Gaming, once charged with causing eyesight issues, impacting school grades, and even encouraging real-life violence, has enjoyed something of a volte-face in recent years. Now, it’s the maker of young millionaires, YouTube sensations, and may even help you get smarter.
If you have a friend or family member who just loves to play games online or on a console, then you’ve probably found them rather hard to buy gifts for. After all, gamers are creatures of comfort and habit, and will likely have their gaming set-up finely tuned and optimised already. Not to worry, we’ve got some fantastic, unique ideas to help you think outside the Xbox; here are 5 IDEAL gifts for the gamer in your life.
A MONTHLY SNACK SUBSCRIPTION BOX
Playing games requires hours of our attention, focus and concentration. Like any endurance sport, gamers need sustenance to see them through, and lots of it. Enter snack subscription boxes, which can bring a huge variety of snacks to your gaming-obsessed loved one’s door.
You can find a UK subscription box to suit just about any taste. Some of our favourite snack subscription boxes include the Universal Yums Snack box, which delivers an international snack box from a different country every month, and the Japan Centre Pop Culture Snack Box, full of delicious Japanese snacks and confectionery.
A MINI FRIDGE
Gaming is, of course, thirsty work. Moreover, dehydration can result in poor concentration which affects people’s overall performance in the game of their choice. Indeed, in a study titled The Effects of Hydration Status on Cognitive Performances, it was revealed that ‘’dehydration may affect cognitive performances as water accounts for 75% of brain mass’’.
Enter the mini fridge – the ideal gift for the gamer too immersed in their game to head to the kitchen, but who needs regular liquid refreshment to keep them going. Cheers!
Read: 7 tips for creating the IDEAL gaming room
A SUBSCRIPTION TO GINX TV
Unless you’re a hardcore gamer, you’ve probably never given much thought to the world of eSports. Even if you possess a passing interest, you may not know exactly what goes on in a CoD tournament or League of Legends Showdown.
However, your gaming friend will know that GINX Esports TV is bringing an industry worth over $1bn to the forefront of the gaming world. A streaming service unlike any other, their Elite Membership will keep you up to date on all things virtual and their content can be enjoyed on mobile, PC, tablet or television. Perhaps this is the perfect ‘in the know’ gift for your gaming-obsessed loved one.
HIGH-RESOLUTION MONITORS
Advances in digital imaging mean that players can now enjoy their games in 4K. And judging by the rapid release of 4K games, you can bet these developments are here to stay. High-quality images and detailed video not only make our favourite games more visually compelling, but they can improve your gameplay because you’re able to see things in the distance with more clarity.
Monitor manufacturers have caught on to these developments, and high-resolution monitors are nowhere near as expensive as they used to be. Now, finding a good-sized, high-res monitor has never been easier or more affordable. As such, they make a fantastic gift for gaming lovers, and won’t break the bank, either!
RGB LIGHTS
According to the guys over at PC World “In the world of PC peripherals, RGB lighting is ubiquitous”. Consider buying some RGB strip lighting or RGB panels so your loved one can light up their gaming room in the most glorious way possible.
According to IGN, “When it comes to RGB lighting, Corsair is king of the hill in the gaming PC space. This kit comes with a set of four lighting strips, as well as the Lighting Node Pro RGB Controller, which can also control Corsair’s array of RGB case fans”.
We couldn’t have put it better ourselves.
