This holiday season brings so much to offer gamers. From fantastic new game releases across multiple consoles and PCs There’s been so many useful tech gear upgrades and drops. Everything has been leading up to this point where the time to give gifts to your fellow squad members in upcoming multiplayer games like Halo Infinite or Call of Duty: Vanguard for sticking with you through the trenches and random disconnects. We have put together CGM’s guide to help highlight the best games we found this year and to provide our knowledge of the latest tech to keep all gamers in the zone when they’re gaming.
Here is CGMs Holiday 2021 Gifts for Gamers:
Games
Metroid Dread
Price: $59.99
The space bounty hunter, Samus Arans returns in Metroid Dread in time to slay some alien and robot butt for the holiday season. New and returning fans are encouraged to become immersed in the sci-fi side-scrolling adventure on Planet ZDR. If players are expecting this to be a children’s game, it is far from it. The rich, detailed environments add to its creepiness and the creatures even make it seem like a Resident Evil game with their special zombies. Christmastime is the best time for some space-slaying!
Returnal
Price: $69.99
Okay, there is definitely a theme on this games list: aliens. Returnal brings some PlayStation exclusive alien-slaying of its own. However, this game is a third-person shooter, rogue-like that has players take on the role of an astronaut explorer named Selene. Players must scavenge, explore and fight, but the most interesting part of the game is that players are forced to restart their journey every time they die. The landscape and resources also change with every death. This is a great holiday gift for your gamer friends or family members who enjoy a lot of trial-and-error games and does not fear to lose in order to win on their next life (kinda masochistic, but which Dark Souls player isn’t).
Diablo II Resurrected
Price: $54.99
If you have not put in your thousands of this game yet, you are about to with Diablo II Resurrected. This is a great game to enjoy with all your friends and family who enjoy all the best aspects of the RPG experience. It allows you and seven other teammates to explore and fight in the world of Diablo, and since this is a remastered version, this means better graphics and sound quality than the original. This is an awesome gift for gamers who enjoy all things RPG and grinding.
Age of Empires IV
Price: $59.99
The last game in this series was released in 2005, I was only nine-years-old then! However, Age of Empires IV delivers the epitome of greatness for all real-time strategy (RTS) fans. This sequel takes players back to its iconic historical battles, but offers an inviting experience for new players with a step-by-step tutorial to set them up for success. As for more advanced, returning players, there is going to be a lot more strategizing for you to do. If you love seeing how the Dark Ages led up to the Renaissance, then perhaps this is your kind of game. Or maybe you have a history-buff friend who you still need to buy a holiday gift for; this is it.
Hades
Price: $31.49
Alright, here is another rogue-like game, but no aliens in this one. The creators of games like Bastion and Transistor, Supergiant Games, invite players to enter this hack-and-slash dungeon crawler that has a great storyline, stunning visuals and a banger soundtrack to keep players pumped for their recurring runs through the game.
If you enjoy Greek mythology, that is definitely a plus, as players control the immortal Prince of the Underworld himself. Hades is another fantastic game that requires a lot of experimenting with each playthrough because once you die, the world is reset, but you get stronger with upgrades and more knowledge.
Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy
Price: $59.99
This game practically sells itself with the now-famous name alone. The team at Square Enix brings an exciting take to the comic book version of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy. Even though the all-star cast will not be voicing the rag-tag team, the awesome music tracks, hilarious laughs and explosive storytelling will make you fall in love with each Guardian all over again.
Even though this is a single-player game, the game is like an immersive movie that all your friends and loved ones can gather around and watch as you keep dying…I mean as you traverse space as Star-Lord and the Guardians. This is a must-buy for both Marvel fans and gamers. It is already in my digital holiday shopping cart.
Riders Republic
Price: $49.99
The holiday time can bring a lot of cabin-fever vibes, especially in places where it snows a lot. Maybe you are not an outdoor winter sports person, but you would like to experience what that is like. Riders Republic will give gamers this experience and maybe convince more people to try these sports in real life. This action-sports open world game has many outdoor sports to offer players: from snowboarding, to paragliding to rocket flying races.
The environments across the vast world map is breathtaking and is enhanced for next generation consoles like the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. It is very inviting for gamers new to the genre and returning players. This is a must-have game and an awesome game to gift a friend or family member that both of you can traverse together.
Tech
TP-Link GX90 Gaming Router
Price: $249.99
No more dropped coverage of Wi-Fi in this house this year. The holiday is a time when all the families and extended families want to gather in one household to catch up and see each other. The worst part is that everyone wants to hog the bandwidth to either play games, go on social media to show off their latest trip to Budapest (looking at you, cousin Eric!).
The problem is not with the network provider, but with the way you manage the traffic. This is where the TP-Link GX90 gaming router helps. It provides stable connectivity for up to a standard four-bedroom house with its eight antennas. The 1.5 GHz Quad-Core CPU ensures the network performance runs top-notch and offers Wi-Fi 6 that is able to maintain all the devices connected to the same network smoothly and efficiently.
