Christmas gifts for gamers: games by budget
Games are an easy Christmas gift, but only if you get the platform right. Here are gift ideas sorted by budget, and how to turn a game code into a proper present.
A game is a gift that arrives even if you're late, but it's easy to miss. The most important thing isn't which game you pick, but that it's for the right platform. Here are gift ideas by budget, and a few simple steps that turn a code in an email into a present worth opening.
How to give a game as a gift
- 1Find out what they play on: Steam on PC, Xbox, PlayStation or Nintendo Switch. Ask rather than guess, or look at what's by the TV.
- 2Buy the game for that platform. The code arrives by email within minutes, Christmas Eve included.
- 3Write the code in a Christmas card or print it and put it in an envelope, so there's something to open under the tree.
- 4They redeem the code on their own account, and the game is theirs for good.
Under 150 kroner
Small gifts don't have to feel small. theHunter: Call of the Wild is a big, calm hunting world to get lost in. Subnautica drops you into the ocean of an alien planet with only a small lifepod to start from. PEAK is mountain climbing for up to four friends where most things go wrong in the fun way. Heroes of Might & Magic III is the strategy classic many adults remember fondly, and Deep Rock Galactic: Survivor is perfect for short sessions.
From 150 to 300 kroner
This is where many of the games people actually want sit. Farming Simulator 25 and Euro Truck Simulator 2 are safe picks for someone who likes working at their own pace. Football Manager 26 is for the one who already knows better than the coach. Minecraft: Java & Bedrock Edition for PC still makes kids and adults happy. Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord brings medieval war on a big scale, and Little Nightmares III can be played with a friend online.
From 300 to 600 kroner
This year's big releases at a friendly price. Battlefield 6 for Xbox and ARC Raiders are for anyone who plays shooters with friends. Cities: Skylines II is endless city building, Borderlands 4 is chaotic shooting with thousands of guns, and The Outer Worlds 2 is a role-playing game where your choices matter. Resident Evil Requiem is for those who like being scared.
The big present
Grand Theft Auto VI is out on 19 November, well before Christmas, and the Xbox version can be pre-ordered now. The code arrives by email on release day. Forza Horizon 6 takes the driving series to Japan and is the gift for someone who would rather drive than shoot.
For kids and for couples
If your child has a Nintendo Switch, we have a separate guide to the best Switch games for kids, sorted by age. The LEGO games and Overcooked! 2 are safe picks. If they play Fortnite, V-Bucks are the gift they would choose themselves. For couples who want to play together, It Takes Two and Split Fiction are made for exactly two players and rank among the best co-op games there are.
