The PC Gamer 2021 Holiday Gift Guide

Metal Gear Solid Codec Pins: Snake?! ($29)
This set of lenticular pins shifts between two images depending on viewing angle, and even comes with the codec interface so you can set up different conversations depending on how you feel each day. It is a set guaranteed to delight Metal Gear fans. And tell me… Do you think love can bloom, even on a denim jacket? 

A Guide to Japanese Role Playing Games ($47)
One of the most impressive works of game history we've seen, A Guide to Japanese Role Playing Games chronicles one of the most influential genres to ever release, quite comprehensively, from 1982 until 2020. Every printing of this book so far has sold out, and the next is scheduled for the end of this November. This is, hands down, the best gift for any JRPG fan in your life, casual or hardcore. Snag one if you can. 

The Games That Weren't: Could've Beens ($40)
If you can't, here's the backup. The Games That Weren't is a chronicle of games that never happened, made and unreleased, half-made, or detailed concepts. It's a compelling reminder that not only are games incredibly hard to make, requiring many people or years of effort, but that some games don't make it to your screen at all. 

Dygma Raise: Actual Ergonomics ($300)
The Raise is one of the few keyboards available that can genuinely stake a claim to one of the most loosely-used marketing words in gaming: "ergonomic." The main benefit of its two-piece, split setup is control over the angle of your wrists, which otherwise crook inward on most conventional keyboards. The fully programmable board is available in eight different keycaps. PC Gamer editors Evan Lahti and Tyler Wilde use the Raise as their work and gaming platform. 

Razer Charging Pad - Chroma : RGB It. ($60)
If the person you're buying for is going all-in on RGB, and Razer's Chroma products feature prominently in that, there's not much greater than a wireless RGB charging pad. I converted to wireless charging last year, and my smartphone's battery life has thanked me for it. Sit down, pop it on the pad, lights change colors, move on with your life. 

Gamish: A Graphic History of Gaming ($25)
Even people who hate to read love comic books. Here, then, we have the most delightful history of video games you can read and/or stare at. Diving through the politics, history, and personal stories surrounding the history of games, Edward Ross' illustrations carry you through what could be a dry topic to a rather delightful one instead. 

Geralt in the Bath : Tub Time for Geraldo ($68)
Look, we started this meme, and we're going to see it all the way to the end and beyond. 

Player One Coffee: ($15)
We're not huge fans of things that are branded for gamers just so they can upcharge you, or sell you on some imaginary lifestyle, so believe us when we say that Player One Coffee isn't just cute. It's also delicious. I'm a fan of God's Gift, which pairs really well with the nutty nuance of steamed oat milk.

Myst Journal: Return to the Age ($19)
Perhaps the most famous adventure game ever made, Myst enchants us all with its emphasis on books and reading. Take note of where you are, always, with this journal. Journaling is, after all, one of those activities that staves off Alzheimer's among many, many other bad things. And so I close, realizing that perhaps, the ending has not yet been written.

Respawn Point Sign ($27)
A superb addition to any gamer's space, this respawn point isn't just stylishly designed, but a vital notice that should the worst befall you in a game you're never more than a click away from triumphant return. No camping by order.

OXO Good Grips Electronics Cleaning Brush ($8)
I've put this on our gift guide before, and I'm putting it on here again. It's the single handiest tool I've ever owned for cleaning the hard-to-reach nooks and crannies of your mouse, keyboard, and controller. They are grimy and disgusting and you know it, so please clean them.

Razer Gaming Mouse Bungee: ($20)
I'm converted to the way of the Mouse Bungee, and Razer's latest model is quite a good one. It's low profile enough to save desk space and high enough to keep your mouse cord from dragging about as you play. It's a bigger quality of life upgrade than you think it is. It also comes in RGB ($40). You know if the person you're buying for needs that upgrade. 

Church of the Sun Shirt ($25)
If someone you know loves Dark Souls, here's your gift. Oh, if only we could all be so grossly incandescent.

Virtual Cities: An Atlas & Exploration of Video Game Cities ($16)
Written by an urban planner and game level designer, Virtual Cities takes you on a tour of how games explore our largest public spaces. It provides commentary from both an urban design and game design viewpoint. It explores some 45 of the most famous urban areas in games, including City 17 and New Vegas, with beautiful original maps and illustrations to suit.

One Up: Creativity, Competition, and the Global Business of Video Games: ($23)
If someone you know loves not just the games, but knowing the ins and outs of the industry itself, how games are made and distributed, this is the book for them. It explores how video games have moved from niche interest to mainstream moneymakers, and the business strategies that took them there.