Roccat Sense Ctrl Mouse Mat
Price: $29.99
There are some sketchy mousepads out there that slip and slide with each mouse glide. Then, there are some that are too small and some edges that can get caught on the mouse cord. The Roccat Sense Ctrl mouse mat fixes all of these issues. It comes in two sizes for various desk setups: Square and XXL.
The non-slip rubber backing ensures it does not move around when you are in the middle of a 1v3 battle in Fortnite. This is an awesome accessory essential for all gamers and makes a perfect holiday gift for your gamer friend who keeps missing their headshots. This might help them perform a bit better.
EKSA GT1 Cobra True Wireless Gaming Earbuds
Price: $49.99
You cannot enjoy holiday pranks against your sibling or parents with jump-scares from aliens chasing them in Returnal without a great pair of gaming earbuds. The EKSA GT1 Cobra True Wireless Gaming Earbuds provides a powerful audio experience that ensures auditory precision from a creature standing behind you to an enemy trying to sneak up behind you and melee you in Halo Infinite‘s multiplayer. These earbuds have a 36-hour battery life, keeping you in the games longer. The RGB lighting and the case looking like a cobra’s open mouth are the final touches that make these gaming earbuds a necessity for all gamers.
Turtle Beach Recon Controller (Xbox)
Price: $59.95
If you decided to pickup a Xbox Series X|S, why not pair that up with the Turtle Beach Recon controller? This is the first controller to blend high performance audio features and enhanced controls to make all gamers look good. Simply plug in a 3.5mm headset into the controller and take advantage of the game-changing audio features like Superhuman Hearing, Mic Monitoring and more.
This all means that you can hear any lurking enemies nearby, and you can communicate with teammates exactly where the suspicious noise is coming from. The patented, Pro-Aim Focus Mode, is another highlighted feature that fine-tunes thumbstick sensitivity for those long-range shots you need to land; I am looking at all you, Apex Legends and Call of Duty: Vanguard players.
Seagate Storage Expansion Card For Xbox Series X|S
Price: $219.99
Seagate and Microsoft did not want players to run out of space for their digital games. The Seagate Storage Expansion Card is a perfect addition to buy with the Xbox Series X|S for the fastest way to store all those juicy games you want to play without any delay. Users can purchase these small cards with different capacities: 512 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB. The Xbox Velocity Architecture ensures that games on the storage cards still run as fast as if it was downloaded on the console’s internal SSD. You do not want to be throwing a holiday party, and you have to bring hulking external hard drives. This is a great alternative.
SteelSeries Prime Mini Wireless Pro Series Mouse
Price: $59.99
Play like the eSports pros with the SteelSeries Prime Mini Wireless Pro Series Mouse. This is a revolutionary mouse that uses Prestige Optical Magnetic Switches, which boasts holding consistent integrity for over 100 million clicks. This updated version of the Prime Wireless is smaller and lighter without sacrificing quality. The glide skates underneath are super smooth and the mouse does have a USB-C cable to turn it into a wired mouse that would give the best performance for flick shots and rapid movements.
LG UltraGear 27” (27GP950) Gaming Monitor
Price: $899.99
The LG UltraGear 27” (27GP950) Gaming Monitor is one of the best in its class and the price says it all. If you are thinking to get a new main monitor and want to future-proof for a few years, this may be something you want to secure this holiday season. It offers 144Hz (or 165Hz Overclocked) and has a UHD 4K Nano borderless display. The high refresh rates allow smooth gameplay with little to no stuttering when there is fast action occurring.
The Dynamic Action Sync and Black Stabilizer features also aid in keeping opponents visible and never having characters too dark that they are hidden in the shadows. If that is all not enough to convince you, this was named the number one gaming-designed monitor brand in the United States.
Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma
Price: $149.99
Razer is teaming up with Microsoft to offer a great alternative to the Turtle Beach Recon controller. The Razer Wolverine V2 Chroma is a little different and a bit more stylish with the RGB lighting. Another great feature of this controller is the adaptive triggers. For first-person shooter, the right trigger has a shorter pull for quick response firing versus racing games, the right trigger will have a longer pull for precision acceleration.
The interchangeable thumbstick caps also offer different specialties with a shorter stick, rounded top for more speed toggling and the taller stick with a flatter top is for more accuracy. This is a perfect Christmas gift you can get for a close gamer friend and maybe buy one for yourself too.
JBL Quantum 350
Price: $99.95
There is a lot of audio talk in many of the items found above, but none of them are earbuds or headphones. Well, the build up amounts to this: the JBL Quantum 350. It is a wireless gaming headset and can be used for PC, PS4, PS5 or Nintendo Switch (sorry Xbox). The great features include a 22-hour battery life and it only takes five minutes to charge to give users one hour of charge.
