Buying gifts for gamers can be tough, since it’s hard to know what they like or already own. If you’re in doubt, the best option may be to let them buy what they want with a gift card.
The price points I’ve picked here are magic numbers that will allow people to purchase any game they want for each platform. However, keep in mind that these are only a suggestion. Even smaller denominations can go a long way toward making someone’s gaming dreams a reality.
Nintendo Switch
Nintendo sells gift cards for the Switch’s eShop (its digital storefront for game purchases) in four denominations: $10, $20, $35, and $50. Digital gift cards at major retailers go up to $99.
Since the average Switch game costs $60 before tax, no single card adds up to a full game purchase. Two $35 cards would cover it, though given that the Switch is also a goldmine for cheaper indie releases, more money doesn’t necessarily mean more fun.
If you’re buying a gift card for a kid, you may want to consider buying them a physical game instead since they may not have access to the eShop. Check out How-To Geek’s holiday guide on the best new Switch games to buy this holiday season.
PlayStation
There are five price tiers for PlayStation Store gift cards: $10, $25, $50, $75, and $100. If you’re looking to give a digital gift card, the maximum at major retailers is a whopping $250.
The sweet spot here is $75, as it covers the full $70 price of PlayStation 5 games. The catch is that sales tax may still bring the price of some games to just over $75, something to keep in mind if you’re buying for a kid or someone without the ability to fill in that price gap themselves.
Want to avoid any potential headache? Check out my guide on the top PlayStation accessories and games for this holiday season.
Xbox
Among all the home consoles, the Xbox offers the most versatility when it comes to digital gift giving. An Xbox gift card is your best bet in most scenarios, though.
Depending on the online retailer, you can find physical Xbox gift cards ranging from $15 to $100. Digital gift cards bought through Microsoft are available in your choice of denomination between $1 and $100, giving you the ability to give precisely how much somebody needs to buy the game they want.
However, if you already know what your gift recipient wants, you’re better off directly gifting them the game through the Microsoft Store.
Even if the recipient is specifically asking for Games Pass—a service that lets you play a large collection of games on Xbox and PC—you should still err toward a standard Xbox gift card. This will allow the recipient to purchase a Game Pass subscription in addition to directly buying games. This also applies to anyone looking to purchase Game Pass on PC.
Steam
If the gamer in your life plays on a PC or Steam Deck, your life has been made particularly easy.
Steam gift cards are great at every price point thanks to the nature of Steam’s regular deep discounts on games. Less money goes a longer way here, to the point that someone with a Steam gift card may end up with at least twice as many games as that of a console player. As such, there’s no one denomination I recommend, though $50 is the safest bet if they’re looking to buy a more recent release.
I’d advise against directly gifting games on Steam unless the game in question has a deep discount. Sooner or later just about every game gets a big sale, meaning you’ll likely end up paying more for the game than someone savvy about the whims of Steam sales would.
That said, if you want to go this route, How-To Geek has you covered with our PC games holiday buying guide.
Other Gift Card Options
When in doubt, you can always give a gift card for a major retailer. The four I’d recommend given their reliability for stocking games are Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and GameStop. If the recipient likes physical games, they’ll likely prefer this option as the others mentioned here are purely digital affairs.
PC games are entirely digital, so you should only consider this for Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, and Xbox players.
There are also gift cards for specific games that will appeal to existing players. Some to consider if you’re sure they’re a match for the giftee include time cards for Final Fantasy XIV and World of Warcraft, and in-game currency for Fortnite, Minecraft, and Roblox. You’ll know one of these is the right choice if the person you’re giving them to talk about the game regularly.
Beyond Gift Cards
Got this far and decided gift cards are a no-go? Consider giving one of these geeky gifts for gamers instead. And again, make sure to give our holiday buying guides for the Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, and PC gaming a look.
