9 Gift Ideas for Gamers That Are a Total 1-Up!

Power Up Your Gift Giving with the Gift Cards, Trinkets, and Gaming Gear The Gamers of All Ages Want This Year

Want to get the gamer in your life that sets a new high score? Even if you check their wishlist, it can be hard to tell what takes priority – especially if you’re not a gamer yourself. The best way to make sure you get something they’re really excited about is to put the choice into their super coordinated hands.

Gift cards might not seem like the most exciting gift, but a survey by the National Retail Foundation (NRF) found that 54% of adults say that gift cards are at the top of their list this year. In fact, total gift card spending is expected to jump to $29.3 billion this year. Not to mention that the gift cards on this list can get your gamer:

  • Their most-anticipated new release during the Steam winter sale
  • New gear that will up their game
  • Jams to help them get in the zone and top their high score

And more!

Sound pretty sweet? You’re right! So let’s jump in.

GiftYa is Your Gaming Gifting BFF

You don’t have to settle for old school gift cards when shopping for your favorite gamer. GiftYa levels them up! Choose from thousands of local and national brands. Then, you can customize your gift with a photo or short video clip – if you have a clip of their high score run, this is the perfect time to break it out! Round out your present with a personalized message, then send it off to be delivered immediately or schedule it for any date and time you choose.

But GiftYa isn’t just easy to send, it’s easy to use, too. Your favorite gamer can redeem their gift right from their phone like a traditional e-gift code, or they can link it to a card they carry with them everyday anyway. When they make a purchase at the qualifying brand, their gift balance will automatically be applied until it is used up. And if they don’t love the gift you send them (not likely!) they can re-gift or exchange their balance for another brand in just a few clicks.

Not sure where to start? Here are a few of our favorite options in the catalog to get you started.

1 - Gamestop

Meeting All of Their Game + Gear Needs, All In One Place

Grab a Gamestop gift card

Gamestop giftcard

With nearly 3,000 locations around the country and a huge online selection GameStop is a well-known name amongst novice and pro gamers alike. With everything from the latest releases to vintage consoles, from controllers and cables to t-shirts and Funko Pops, it’s a gamer’s paradise.

GameStop is a particularly good option if you don’t know your gamer’s favorite console or they like ‘em all. They can grab a physical copy of the latest Call of Duty for their Xbox or Playstation, or they can shop Nintendo’s proprietary content like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild or Super Mario Bros. Wonder.

GiftYa Recommends: Pair your Gamestop gift card with a physical gift from the Gamestop Gift Shop. With options ranging from >$10 to $100+, there’s something for every budget. Gifts span across homewares, toys and games, trading cards, anime, retro gaming, collectibles, and more. 

Grab a Gamestop gift card

2 - A Gift Card to Their Favorite System

One liner about restaurant include key words if possible

Get an Xbox gift card or Playstation gift card or Nintendo eShop gift card

two young woman playing video games
If you know their console of choice, a gift card for new games is a no-fail gamer gift.

If it’s been a while since you picked up a controller, here’s what you missed: pretty much every modern gaming system has an online store now. That’s bad news for gamers who want to buy a complete game and not have to shell out extra money for downloadable content (DLC), but it’s good news for people who want to get their gamer an awesome gift.

Gamers can use a gift card for their favorite system (the major players being Xbos, Playstation, and Nintendo) to get new games or download extra content for the ones they already have. They can also join (or renew!) their console’s online subscription, which gives them access to online play with their friends.

Not to mention that these kinds of subscriptions come with all sorts of other perks. A Nintendo Switch Online subscription, for instance, gives user access to channels with hundreds of classic Nintendo, Super Nintendo, Game Boy, and Sega games in addition to a downloadable copy of Happy Home Paradise, the extension game for Nintendo’s bestselling Animal Crossing: New Horizons. 

With an Xbox or Playstation gift card, your gamer can even buy movies or seasons of their favorite tv show to watch right on their console.

Get an Xbox gift card or Playstation gift card or Nintendo eShop gift card 

3 - A Gift Card to A Streaming Service

One liner about restaurant include key words if possible

Grab an Apple TV gift card or Hulu gift card or Paramount+ gift card 

Streaming Service
Cable who? Modern gaming consoles like the Playstation and Xbox allow gamers to stream their favorites right from their gaming system.

If they play games on Playstation, Xbox, or PC then another great gift that you can get for the gamer in your life is a gift card to one of the major streaming platforms out there. The modern Xbox and Playstation 5 have plenty of apps that you can download onto the system from all the major streaming platforms. And that way they have a full on home entertainment system instead of just a system to play their games on. It’ll basically just be a nice upgrade for their system.