The lightweight material and memory foam make this an easy contender in comfort and not straining your head. The JBL QuantumENGINE PC suite also allows for full customization of sound and mic settings. Speaking on mics, the mic is detachable and has the ability to mute chatter when you need to. This is a versatile holiday gift because it can be used for both gaming and business purposes; the choices are endless.
KMD Wireless Pro Controller for Switch
Price:$41.99
Is your friend complaining they suck at Mario Golf: Super Rush because they do not have a controller? Stop the complaints with gifting them the KMD Wireless Pro Controller for Switch this holiday season. It will not only help their gameplay, but can help you improve your gaming performance too! It is also a must-have item to play games like Super Smash Bros Ultimate or Metroid Dread. This controller uses wireless Bluetooth technology and runs on AA batteries but can be used with a USB-C cable to eliminate battery use. It also comes in black and red for some variation.
ASUS ROG STRIX GS-AX5400
Price: $249.00
The ASUS ROG STRIX GS-AX5400 is a dual band performance Wi-Fi 6 gaming router that brings out the best for gamers because it is one of the best devices to maintain the best internet connection. This means no more disconnecting from online gaming in Halo Infinite multiplayer anymore. The router is able to deliver speeds up to 5400 Mbps on 160 MHz Wi-Fi 6 channels—this is super, ultra fast! It also contains a “mobile game mode” that optimizes gaming on mobile, console or PC. This means that there is a steadier connection specifically for specific gaming on specified devices. The extra security features also help protect the whole household with “automatic and regularly updated security signatures.” Keep your data safe for the holidays and the rest of your life.
beyerdynamic MMX 100 & 150 Gaming Headset
Price: $99.00 | $149.00
The beyerdynamic MMX 100 and 150 gaming headsets deliver the best in the audio department. It boasts being one of the best in clear and precise sounds with “low ambient noise” due to the intelligent detachable microphone. The MMX 100 specializes as a “closed analog” gaming headset, which means the sound ahs that original, authentic feel versus the crystal clear sound that most audio equipment use today. The MMX 100 only can be connected with a standard aux/jack input whereas the MMX 150 has the option for both aux/jack input and a USB connector—giving the latter a slight edge in versatility.
Music & Miscellaneous
GRID Frames
Price: From $169.99
This is one of the most unique holiday gifts for that gamer friend who craves a different style of item that can help accent their gaming setup. GRID has spectacularly been able to take popular tech devices from a Game Boy to an iPhone 4 to a Nintendo DS (and more!), and frame the items that tell a story. It adds a great aesthetic touch to homes and enthusiasts who want to show off their favourite tech devices without sacrificing their used items. Even for guests who do not know anything about the device will be able to marvel at the intricate details like the measurement notes, the different dissected parts of the device and all the facts correlating to the device included.
KMD Console Travel Case for Switch Lite
Price: $8.99
The KMD Console Travel Case for Switch Lite is a staple for Switch owners because you cannot have your console naked and susceptible to scratches or drops! The case is quite durable and will protect your Switch from small drops and falls as long as it is snug and safely secured. It also has pockets to store either a stylus, physical games and other small accessories. The case is big enough to hold the console screen, the joycons and even a charging cable for an on-the-go battery top-up that you may need.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 3 Month Membership
Price: $44.99
So, you bought an Xbox Series X or S, you have some games like Riders Republic, but how are you going to play with your friends and family? You will ne the Xbox Game Pass Ultimate: 3 Month Membership. The Xbox Game Pass provides access to over 100 high-quality games, including new, upcoming games like Halo Infinite, without breaking the bank of paying for the full cost of the game. Play these games on console or PC with Xbox Cloud Gaming, the choices are endless! This service also provides the console multiplayer service you need to stay in on the action with all of your gamer friends or family members.
Pixel Frames
Price: $29.99
Pixel Frames brings an alternative to wall art that is decently priced for the high quality artistic frames. These pixel frames are great for fans of retro gaming. Many of the featured games included, but not limited to, are from the worlds of Sonic the Hedgehog, Castlevania and Megaman. These artwork pieces are small, compact so it is great to work into all kinds of areas for display and they are almost photo-realistic of the games themselves. These are officially licensed frames, which means more to boast about at the holiday party while you are able to freely express yourself in the best way possible.
The Music of Red Dead Redemption 2 Soundtrack
Price: $61.99
This would not be one of the best holiday guides without some Christmas music. Okay, well…it is close enough. The popular music from the hit-game brings The Music from Red Dead Redemption 2 Soundtrack. The original score was composed by musician, Woody Jackson. The digital release in August 2019 had vocal tracks with artists like Willie Nelson, Rhiannon Giddens and Josh Homme.
The music from the game was so good it won Best Score/Music at the Game Awards 2018 and Best Video Game Music at IGN’s Best of 2018 Awards. Some would even say this is what propelled Little Nas X’s fame with his famous contemporary hip-hop country song, “Old Town Road.”