Blade Hawks RGB Gaming Mouse Pad: ($17)
It's a giant RGB mouse pad. It is absolutely monstrously huge and it glows. There are more customizable pads, there are larger pads, and there are pads that fit into whatever software suite runs your RGB: But there are none that do it at this price point.

PC Gamer subscription: Hey, that's us! ($26)
Our website's cool, but did you know you can read it on paper, with beautiful page layouts and exclusive cover stories and special features about all things PC gaming before they hit the web? It's true! We think it makes a pretty dang good gift.

Stardew Valley Ginger Island Beach Tote ($19)  
A good size canvas tote with an adorable Ginger Island design screen printed on it, this is the ultimate accessory for Stardew Valley players who wish they, like their game character, could escape the depths of winter to a beautiful tropical getaway. It even comes with a cute golden walnut charm. Pair with the slightly more expensive updated edition of the Stardew Valley Guidebook ($29) for true joy.  

Compression Gloves ($10-20)
Fingerless gloves are good for gaming if you've got cold hands. Compression gloves are nice if you've got sore hands. Gaming with no gloves can give you cold, sore hands. I think you get where I'm going with this. Oh, and some brands will try to sell you weird things like copper threading. You don't need that.

Havit Mechanical Keyboard ($43)
There are few things finer in this life than a clackity keyboard, and this Havit is one of the better entry-level mechanicals because not only does it have those nice gaming-friendly Red switches, it retains a numpad rather than the less-useful PrtScn, Insert, and Delete rows. If you want those, we'd recommend the G.SKILL KM360, or dive deeper into our list of the best gaming keyboards for a wider variety and more price points. 

Slay the Spire - Ascension Hoodie ($59)

Slay the Spire is very good. I shudder to imagine the collective hours that the PC Gamer team has spent ascending higher and higher, towards that top, that distant reach where dwells the very heart of terror, a beating evil that neither rests nor sleeps, but thumps eternal.

Witcher Holiday Sweater ($50)

We're still calling them ugly holiday sweaters, but we're all wearing them anyways, so why are they ugly? Clearly we like them. Perhaps the problem is in the limitations of language, not the sweaters themselves. Perhaps Ugly is happily seen, in the heart, as beautiful indeed.

Razer Cynosa Chroma ($34.99)
The Chroma is a great budget board that brings the edgy RGB aesthetic to any battlestation, and we love it despite it being membrane board. Here, you get a low profile, spill resistant keyboard from a trusted manufacturer, without breaking the bank.

Sea of Thieves Cronch Hoodie ($50)
Pirates don't peel bananas. Pirates bite directly through the peel. The peel, after all, is where the good stuff is. The Sea of Thieves player in your life knows this, and they will appreciate this hoodie for it.

Undead Legion Hoodie ($50)
Dark Souls 3 hoodie? Dark Souls 3 hoodie. What more do I need to say. If they managed to get as far as Dark Souls 3, they deserve a hoodie.

Razer Kraken X Headset ($30)
A great combination of affordable and quality, the Kraken X is a headset with a superb microphone for its price. It's also light, comfortable, and quite durable. It is, in short, a superb headset for any but the more demanding audiophile. If you've got one of those, or would like to spend a bit more, check out our best gaming headset list for more. 

Razer DeathAdder v2 ($35)
With a superb grip and size, the DeathAdder fits nearly any hand. For the majority of games and gamers, the DeathAdder V2 is a fantastic mouse. Its design is simple, with two perfectly placed, generously sized thumb buttons. It also has an excellent optical mouse sensor that will work on both hard and cloth pads. For other choices, go over to our best gaming mouse guide. 

Britsoft: An Oral History ($40)
A look at the gaming industry in the United Kingdom, Britsoft: An Oral History takes you through the largely PC-driven world behind the British games industry. It has interviews with designers like David Braben and Peter Molyneux, and loads of archival images that show the explosion of creation that drove the early British game design scene. Pair it with the documentary From Bedrooms to Billions for a nice double feature. 

Village Map Fine Art Print ($50)
Speaking of England: Wow, what a lovely little village. A beautiful place to raise children, perhaps, or go for a walk, or have a pint at the local. Sure would be a shame if this place were also home to a horrible goose of some kind. 

Corsair HS70 Pro wireless headphones ($79.99)
Corsair impresses with its budget take on the wireless headset. This robust, no-nonsense headset has impeccable sound quality for the money, and although the battery life isn't as strong as some these great noise cancelling headphones for kids who don't want their friends to hear their parents shouting at them to clean their room over voice chat.

XPOWER Airrow ($50)
What if I told you that instead of buying cans of compressed air over and over, you could buy a tiny blower for only about five times the price and never run out of air? Well, now you can.

