Father Christmas has some difficult choices to make (Picture: Metro)
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Buying Christmas gifts for the gamer in your life is no easy task but we can make it easy for you with this breakdown of the hottest consoles and games.
It’s that time of year again. The mince pies have gone on sale (great!), Christmas songs are playing non-stop in every shop you enter (not so great!), and you’ve no idea what to buy video games loving friends and family.
It’s a common problem, given the confusing number of different formats available, the difficulty in knowing what they’ve already got, and the fact that nowadays most games are bought digitally – so there’s little or nothing to put under the tree anyway.
That means the best advice for buying video games as a gift is simply to ask the recipient what they’d want – which takes all the fun and surprise out of it. If you want to be more adventurous though, or if you’re a gamer that’s not sure what to ask for, hopefully the following suggestions will be helpful.
You will have had to be very good to get a PS5 Pro for Christmas (Sony)
PlayStation 5 gifts for Christmas 2024
Few people are going to be giving someone else a console for Christmas, unless it’s a very close familiar member. In which case they’ve probably been planning and discussing it for a long time.
Video game consoles are generally released in waves called generations, which last around six or seven years. The PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S are about to have their fourth Christmas, so they’re a little over middle-aged at this point. Although the effects of the pandemic and an unnaturally quiet period of releases over the last two years makes it uncertain when exactly there’ll be a PlayStation 6.
For now, you have three flavours of PlayStation 5 to choose from: the standard model (also known as PS5 Slim), the PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (the same thing but cheaper, because it doesn’t have a disc drive), and the newly released PS5 Pro (a more powerful version but which still plays the same games).
PlayStation 5 – £479.99 (£469.95 at Amazon)
PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – £389.99 (£386.49 at Amazon)
PlayStation 5 Pro – £699.99 (£699 at Amazon)
Some of the Xbox consoles are quite limited editions (Microsoft)
Xbox Series X and Xbox Series S gifts for Christmas 2024
Microsoft is in a peculiar position at the moment, as after buying Call Of Duty maker Activision Blizzard, for an eye-watering $75.4 billion, it instantly became the biggest video game publisher in the West. And yet at the same time, sales of its Xbox consoles went into freefall, and remain less than half that of the PlayStation 5.
That presents an opportunity for canny gift givers though, especially as it increases the chances of some good deals around Black Friday. At this point in the generation, the cheaper Xbox Series S version also becomes an option for PlayStation 5 owners who might want to sample Xbox exclusives, especially as there are quite a few this Christmas season.
The Xbox Series S is similar to the Digital Edition of the PlayStation 5, in that it doesn’t have a disc drive, but it’s also slightly less powerful than the Xbox Series X, which means lower resolution and performance in some games – although the differences will be invisible to most ordinary players.
This Christmas has seen the release of a number of new variations of each console, different in terms of the size of their hard drive and whether they have a disc drive or not. There is no Xbox equivalent of the PS5 Pro though.
Xbox Series X 1TB All-Digital Robot White – £429.99 (£423.27 at Amazon)
Xbox Series X 1TB Disc Drive Carbon Black – £479.99 (£459.99 at Argos)
Xbox Series S 512GB All-Digital Robot White – £249.99 (£249.99 at Argos)
Xbox Series S 1TB All-Digital Robot White – £299.99 (£299 at Amazon)
Nintendo Switch OLED Model – still going strong (Nintendo)
Nintendo Switch gifts for Christmas 2024
After the failure of the Wii U, which launched at the same time as the PlayStation 4, Nintendo was forced to break the usual generational pattern, and so the Nintendo Switch isn’t easy to categorise as either last gen or current gen. Not that that sort of pedantry is likely to concern Nintendo, as the console is on course to become the most successful of all time.
First released in March 2017, it’s getting on for eight years old now and is widely expected to be replaced by a new console next year. Although technically Nintendo has only promised to reveal it before April 2025 – they’ve said nothing about when it will be released. Although the general assumption is either late spring or autumn 2025.
Switch sales are slowing but it’s still a popular format, so it’s hard to predict how cheap it might be when Black Friday swings around. The three models are still the same as always though, with the original; the OLED Model with a slightly larger screen; and the cheaper Switch Lite, which is handheld-only and does not connect to a TV.
