updates. Great news, it is only $19.99 Best Buy or Amazon.
Let's just say you want to buy a NEW MMO that is a gift that will keep on giving. You can buy Lost Ark Founders Pack as low as $14.99 on Steam or Amazon. The best part about Lost Ark is that if you buy this for a person who has a birthday from now until March, you can double-dip this present.
Again, another timeless game you can buy anyone is Witcher 3 base game with Next-Gen Upgrade for PS4 $19.99 at Best Buy or GOTY Edition on Amazon PS4 and Xbox One for $25. You just cannot beat those prices or the quality of the game. If you dislike your family member, you can always buy them Cyberpunk 2077.
Now that you have bought a cheap game to go with an expensive system like the PS5, Xbox Series X/S, or a PC without a 3000's series graphics card (still), you be able to play the games with the hottest peripherals on the market. Here are some ideas for all budget ranges.
Budget Hardware
Corsair's Katar Pro XT $29.99 (Official Corsair Website): This six programmable button mouse with an 18K DPI optical sensor for MOBA and FPS games will get you enough Winner, Winner Chicken Dinner, without you needing to donate plasma weekly just to eat processed nuggets. This is defiantly a juicy mouse!
PDP Wired Xbox/PC Controller $29.99 (Best Buy): You don't know anybody that owns a PC? Ok, the PDP Wired Xbox/PC controller is a great controller that your drunk uncle can use.
Mid-Priced Hardware
Cooler Master MM831 $69.99 (Amazon): Cooler Master MM831 will make you the coolest person at the holiday party when you give this baby to your loved one. I suggest keeping it for yourself and giving the person your old mouse, but I'm greedy like that. This mouse will blow the competition away with 32,000 DPI and up to 400ips mouse tracking. I feel as cool as John Travolta in Saturday Night Fever. No way to get cooler than that unless John was holding a Cool Master MM831.
Epomaker GK96S Bluetooth Mechanical Keyboard $119 (Amazon): Your mother's cat peed on her keyboard, you say? Well, the Epomaker GK96S keyboard is a perfect gift for any family member with a cat that pees on keyboards. The GK96S has highly durable keys that can be swapped out just in case you quickly need to clean liquid off. The best part about the GK96S is that it is Bluetooth with a 4000mAh battery and 16M+ RGB lights. I'm sold on this keyboard and feel comfortable with my cats in the room.
PS5 Controller $69 (Amazon) or Xbox Controller Aqua Shift $69 (Amazon): Seriously, if you need a mid-priced controller that is amazing for both PC and consoles, just grab a second PS5 or Xbox Series X/S controller. Both controllers are amazing and feel great in your hands. Personally, I prefer the PS5 controller of any Xbox controller, but that is because I have giant hands.
Big Budget Hardware
Feel like your loved ones are worth a little bit more? Might as well get them the very best! Getting the best always ensures they will love you more than anyone else. Trust me, you can buy me love, and love is defiantly an expensive peripheral.
Xbox Elite Controller Series 2 $139.99 (Amazon): I've owned the Elite Series 1, one controller, for many years now and adore it when I am playing games on my PC. I still drool over the Series 2, but with my Series 1 still going strong, I can't justify buying the Series 2. If you want the best and most versatile controller on the market, get the Xbox Elite Series 2.
ZSA Moonlander Ergonomic Split Keyboard $365 (ZSA): With more and more of our lives spent on the computer, we see the devastating long-term effects of long hours of gaming. One way to mitigate the strain on your wrists is getting an ergonomic keyboard. This keyboard is the best of the best and will save anyone's wrists from a future of pain. The Moonlander is so economical it makes your wrists feel like they are weightless on the moon.
Drop + THX Panda Wireless Headphones $399 (Drop): I know the link to the headset price does not have a price. It is a link to request a price quote. This headset is that good! If you can't afford the new Ducati Streetfighter V4SP for $35,500 to make your ears catch the most tantalizing sounds on Earth, you can settle for the Drop headset. Don't drop it, though! The sounds that come out of the headset are so beautiful even a siren would be enchanted.
I hope something on this list has given you ideas for the holidays. It is always exciting to see the expressions on friends and family's faces when they open presents they adore. Gaming can and does make us smile. I hope you all have an amazing holiday season, and I sincerely appreciate you stopping by MMORPG.com to read my tongue-in-cheek holiday gift guide.