Speedrun Science: A Long Guide to Short Playthroughs ($32)
Speedruns are a delight, a strange gaming tradition with a vocabulary and energy all its own. Speedrun Science takes this community and gives you a door inside, walking you through the technical concepts and ideas behind speedruns, breaking down even the simplest concepts for the uninitiated. It's also got nice sections on the history of speedruns and on how you might start planning runs of your own.

Logitech G923 Racing Wheel: Speed up. ($390)
With all indications that Forza Horizon 5 is one of the best games of 2021, tricking out your setup to play it is a no-brainer. What better way to do that than with a racing wheel that provides feedback, paddle shifters, and a leather wrap? If you've got the cash to splurge, a wheel is like as not the best way to experience what we called "A ridiculous car playground masquerading as an open world racing game." 

Gordon Freeman scale figurine ($120)
"Time, Dr. Freeman? Is it really that time again?" Here's one for the Half Life lovers in your life.

Adata SE800 1TB ($119.99)
This is our fave external SSD. Seriously speedy reads and writes, impervious to dust and water, and all for a bargain price. You'll do well to find anything better right now—you will need a speedy USB 3.2 port to get the very best from it mind.

Some actual ancient clothes ($100-200)
Now you, too, can have a casually comfortable cosplay tunic, undertunic, and pants. Burgschneider's clothes are all based on real, attested historical finds. Slap on your favorite pair of winingas and the costume is complete. Or, you know, check out the hundreds of other nice period clothes that Bergschneider offers. I'm a big fan of these Viking coats, and maybe a gambeson for some light sparring. They also have a series of absolutely lovely gowns. Roll up to Ren Faire '22 in style. 

Xbox Elite Series 2 Controller ($170)
The absolute premier gamepad for a PC gamer, the Elite Series 2 controller is a potent piece of hardware. Customizable in the extreme, it's tailored for the many strange edge-cases that might come up when using a controller on your PC. You can even change some hardware on it to tailor to specific needs. Did I mention it has a 40 hour rechargeable battery life? I don't know how that's possible, but it is.

Corsair K70 MK.2 ($99.99)
Essentially the same as the board at the top of our best gaming keyboards guide, except it's a mechanical version. It's still is super responsive, and of premium build quality. This one has Cherry MX Speed switches, which are linear and quick, though it might be an idea to establish whether the recipient prefers a clicky keyboard before buying (in which case, go for the blue switches instead).

Cook & Becker Fine Art Prints ($100+)
There is little more lovely in a tasteful gaming space than nicely framed, official concept art prints. Cook & Becker is, year after year, the best place to get them. I'm particularly drawn to their series of pastel concept arts from Cyberpunk 2077, and have long lusted after this print of Dark Souls' Anor Londo. 

Thrustmaster TCA Airbus Edition ($190)
Officially licensed by Airbus, these inspired-by sidestick and throttle sets are one of the highest-end accompaniments you could want for Microsoft Flight Simulator. For a more robust, also very expensive throttle experience, you can upgrade to a Thrustmaster HOTAS Warthog. That'll be a better choice if your PC pilot diversifies into cockpits like mechs and spaceships.

Space Marine Advent Calendar ($100)
The Warhammer 40,000 fan in your life will laugh as hard as I am laughing at this. It is hysterical. Lookit the little angels of death. They're so smol.

Secretlab Titan Evo 2022 Black ($469)
This is our pick for the best gaming chair, and you'll know why once you sit in it. Or read our review. As for this specific design, it's one of the more understated of the lot. It's not as sensual to the touch as the Softweave fabric choice, but still boasts immaculately upholstered, premium quality Neo Hybrid Leatherette, and of course fantastic ergonomics. 

AndaSeat Dark Demon  ($179.99)
This is one of our favorite gaming chairs for its sleek look, adjustment options, cushioning, and sturdy construction. For under $200, it's a steal for a gaming chair.

NERF LMTD Halo Needler: ($100)
It is hands down the coolest gun in Halo, and now you can have a nerf dart blaster replica to celebrate Halo Infinite. It even comes with a card that unlocks some in-game stuff.

Razer Iskur ($349.99)
Razer knows what it's doing when it comes to good quality peripherals, and its chairs are no different. With a loud green trim and subtle snakeskin design, the Iskur is a distinctive gaming chair, from a trusted brand.

LG 27GN950-B Ultragear ($1,199.99)
This is the absolute top-tier gaming monitor money can buy, in our opinion. So if you're looking for ultimate gift appreciation from your much-loved gamer (and they'd have to be loved with a present this dear), this is the ultimate gamer present.

Razer Blade 15 Advanced ($2,999.99)
Packing an Nvidia RTX 3080 and an Intel Core i7 11800H, this one should demolish any games you throw at it.
You should be able to make to most of the 360Hz display, especially at 1080p. This is the absolute prime of present for gamers on the go.