Nintendo Switch – £259.99 (£252.55 at Amazon)
Nintendo Switch OLED Model – £309.99 (£275.48 at Amazon)
Nintendo Switch Lite – £199.99 (£189.88 at Amazon)
Physical media will never truly die (Limited Run Games)
Best video game Christmas gifts 2024
We’ve already outlined some of the reasons why buying video games is difficult but one of the most obvious ones is that they’re expensive, with £70 now being standard for many bigger titles. As with buying a console it’s best to check with whoever you’re buying the gift for (or someone close to them) that they haven’t already got the game in question and that you’re certain they have the right console to play it on – or you could potentially waste a lot of money.
Assuming you’ve got that straight we’ve listed some of the biggest games of this year below, although we’ve left out any that are digital only – which includes most indie titles – since you can’t give them as a physical gift.
That’s not entirely true though, as companies like Limited Run Games and iam8bit do sell physical copies of digital-only game – but often only in limited quantities that are quite expensive. These can make excellent gifts though, if you’re able to get it delivered in time. They also sell some interesting and rare merchandise, which is a great way to treat a loved one to a gift they weren’t expecting.
Best video game Christmas 2024 gifts for PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch
Tekken 8
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 16
The iconic fighting game franchise celebrated its 30th anniversary in style with what is the best entry in recent years, with a great roster of characters, a fun single-player mode, and excellent online options.
£54.99 (£39.99 at Amazon)
Helldivers 2
PlayStation 5 and PC
Age rating: 18
Sony’s success with live service games has been mixed, to say the least, this year but this surprise hit online shooter is one of their biggest ever exclusives, and somewhat surprisingly it does have a physical edition.
£34.99 (£26.39 at Amazon)
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
PlayStation 5
Age rating: 16
A prime contender for game of the year. The middle section of the three part remake of Final Fantasy 7 expands the scope considerably, with new open world areas, but retains the charming strangeness of the PlayStation 1 original.
£69.99 (£65.89 at Amazon)
WWE 2K24
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 16
The WWE wrestling games have been all over the place in terms of quality in recent years, but this is undoubtedly the best. In fact, in terms of the gameplay, roster size, and volume of options it may well be the best wrestling game of all time.
£64.99 (£19.99 at Amazon)
Stellar Blade
PlayStation 5 and PC
Age rating: 18
A shockingly good action game from little known developer Shift Up, its characters are rather charmless, compared to something like Bayonetta, but the crazy boss battles and excellent combat are top notch.
£69.99 (£59.99 at Argos)
Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door
Nintendo Switch
Age rating: 7
A remaster of a 20-year-old GameCube game but you’d never guess given the charming visuals and the epic size of this role-playing adventure, which is the funniest game Nintendo has ever made – with a great script and set of characters.
£49.99 (£39.99 at Amazon)
F1 24
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 3
Another of this year’s best sports game, with a bigger focus on letting you play as the actual real-world drivers than usual. The graphics and general sense of realism are excellent, while remaining accessible to novice drivers.
£69.99 (£58.99 at Argos)
Star Wars Outlaws
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 12
It’s not going to win any game of the year awards but if you’re a Star Wars fan this is arguably the most detailed and authentic depiction of the galaxy far, far away – particularly its seedier side – ever seen in a video game.
£69.99 (£44.94 at Amazon)
Astro Bot
PlayStation 5
Age rating: 7
Although it’s always been taken as read that no other game can rival Super Mario when it comes to 3D platformers this is the one exception, that actually does come close, with a joyful, family-friendly romp that’s also a celebration of 30 years of PlayStation history.
£59.99 (£53.99 at Amazon)
EA Sports FC 25
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 3
If EA hadn’t given up using the licence this would’ve been called FIFA 25. But the name is about the only thing that is different in this unambitious sequel, which is by default the best football game on the market but falls well short of its full potential.
£69.99 (£52.95 at Amazon)
The Legend Of Zelda: Echoes Of Wisdom
Nintendo Switch
Age rating: 7
The only major Nintendo-made game where you get to play as Zelda (she’s the princess, Link is the usual hero) and a very good game in its own right, with a clever gameplay mechanic that revolves around copying objects and monsters to solve puzzles.
