Many of us enjoy settling down in front of the TV and playing video games during the holidays, so why not play some games that spread festive cheer?
12 Call of Duty: Black Ops 6
Chestnuts roasting on an open fire, mistletoe, and the deafening sound of gunfire. Call of Duty is back in a big way for 2024, complete with a holiday-themed remix of the iconic Nuketown map. There’s even a 24/7 Holiday Nuketown mode, where you can play a mixed bag of modes in this notoriously fast-paced arena instead of spending quality time with your loved ones.
For many, the latest Call of Duty campaign feels like the perfect Christmas game. Back in the day, before day one releases on Game Pass, many players would settle into the campaign after Christmas lunch (the perfect offline experience for when your Wi-Fi is congested from too many guests).
11 Batman: Arkham Origins
Arkham Origins is just about the only big AAA game I can think of that takes place on Christmas Eve. It didn’t land with the same fanfare as its predecessors when it arrived in 2013, but the game is still worth a look (especially given the frosty reception received by its live service spiritual successor).
The game has all the festive tropes you’d expect given the setting: snow, Christmas trees, and a murderous jailbreak to set the scene. The Cold, Cold Heart DLC takes place on New Year’s Eve and offers a shorter and more digestible gameplay experience. The game is often heavily discounted, so give it a whirl.
10 SkiFree
Has any video game ever captured the feeling of flying down a mountain at breakneck speed, wind in your hair, snow caking on your beard quite like SkiFree did in the Windows 3.1 era? The answer is “probably,” but I won’t hear it.
SkiFree has plenty of the white stuff and a few Christmas trees to boot. You can play a JavaScript recreation in your browser, sample the original Windows 3.1 version on Classic Reload, or download the “most officialest version” for Windows (it’s apparently maintained by the original developer).
9 Spider-Man: Miles Morales
One of the most recent AAA titles set during the holidays, Sony’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales combines Christmas and New York in a reliably entertaining package. It’s a lot of fun fighting and web-swinging around a snowy Manhattan, and the game looks gorgeous to boot.
Perhaps one of the best things about playing Miles Morales at Christmas is the fact that the game is short enough that you’ll be able to finish it before the holidays are up.
8 Shenmue
Shenmue is a tale of revenge set in Yokosuka, Japan that opens on November 29th, 1986. The first time you take control of protagonist Ryo Hazuki is the first day of December, which means a good chunk of your playtime takes place over the Christmas period.
While the game’s story is enough of a distraction from the festivities, the game has plenty of holiday charm sprinkled in. You’ll find Santa walking the streets of Dobuita, see Christmas decorations appearing as the big date closes in, and hear festive remixes of the game’s excellent soundtrack. Plus you can spend your allowance playing Hang-On and Space Harrier.
7 Yakuza Kiwami
Much like Shenmue, many of the Yakuza games also take place at Christmas time. 2016’s Yakuza Kiwami is the “first” game in the series, a remake of the original 2005 Yakuza. The prequel, Yakuza 0, also takes place partly at Christmas (though it opens in October) as does Kiwami 2 and the fifth game.
Christmas isn’t much of a central theme, but you do get snow and decorations. Like Shenmue, there are plenty of things to distract yourself when you want a break from the main story, including quirky and at times questionable side quests, arcade games, and even management sub-games.
Tim Brookes / How-To Geek
So Skyrim doesn’t take place at Christmas, but it certainly hits all the right notes. Much of the map is covered in snow or alpine forests and there are countless cozy taverns in which to rest your arrow-strewn knees. The modding scene is lively enough that you’ll probably find a heap of festive add-ons if you look hard enough.
Above all, Skyrim itself is a somewhat comforting experience that’s easy to pick up. The game is 13 this year (feel old yet?), but it still fits like a pair of good shoes. Sometimes booting up the game, creating or revisiting a character you love, and wandering around a magical winter wonderland is enough. Plus, it runs on everything.
5 Tom Clancy’s: The Division
Staying on theme with the “snow = Christmas” vibe, Ubisoft’s original The Division combines New York and wintery post-Thanksgiving scenes in a way that feels unavoidably festive, despite the premise of a deadly pandemic sweeping through the city. At least it’s a lot cheaper than a flight and hotel at this time of year.
Team up with friends and take on enemies together, or enter The Dark Zone for some high-stakes PvP extraction (I can’t guarantee there’ll be many people playing, though). The story is arguably better than the sequel, and though it’s a fairly benign “numbers game” shooter, you can pick it up for cheap (and get a six-hour free trial on Steam).
4 Dead Rising 4
The fourth entry in Capcom’s zombie action-adventure, Dead Rising 4 takes place around Black Friday so the staple shopping mall setting has been freshly decorated for the holidays. This gives you lots of opportunities to spread your own brand of Christmas cheer by getting inventive with candy canes and other seasonal-but-deadly paraphernalia.
The game isn’t as fondly remembered as some of the others in the series, but its holiday setting means it’s worth revisiting at this time of year. It’s also frequently discounted, currently selling for $5.99 on the Xbox Store.
3 Animal Crossing: New Horizons
Christmas is a fine time to turn on the Switch version of Animal Crossing and revisit your neglected townsfolk for the holidays (really, any version of Animal Crossing will do). You’ll get some stick about not visiting for a while, but you’ll be able to enjoy the wintery weather and redecorate with some festive items.
The Festive Season runs from December 15 through January 6, with decorations appearing and a special event occurring. “Toy Day” happens each year on Christmas Eve, and you’ll be able to learn recipes and ornaments that you can trade throughout the season.
2 Hitman 3
The modern Hitman games are well worth your time if you’re a fan of immersive sims, stealth, and creative murder simulators. For the holidays, grab Hitman 3 (available in the World of Assassination edition) for the once-time-limited Holiday Hoarders mission.
Yes, it’s a single mission, but one based on the 1991 classic film Home Alone in which you must take down Harry and Marv, then exfiltrate the level. If you have the game already, it’s well worth playing (you’ll find it under the Paris levels). If you don’t, you’ve missed a classic.
1 Max Payne
There’s something about Christmas and New York that just gets you in the festive mood. Well, unless you’re an undercover cop working to take down a nightmare drug syndicate and avenge the murder of your family, who also happens to get framed for another murder in the process.
Despite its noir leanings and stone-cold atmosphere,_Max Payne_ takes place at Christmas against a snowy backdrop and still manages to hit all the right nostalgia notes. It’s certainly aged since its release in 2001, but you can still buy it on Steam (plus there’s a remake in the works).
There are quite a few more Christmas-themed games that are a lot harder to come by, including Elf Bowling, Christmas Lemmings, Snatcher, Jazz Jackrabbit: Holiday Hare, and Duke Nukem 3D: Nuclear Winter (to name a few).
Also don’t forget to check out your favorite Fortnite and Rocket League type ongoing games for their festive events.