Cuphead Dice Game  ($50)
It's rare to see a tie-in game as delightfully designed as the awkwardly-named Cuphead Fast Rolling Dice Game, but it's a good one. This is all about cooperative dice-rolling chaos, as you try to get the right combos in real time in order to beat the bosses you're up against. Each time you play you can unlock upgrades to use in future games, giving it an element of meta-progression and score chasing.

Wanderhome ($25)
A delightful game of pastoral animals wandering their fantasy world, Wanderhome is a superb game for those who want to branch out into the wild world of indie roleplaying games that focus on character and wonder.

Mothership (Pay What You Want)
On the other end of the indie tabletop spectrum is Mothership, a game of sci-fi horror meant to evoke Alien, Event Horizon, Solaris, or Europa Report. If someone's love of tabletop leans more toward action and monsters, this is the choice for an indie they'll love.

Level Up Dice ($10, $25, $100+)
From stylish acrylics to pricy metals and gemstones, Level Up Dice has a lot of gift-worthy designs. These aren't just the simple things, but the delicious kinds of dice players savor for years across multiple campaigns. Their series of Glyphic Dice is a great addition that spices up any collection.

A Dune Board Game ($37-50)
Dune is pretty cool right now, no? So go in for a Dune board game. You can try out Portal Games' cooperative Dune: House Secrets, directly inspired by the recent movie and based on a tried-and-true game engine. There's also the classic Dune, a long-standing favorite and a brilliant battle of asymmetrical factions. (If you can get it, there's also Dune: Imperium for lovers of large-scale strategy. It's vanished online for now, but your local game store might have one.)

Lost Ruins of Arnak ($45)
Not many impressive board games came out this year, but Lost Ruins of Arnak was one of them. It's a deckbuilder that's really tightly made, reducing the random frustrations of larger games into a handful of key cards in a smaller deck. It stacks that on top of a neat adventure theme into a pretty smart, pretty accessible modern board game.

Homeworld: Revelations ($48-100)
Immerse yourself into the series of games that took us all to space alongside the Kushans, playing as the crew of a ship during events ranging from Deserts of Kharak through to Homeworld 2. Modiphius makes pretty high-quality products, so expect this to be a colorful, exciting set of books to own even if you've got a Homeworld fan and not an RPG gamer.

Fallout: Wasteland Warfare ($80)
The official skirmish miniatures game of Fallout, Wasteland Warfare's starter set is good for more than a few hours of back-and-forth brawls in the Post-Nuclear future. There are a lot of extra sets on the way, to boot, if you really get into it. The miniatures and terrain also tie directly into the accompanying Roleplaying Game Rulebook ($24), if you want to branch out into another hobby at the same time or stack up an extra-deluxe gift.

Lancer: Mechs, Mud, and Lasers ($60)
This definitively delicious Mech combat tabletop RPG delivers an experience that few others do: A tightly-wound tactical experience in combat, but a narratively satisfying set of mechanics for pilots outside the cockpit. It balances the two worlds, that of wargame and that of roleplaying, like few other games do. It also has one of the best suites of digital tools for an RPG, COMP/CON, and its emphasis on grid-based tactical combat makes it very well suited to online play. You can also get Lancer digitally on itch.io.

Twilight: 2000: Post-post-Nuclear ($55)
While it may have been a weak year for board games, it's been a great one for RPGs. This is the return of Twilight: 2000, a classic what-if future game from the '80s that's now an alternate history. You play as survivors of World War 3 attempting to rebuild society as best they can. It's a gritty, wild sandbox game exploring a very rich (possible) post-apocalypse.

Beasts of Balance ($89)
Somewhere between toy, video game, and board game, Beasts of Balance is a delightful experience. First released in 2016, this new updated edition sees you stacking animals on each other as directed by an app. At the same time, elements and twists come along that force you to change how you're stacking and why. It's a delightful digital toy that makes a fun conversation piece for older gamers or many evenings of fun for younger ones. You can check out more on it at its official website. 

Sable Soundtrack on Vinyl ($35)
One of the highest review scores we've given out this year is to Sable, a beautiful game with unmatched sense of style. Part of that style is the lovely soundtrack, which takes a pop-infused tack that most video games just can't pull off. Japanese Breakfast does it with aplomb.

Death Stranding - Original Video Game Score 3XLP ($45)
Death Stranding is an impressive game, though opinions vary, but what I think many can agree on is its absolutely superb score. Vascillating between synthwave and orchestral, pop and soundtrack, you just can't fault it.

Castlevania III: Dracula's Curse Soundtrack LP ($30)
Honestly, just look at that album art. Do you even need to hear the music first? You know it's going to be good.