Few holiday seasons have been as packed for players as this one, making it a great time to find the perfect gift for the gamer in your life.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4 launches on October 23, and less than a month later Grand Theft Auto VI finally arrives, more than a decade after GTA V, and that’s not to mention the huge range of new RPGs, action, and indie games due for release, alongside Xbox’s 25th anniversary.
So, if you’re shopping for a gamer this year, the trickiest part is probably narrowing things down, especially when half of what they want hasn’t even come out yet.
We’ve rounded up the best gifts for gamers in 2026 by platform, covering every major console and PC, with a few ideas for the tabletop crowd and some Christmas options for anyone who wants to plan ahead. Along the way, you’ll find metal posters from artists on Displate for the walls that most gaming setups leave bare.
Advice on Choosing the Best Gifts for Gamers in 2026
Start with where they play. Someone who spends most evenings on a PS5 won’t get much use out of an Xbox controller, and a PC player will have opinions on keyboards that a console fan has never had to form. Once you know their favorite platform, think about how they play.
- If they’re in voice chat with the same squad every night, a better headset will make every session sound better.
- If they’ve been talking about a game release for months, buying them that game (or its merchandise) will be appreciated.
- For the player who already seems to own every accessory going, look past the desk to the walls around it. A bit of lighting or a couple of pieces of art can turn a spare room into a gaming den that feels like theirs, and it’s rarely something a gamer buys for themselves.
Gifts for PlayStation Gamers
PlayStation Pulse Elite Wireless Headset
If the gamer in your life plays mostly on PS5, Sony’s own Pulse Elite is the headset to look at first. It connects over PlayStation Link, Sony’s lossless, low-latency wireless tech, which also pairs it with the PlayStation Portal.
It can stay connected to their phone over Bluetooth at the same time, so they can take a call without pulling the headset off mid-match. Battery life runs to around 30 hours on a charge, and the retractable boom mic uses AI-powered noise rejection to keep background noise to a minimum.
PlayStation Icons Light
Paladone’s PlayStation Icons Light puts the four controller symbols on a shelf in glowing color, and it’s a budget-friendly way to show off some PlayStation pride during late-night sessions.
If there’s wall space above it, Displate’s retro gaming metal posters pick up the same glow, with designs like Neon Arcade Game Zone Sign and Retro Gamer Room Pixel Art from independent artists that sit right at home next to RGB lighting.
Via: Best Buy
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 4
Infinity Ward’s latest is the big shooter of the season, landing on October 23 on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, PC, and Nintendo Switch 2. The campaign follows a young South Korean soldier facing combat for the first time after North Korea launches a full-scale invasion of the South, while Captain Price has gone rogue and is fighting by his own rules.
Gifts for Xbox Gamers
Xbox turns 25 this November, and Microsoft is celebrating with some of the best-looking hardware it has put out in years for the popular console’s anniversary. Any of these gifts will go down well with a fan who has stuck with the green team since the beginning.
Xbox Wireless Headset
The official Xbox Wireless Headset is a gift Xbox owners can’t help but appreciate. It connects directly to an Xbox Series X|S or Xbox One without a dongle, and the refreshed model supports Dolby Atmos and DTS Headphone:X for spatial sound, plus Bluetooth, so it can pair with a phone or PC.
Xbox Wireless Controller X25 Special Edition
This one is a collector’s dream. The X25 Special Edition comes in translucent “OG Green,” a throwback to the original 2001 console, and the ABXY buttons are back in their original colors.
Flip it over, and you’ll find the classic Xbox logo on the back, along with the first translucent battery door Xbox has ever made. If your budget stretches further, there’s a matching Xbox Series X25 Limited Edition console with 1TB of storage.
Xbox Game Pass Ultimate
If you’re not sure which game to buy, a few months of Game Pass Ultimate ($22.99/month) gives the gamer in your life access to a library of hundreds of games.
Star Wars: Bounty Hunter
For a stocking filler, Aspyr’s remaster of the 2002 classic costs around $20 and lets you step into Jango Fett’s skin as you chase down a dangerous Dark Jedi across the galaxy.
Finishing the campaign unlocks a Boba Fett skin for a second run, an Easter egg the original game teased but never delivered. Pair it with something from Displate’s space category and their setup will have a whole galaxy on the wall.
Best Gifts for PC Gamers
PC gamers tend to treat their setups as a work in progress that never ends, which makes them surprisingly easy to buy for once you know what is next on their wish list.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3
A good keyboard is on almost every PC gamer’s wishlist, and the Apex Pro TKL Wireless Gen 3 is one they’ll use every single day. Its OmniPoint 3.0 magnetic switches let users adjust how far each key travels before it registers, and Rapid Tap gives competitive players quicker reactions in shooters.
