2016 Gamer Gift Guide

For a group that is constantly upgrading to the latest technology to maximize performance, there is a certain fondness for the nostalgic. If you want to buy a shirt that your gamer will where, make sure that it includes subdued references to gaming systems that haven't been sold in years. This particular shirt features understated silhouettes of game controllers ranging from the Sega Dreamcast to the Nintendo Wii.

For many adult gamers, the Commodore 64 was both their first gaming system and their first computer. At the time, they were a serious computer. Today, the photo of this shirt consumes more memory than the Commodore 64 had. These shirts will be appreciated by gamers who remember the Commodore 64 and younger ones who pretend they do to be cool.

Most gamers are familiar with parents, friends, and loved ones encouraging them to get outdoors more often. This is perhaps now a bond that connects gamers together, and this shirt tongue-in-cheek pokes fun at the advantages of playing video games instead of going outdoors.

There is a certain gamer ethos around being clever. For example, game developers will sometimes put the words “You aren't supposed to be here” on the walls of virtual rooms where the player is never supposed to find himself, and gamers put pictures of themselves inside these rooms on Facebook as points of pride. Similarly, playing video games outside through a window is a clever way to get around a prodding parent sending you outside to “play.”

When you're in the middle of an action packed stretch in a video game, it is intense. Few things are more jarring than your mom yelling at you to come to dinner right in the middle of a battle with a boss that took you a half hour to even approach. Unfortunately, many games (especially older ones) didn't let you pause the game or pause at arbitrary points. Instead, you had to wait for a designated point where the game automatically saved your progress. It was virtually guaranteed that you would not be at one of these points when dinner time calls. This shirt serves as a steadfast reminder of the struggles of gamers everywhere.

The “Eat. Sleep. <Activity>.” shirts have really taken off over the last few years. They are simple, inoffensive, and have a clear message. This shirt is a good choice if you're not sure what video game systems your gamers likes.

Since the beginning of video gaming, the goal of most developers has been to make the experience more immersive. From bigger TVs to higher resolution to virtual reality, new technology is designed to get you in the middle of the gameplay. This gift includes wireless speakers (so you don't trip over the cords), a big subwoofer, and a chair to cradle you in the action.

Mugs are always great gifts, and it's hard to find a mug as clever as this one with game controller handles coming out of the sides. At the bottom of the cup it cleverly reads “Game Over.” This mug is more of a novelty than a daily driver coffee mug, but it is sure to be appreciated.

A few years ago when virtual reality was making its modern resurgence, Google engineers found that a smartphone could make a passable virtual reality headset if you put it in a cardboard box with two lenses. Thus, the Google Cardboard VR Viewer was born. Available for less than twenty dollars, this is neither the most featured or performant headset, but it's actually a lot of fun. I have a few around the house, and I use them to watch virtual reality features from the New York Times and virtual reality videos on YouTube. If your gamer has a smartphone, then this gift will be much appreciated.

PC gaming is a pretty constantly expensive pursuit. I searched long and hard to find a few affordable gifts that your gamer would genuinely use and appreciate, and this gaming mouse is an excellent choice. It is a solid performing gaming mouse, it looks cool, and it costs less than ten bucks.

Even if you already have a good pair of headphones, you'll probably want a different headset for gaming. Most immersive, online games include a way for players to coordinate and talk to each other which requires a microphone. These headphones have good sound quality and a good microphone for an affordable gift.

If you've ever found yourself in a conversation with a keyboard enthusiast, you've probably heard of Cherry Switches before. These are the components that go under the buttons in keyboards to provide the tactile feel of the keys when you're typing. Good switches allow you to type faster, sound more pleasing, and feel better. This keyboard has Cherry Switches, red lights for playing in the dark, and high quality circuitry for gaming.

Serious PC games keep one hand on their mouse and one hand on their keyboard. The hand on the mouse can be pushed further with a thumb keypad like the one on this mouse. Coupled with a super high resolution sensor and lightning fast response, this mouse has programmable buttons that can be configured for every game.

For maximum reliability, many gamers prefer wired computer mice. The obvious downside is that wires tend to grab on keyboards and monitors at the worst possible moment. This mouse has been engineered to be both wireless and gaming specs which isn't easy to do. Like other great gaming mice, this one has easy to reach programmable buttons and high resolution sensitivity.

One of the downsides of PC gaming is that a keyboard and mouse are sometimes not as ergonomic as a controller for extended gameplay. This PC controller is designed to bring together the best of the console and PC gaming worlds. Using the Steam software, this controller is highly programmable, but it can also be configured to work with non-Steam games as well. It's affordable enough that it's worth picking up even if it's only used occasionally because it's a great addition for computer gamers.