Not all gift guides need to be platform-specific, particularly since there are plenty of video game fans who have all the consoles and all the latest games. This guide mainly features apparel, accessories, and subscriptions that many gamers would want to have as a gift regardless of their console preference. Hey, I want them. Hear that, friends!
Vault 111 Hoodie
Price: $60.00
If you haven't already received an official Bethesda Vault 111 Hoodie through a Lootcrate or some other way, then this is the best time to nab this blue-and-yellow hoodie to celebrate Fallout 4. Now, if you're looking for a neat variant of the hoodie, I suggest the Sole Survivor hoodie from Merchoid that's actually five dollars less than the official hoodie. It has an additional pop collar, a pocket on the left sleeve, and wider side pockets in general. Or you can just get the Thinkgeek Fallout 4 Vault 111 Loot Box which includes the hoodie and a bunch of other Fallout 4 merch for just $99.99.
Nuka Cola Quantum
Price: $2.99/bottle (very limited)
This is a long shot. Available exclusively at Target, these specialty Nuka Cola Quantum bottles has all the taste but not of the rads. Bethesda reached out to Jones Soda Co. to produce these neon blue sodas, which is just Berry Lemonade really. Unfortunately, many of these bottles are already sold out, though Jones Soda, in an Facebook post, says that they want to "expand the program and bring you more." So just be on the lookout to see if Jones Soda can manage to produce more or this novelty will be just as rare as, well, Nuka Cola Quantum.
Dragon Cake Pan
Price: $24.99 (on sale for $17.49)
Thinkgeek has plenty of video game merchandise and gift ideas, but these popular Dragon Cake Pans are fantastic. The directions can be a bit complicated, just to get all of the bubbles out of the pan and make sure everything is evened out properly, but the results are fantastic. With a bit of careful coloring, you can make a stunning cake for any fantasy occasion like this blue-dragon cake by Shapiro-Amy.
Power A amiibo End Level Display
Price: $29.99
While, yes, this could work in our Nintendo Gift Guide as well, this stand is just too good to pass up. If you have a friend who is the consummate amiibo collector, then this display is a fantastic way to feature those figurines in an orderly fashion. And well, you can use this stand for any figurines really—Disney Infinity statues, Skylanders, Bobbleheads, shot glasses, whatever.
Astro Gaming A50s Gen2 Edition
Price: $300.00
At a premium price point, this update to the wireless Astro A50s have very comfortable ear cushions, quality audio, and a fantastic microphone with dual-mic noise cancellation. The only trouble with it is some tricky firmware. Astro also faces stiff competition against Logitech with their G930s and Steelseries with their H Wireless headphones, so you may want to consider those two headphones as well in case you want a more affordable price.
Logitech Driving Force Racing Wheels
Price: $399.99
Logitech G29 Driving Force Wheel Review
Logitech G920 Driving Force Wheel Review
All right, so you won't be sticking these racing wheels into a stocking anytime soon. But the Driving Force racing wheel, whether it's the G920 for Xbox One and PC or the G29 for PS4 and PS3, is indeed the undisputed choice for those who live and die by driving simulations. Between the two, you'll get far more out of the G920 simply due to the lack of quality racing titles on PlayStation platforms at the moment.
Lootcrate Subscription
Price: $35 for 1 month, $99 for 3 months, $315 for 1 Year
Lootcrate has become one of the most popular monthly subscriptions of random gaming merch. Once a month, they send over a box full of goodies with a sneak peek given a few weeks before as to what you'll find in the mysterious crate. There are several other mystery box subscriptions as well, though Lootcrate has the ability to gift a subscription to a friend. But you'll need to get the gift sooner than later so that it will your friend's house in time for Christmas.
Netflix 1-Year Subscription
Price: $100 suggested
If you don't have any idea what to get for a friend that has all of the consoles, then a gift card for a Netflix subscription is solid go-to present. Even if your friend already has a subscription, having it extended for a year is a nice boon, and there's a handy Netflix app across all platforms. We suggest a gift card of about $100. The monthly rate is currently $8.99/month so you can certainly lower the gift card to maybe a 3-month subscription to see if your friend actually likes what Netflix has to offer before adding more money.
Hulu Plus Subscription
Price: $7.99/month with LImited Commercials, $11.99/month with No Commercials
Of course, if your friend already has a Netflix subscription, you can also bolster that with a Hulu Plus subscription that now comes in two flavors: a Limited Commercial option for $7.99/month and a No Commercials (with several exceptions of course) options for $11.99/month. Hulu Plus also has the optional Showtime package, so with both Netflix and Hulu Plus, you probably don't need cable at all apart from perhaps HBO GO. And once again, there's a Hulu Plus app across most platforms.
Crunchyroll Subscription
Price: $6.95/month
Last but not least, a Crunchyroll subscription is best for a friend who loves all sorts of Japanese anime and manga. Crunchyroll has streaming options (and live streaming options on occasion) for all of the favorites including Naruto Shippuden, One Piece, Hunter X Hunter, and the new Digimon Adventure Tri. I'm a fan of Polar Bear Cafe and Mushishi myself, so there's something for every Japanophile on Crunchyroll.