Nanoleaf Lines
Nanoleaf Lines are slim, backlit light bars that snap together in whatever shape you like, so no two setups look the same. Each bar has two color zones, and the Screen Mirror feature syncs the lights to whatever’s on your monitor, which looks fantastic during a boss fight or an intense shooter campaign.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
If your gamer owns Elden Ring but never got around to the expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree is the obvious pick, as it takes them into the Land of Shadow for some of the toughest boss fights in the Elden Ring world. Alternatively, consider the Tarnished Pack DLC, which adds new starting classes, weapons, and cosmetic options for Torrent.
Dark Fantasy Metal Posters
For a PC gamer who loves sprawling fantasy worlds, Anato Finnstark’s dark fantasy art is a great match for their battlestation. Lone wolves and dragon slayers stand against brooding skies, and pieces like The Eclipse Knight can come in a Textra finish, which adds a raised texture you can feel under your fingertips.
There are so many collections to choose from; you’ll certainly find the right gift for your favorite gamer.
Gifts for Nintendo Switch 2 Gamers
Nintendo Switch 2 Mario Kart World Bundle
If your loved one is still playing on an original Switch, this could be the year to upgrade them. Nintendo’s new Mario Kart World bundle includes the Switch 2 console, a digital copy of the game, and 90 days of Nintendo Switch Online.
Joy-Con 2 Thumb Grips
A pack of silicone thumb grip caps is about as affordable as gaming gifts get. The extra grip makes a real difference during a long session of Mario Kart World or Overcooked!
Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack
For a gamer who loves the classics, a year of Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack unlocks the Nintendo 64, SEGA Genesis, and Game Boy Advance libraries in Nintendo Classics, and on Switch 2, it adds GameCube games too.
Retro Gaming Metal Posters
Nostalgia looks great on a wall too. Displate’s retro gaming collection is full of original designs by independent artists, from pixel-art game rooms to pieces like Arcade Dream Joystick and Retro Game Console Art.
They’re a great fit for anyone who grew up blowing dust out of cartridges and still loves firing up their classic consoles from time to time.
Gifts for Tabletop Gamers
Tabletop players spend as long planning the next session as they do playing it, and these picks will make their next game night feel more like an event to remember.
Warhammer: The Old World Dice
If you have a Warhammer fan in your life, you’ll know they can never have too many dice. Games Workshop’s Old World dice sets come in dice packs themed around a single army, plus an artillery die and a scatter die.
The Witcher Official Cookbook
Bring their favorite fantasy meals to life with The Witcher Official Cookbook. Written by Anita Sarna and Karolina Krupecka, it’s packed with recipes inspired by the games, from hearty tavern stews in Velen to Skellige seafood. It’s a perfect excuse to cook for the whole party before the dice come out for the next campaign session.
A Campaign Journal
Help a dungeon master or dedicated player track their adventures with a well-made campaign journal, ideally with grid pages for sketching maps and taking notes on crucial character or plot details. Pair it with a piece from Thiago Correa’s Mystic Tarot collection on Displate, and their game room will have a touch of the arcane that suits any fantasy campaign.
Best Christmas Gifts for Gamers
Grand Theft Auto VI
The most talked-about game in years returns players to Vice City on November 19 on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. If your gamer has followed every trailer since the first reveal, you won’t find a bigger gift under the tree this year.
A Custom Displate
A Custom Displate lets you upload your own image and turn it into a metal poster, which makes for a thoughtful, one-of-a-kind present. Try a photo of the gaming crew from your last LAN session or a picture of the setup they’re proudest of, and they’ll get a gift nobody else can buy.
The Displate Gift Card
If you can’t pin down their taste, the Displate Gift Card lets them pick their own design. You choose the size and finish, including Matte, Gloss, or the textured Textra, and the gift card for a poster matching those specs lands in their inbox instantly or on a date you pick.
Displate Shards
If the gamer on your list already has every wall covered, Displate Shards give them something new to collect. They’re palm-sized steel prints of officially licensed art with magnets, making them the perfect accompaniment to metal posters. Choose between officially licensed content and mystery packs.
Platform Gift Cards
And if all else fails, a PlayStation Store, Xbox, Nintendo eShop, or Steam gift card lets them spend it on the game they’ve had their eye on. It’s the safest bet on this list, and few people are disappointed to find one tucked inside a card.
The Perfect Poster for Any Gaming Setup
The best gifts for gamers usually come from paying attention to what they play and how much of their week they spend in their gaming room. If you’re still stuck, take a look at the walls around their setup, because a bare one can tell you more than any wish list.
Browse Displate’s gaming and fantasy metal posters from independent artists, or let them choose their own with a Displate Gift Card. Either way, their walls will finally match their setup.