Grab an Apple TV gift card or Hulu gift card or Paramount+ gift card 

4 - Best Buy

For All of Their PC + Console Gear Needs

Buy a Best Buy gift card 

Best Buy is one of the nation’s biggest home electronics retailers for a reason: it’s a one-stop shop for hardware… and that includes gaming hardware. With everything from smartphones to smart tvs in stock, your gamer will surely find something they love.

Best Buy stocks gaming essentials, like:

  • Gaming accessories
  • Cables
  • Controllers for different systems
  • Headphones
  • Fancy keyboards for our PC gamers

And more.

GifYa Recommends: Complete your gift by finding them a great new controller or a set of nice headphones they can use to make their gaming experience even more immersive.

Buy a Best Buy gift card 

5 - Amazon

Where They Can Get Gaming Gear + Everything Else

Get an Amazon gift card 

Okay, saying Amazon is a good place for games to shop is like saying the grocery store is a good place for games to shop – everyone uses it. But as the world’s largest online retailer with over 12 million items for sale, Amazon has a wide selection of gamer goodies as well.

From brand new gaming systems to official controllers, cables, monitors, tvs, and of course games, there’s something for every gamer to enjoy.

Plus, with Amazon’s convenient 2-day (or sometimes even same day) delivery on many items, they’ll be able to have the gift they choose in hand faster than they can run their favorite classic video game.

Get an Amazon gift card 

6 - Target

Another Place for Gaming Gear + A Whole Lot More

Text a Target gift card 

Sure, Target can be an errands destination, but when you text or email your gamer some guilt-free spending money, we’re betting they’ll head straight for the electronics section at the back of the store.

With over  2,000 locations around the shopping and the bulk of their catalog online, your gamer should be able to get to a Tarjay pretty easily. And once they’re there? It’s games and controllers and cords, oh my! From Nintendo Switch Amiibo cards and figures to some of the best gaming headphones money can buy, there’s sure to be something that your gamer loves.

Text a Target gift card 

7 - Apple

Because Phone Games Are Video Games, Too

Buy an Apple gift card 

When you think Apple you probably think smartphones or music, but the brand has plenty more to offer gamers than that. Not only does Apple sell the sort of high-powered laptops and desktop computers that gamers need to play – think powerful graphics cards and lots of processing power – they’ve also got plenty of toys and gizmos for gamers, too. 

Apple stocks accessories like sleek keyboards, wireless mice, wireless AirPods, and the stunning over-ear AirPods Max (also wireless).

And even if they prefer Windows devices for their PC gaming, they can put their gift card towards an Apple Music subscription, Apple TV, or even phone games in the App Store.

Buy an Apple gift card 

8 - Spotify

Music Is Perfect for Getting in the Zone

Send a Spotify gift card

If your gamer isn’t wearing a headset to coordinate with their team on their hardest campaign yet, chances are they’ve still got a pair on while they’re gaming. They might be listening to esports news, or they might be listening to the soundtrack playlist they put together for Batman beating up goons or Master Chief one-shotting grunts.

That’s where Spotify comes in. If they don’t already have Premium, they’ll definitely appreciate the upgrade. And with options for single subscribers, two people, or families, they’re sure to find the right plan for their situation.

Send a Spotify gift card

9 - Visa

The Gaming Gift That Might Even Be Better Than Cash

Build a custom Visa gift card

Visa card

Not feeling the digital options? You can always customize a physical Visa gift card for your favorite gamer with Gift Card Granny’s build a card feature, too. Select from expert-created designs or upload a photo for your own custom creation – maybe make it look like an old school NES controller, or include that screen grab they sent you from their best run ever. 

Add a personal message, and a physical card is on its way. Most custom gift cards print out the same day and ship out the next, so your gamer will have it in no time. And if you want to add an even more personal touch, add less than $2 to the tab and Granny will write out your message by hand in a custom greeting card. 

Build a custom Visa gift card

That’s it for our list of the very best gift ideas for gamers young and old!

Gamers can be tough to shop for – after all, it’s their thing, and they know what they want. We hope that this list has helped give you some great gift ideas for your gamer, no matter what their age is. Whether it’s an Apple gift card for a tap game on their (or their folder on your) iPad or it’s a gift card for the nearly pro gamer in your lifes’ favorite console, we’re sure they’ll love any of the options on this list.

Feel like you still haven’t quite found the right fit? Don’t worry! The GiftYa catalog has thousands of local and national brands – so whether it’s a big headset brand or the local arcade, you’re sure to find something they’ll love. Ditch the plastic, give a GiftYa, and good luck on your gaming shopping adventure!

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Trae Bodge

Trae Bodge is the shopping expert here at GiftYa. Trae helps people find the best deals and ideas on popular new items to purchase.

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