Great Valentine's Day Gift Ideas for Gamers
We’re approaching the most romantic time of the year, Valentine’s Day. All over the world, people young and old are thinking about how they can show their love for their special person. For most, it ends up being with a gift.
Finding the right gift can make all the difference. It shows that you know the person well and understand where their passions and interests lie. With the gaming industry continuing to dominate the entertainment space, it’s a safe bet that your love interest could be a gamer. If that’s the case then look no further. Here is a comprehensive list of Valentine’s Day gifts for all sorts of gamers.
Retro gamers
The games we grew up playing, for the most part, stick with a special type of nostalgia glue for life. They are often the happiest memories, of youthful days with minimal responsibility other than rescuing a princess from an evil turtle.
Retro games are often tied to specific consoles, but in almost all circumstances, it’s not a nostalgia for the console itself, only the game. For proof, look at the demand for reissues of games on the latest consoles rather than reissues of the consoles themselves. Crash Bandicoot is available on PS4 and Mario Bros is available on Nintendo Switch.
Over the years some games have had such iconic characters that entire communities and fan groups have been created. The big hitters are Sonic the Hedgehog, Mario and Luigi, Crash Bandicoot, Pikachu, Lara Croft, and Duke Nukem. There are of course countless others.
Some retro gamers have nostalgia for racing games or fighting games and not necessarily one specific game character. Street Fighter, Mortal Kombat, Looney Tunes, OutRun, and Gran Turismo are some such games.
If your special person is a fan of retro games, there are many gift options. The only challenge is if your special person enjoyed playing niche games growing up. Nevertheless, with enough forethought, you can find a t-shirt with one of their favorite game prints on it, or a mug with a picture of their favorite character. Depending on how much you are willing to spend, you could download the game for one of the newer consoles or buy a Bluetooth controller remake from the original console.
Alternatively, you could try source the original console, with the original game (you’d be surprised what you can find) and set up the perfect Valentine’s Day date. Order pizza and spend the night seeing your special person rediscover their childhood joy. Just warn them beforehand that some games are better left as a memory. They don’t all age well.
Console gamers
Not all gamers like to reminisce about the past. In fact, many gamers are hooked by being exposed to the latest graphics and game development. Compare No Man’s Sky in VR to Falling on Spikes in 2D. For those who love the worlds that have been created on the latest consoles, there is almost no way back.
When it comes to thinking of gifts, this can depend on what exactly your Valentine enjoys about console gaming. Is it specific games that they enjoy or is it the console itself? Each has its own gift potential.
If it’s games, like Red Dead Redemption 2, Halo, FIFA or Zelda’s Breath of the Wild, there are many merchandise accessories available online. If it’s more independent games like Hollow Knight or BroForce, it might be a bit more challenging to find something. Although, if you look enough you can find merchandise like a Celeste mug.
Some console gamers are fans of the consoles themselves. You might find that your Valentine has bought three Playstations over the years but never an Xbox, or wouldn’t consider buying a Switch. You’ll find extensive gaming merchandise for Nintendo, Playstation, and Xbox. With newer consoles expected to be released in 2020, you can expect the console allegiances to become more prominent online.
The newer consoles have plenty of gift potential. You could give a gift voucher towards a new game, pay for their online subscription or even purchase one of their console’s accessories. This could be an extra controller for a two-player evening for Valentine’s Day, or a steering wheel to race each other down the chicane.
PC and mobile gamers
Some gamers enjoy getting under the hood of technology, being able to improve it themselves. For PC gamers, the ability to build the ultimate gaming PC is one of their lifelong alchemies. This involves either purchasing and building it part by part or buying a beautifully pre-configured computer.
The same applies to mobile gaming, but to a lesser degree. They won’t be taking their phone apart, but they might be buying an additional add-on cooler. The enjoyment comes from operating a flawless piece of technology.
Another reason why some gamers stick with PC is the ability to use the mouse and keyboard. This allows for intuitive gaming in first-person shooter games like Call of Duty as well as the comfort to build a city in SimCity or a family in The Sims.
Most games are released on PC and consoles these days, so you could gift merchandise from their favorite game. However, if you want to speak to the heart of a PC gamer, getting an accessory for their PC or mobile might be the best option. It could be a USB mug warmer, an additional battery for their mobile or a branded mouse pad.
Online gamers
PC gamers and console gamers found common ground this past decade thanks to the growth of online gaming. Games like Minecraft, Fortnite and Rocket League took the world by storm. These games were not tied to a specific console or hardware but rather the ability to play with an online community across platforms. Minecraft, as an example, is said to be the best selling videogame of all time.
These games have an enormous amount of merchandise available online and in stores. For the most part it appealed to a younger audience, and you’ll be able to find things like Minecraft figurines in toy stores.
In addition to playing online games, watching other people playing online games on platforms like Twitch and YouTube has also swept up the gaming industry. You could pay for your Valentine’s Twitch subscription or set up a romantic evening of watching a walkthrough video of your special person’s favorite game.
Online casino gamers
For the older crowd (over 18 in most cases), there is another type of online gaming that wouldn’t necessarily have merchandise in toy stores. Online casino sites offer an increasingly interactive and enthralling experience. Some of the best online casino games involve a live environment that makes you feel like you’re rubbing shoulders with James Bond.
There are many options when it comes to casino gifts. Firstly it depends on what your Valentine enjoys about casinos. If they enjoy the aesthetic depicted in games like Mafia and Grand Theft Auto, you could buy them in-game currency that they can use to gamble with. GTA Online recently opened its doors to arguably the best online casino in mainstream games.
If, on the other hand, they play casino games online through verified online casinos, you might be on the lookout for classic casino gifts. You could go for gambling accessories like dice, a lucky charm or a branded mug.
You could also load some credit with their favorite online casino, then play casino games online together. Many online casino sites have themed games. You can be sure that in the month of love, some of the best games will have names involving roses or relationships. Just make sure to plan what you’ll do with the winnings together as a couple.
If your Valentine is a fan of poker, you could help them find the best online casino poker site. As with buying a game like Luigi’s Mansion, you would be giving your special person hours of enjoyment.
Ultimately, it’s the thought that counts. Understanding what type of gamer your Valentine is will help you find the key to their heart thanks to a thoughtful gift.