£49.99 (£39 at Amazon)
Silent Hill 2
PlayStation 5 and PC
Age rating: 18
Not a game to be giving the more timorous members of your family, but this is a surprisingly excellent remake of the classic survival horror and the best of this year’s bumper crop of horror-themed games.
£59.99 (£54.99 at Amazon)
Metaphor: ReFantazio
PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 16
A brand new franchise from the creators of Persona (who also had remake Persona 3: Reload out this year). This has some similarities with that series, but the new setting, characters, and unusual storyline are very engaging, with some of the weirdest boss battles of the year.
£59.99 (£49.99 at Amazon)
Super Mario Party Jamboree
Nintendo Switch
Age rating: 3
The Mario Party games have always been perfect for playing with casual and non-gamer friends at Christmas, and this is undoubtedly the best so far, with a huge range of virtual board games to play, over 100 mini-games, and a number of unusual new online modes.
£49.99 (£40.93 at Amazon)
Call Of Duty: Black Ops 6
PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 18
Not a franchise that needs any introduction, even to those that don’t play it, but this is the best entry in some time, with an enjoyably over-the-top story campaign and the usual fun multiplayer options.
£69.99 (£56.99 at Amazon)
Dragon Age: The Veilguard
PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 18
A triumphant return for Mass Effect creators BioWare, with their first new action role-playing game in 10 years. You don’t have to have played any of the previous games to enjoy this one, with it’s fast-paced combat and highly customisable characters.
£69.99 (£57.99 at Argos)
Mario & Luigi: Brothership
Nintendo Switch
Age rating: 7
Another role-playing game returning for a comeback, this is the sister series to Paper Mario and while it’s not quite as good as the peerless The Thousand-Year Door it’s just as epic, with dozens of hours of gameplay.
£49.99 (£42.99 at Amazon)
Lego Horizon Adventures
Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 and PC
Age rating: 7
This isn’t out yet, so we can’t tell you if it’s any good, but it certainly looks like a lot of fun and seems to be breathing some much need personality into the otherwise dour characters of Horizon Zero Dawn.
£59.99 (£54.95 at Amazon)
S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart Of Chornobyl
Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 18
Years in the making, its development interrupted by the Russian invasion of Ukraine, S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is a complex mix of role-playing game, first person shooter, and horror game that’s bound to please the hardcore gamer in your life.
£49.99 (£39.95 at Amazon)
Indiana Jones And The Great Circle
Xbox Series X/S and PC
Age rating: 16
The last major release of the year (we already played a preview) looks to be a considerably more entertaining Indiana Jones adventure than the last film, with a very cinematic mix of action and puzzle-solving from the makers of Wolfenstein.
£69.99 (£59.99 at Amazon)
Video game gift cards for Christmas 2024
The simplest and most boring solution for what to get a gamer for Christmas is a gift card, which solves all the problems of not being sure what they want but makes unwrapping presents on the big day very anticlimactic.
Retailers such as Amazon and GAME have plenty of gift cards for formats such as PlayStation and Xbox, as well as specific online games such as Roblox and Fortnite. You don’t need to buy these cards though, which obviously limit where the money can be spent, so at the end of the day the most useful thing to do is a money transfer or good old fashion IOU.
Subscriptions to services such as PlayStation Plus, Xbox Game Pass, and Nintendo Switch Online, are also very useful for most gamers but, again, not the most exciting thing to receive on Christmas morning.
Video game accessories for Christmas 2024
The other option for video game presents is accessories, especially controllers and headphones. That’s something most gamers are always happy to receive, although the best option for controllers is almost always the official ones – since third party versions are usually lower quality.
For PlayStation 5 owners there’s also the PlayStation Portal, which is a portable device that allows you to play your existing games without using the TV. It’s very handy in a busy household but it is expensive at £199 (£199 at Amazon).
Another option is a VR headset, but while it’s very good the PlayStation VR2 has not received enough software support to justify the price. The Meta Quest 3 has fared better over the last year but is still very expensive, at a minimum of £469.99 (£409.99 at GAME).
However, the newly released Meta Quest 3S, which has some technical compromises but is still very good, can be had for £289.99 (£289 at Amazon) with a free game – the excellent Batman: Arkham Shadow.
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