Let's face it—buying holiday gifts for your friends and family is challenging. Whether it's someone who's got it all, a person with niche interests, or a picky, perpetually unsatisfied gift receiver, there are plenty of reasons you approach gift selection with fear and trepidation.
If you've got a gamer friend or family member who you need to find gifts for, we've got you covered. Here’s a gift list to spark your creativity and help you gain a little more control over your Christmastime shopping. Discover the best 2021 stocking stuffer ideas for the gamers in your life.
Gifts Surrounding the Games
There are two ways to go about buying gifts for gamers: find gifts surrounding the games and their culture, or find gifts related to the games and play experience itself. For the first type, you will want to explore products inspired by the creative world the video games imagine or the universe where the games came from. Suppose you're going to gift something related to your friend's Spiderman game. In that case, you could find a corresponding superhero action figure or go back to the source with a limited edition of the movies.
Collectible Toys
The world of collectible toys can feel overwhelming to navigate, especially if you're not a gamer or collector yourself. Do you want to find a relatable, exciting gift but aren't sure what's considered nice or high-quality? Worry not! Here's a short list of collectible toy brands organized by style preference.
Each brand will have various franchise rights to manufacture a set of characters. Explore which brands produce toys for your friend or family member's favorite game or anime. Every manufacturer has a unique twist they put on their toys. Whether they conform all toys to a singular model or commit to hyper-realistic reproductions, you can find something distinctive to gift as a stocking stuffer.
Highly Stylized Figures
Highly stylized figures are collectible toys and statuettes that famed manufacturers design to fit within a certain mold. One famous example is the Funko POP! line that makes vinyl facsimiles of pop culture icons and fictional characters. The Funko style includes an oversized and slightly rounded rectangular head atop a smaller, detailed body. No matter what the original person or character looks like, they’ll all fit into this mold. These are the best highly stylized figures whose boxes will fit inside a stocking:
- Funko POP!s. As described above, these toys replicate content from pop culture. You can find Fullmetal Alchemist gifts in the Funko POP! line, or you could find a character from Fortnite or Overwatch.
- Nanoblocks. These are construction toys that enable people to build and destroy with the same blocks, though the final product is a beloved and familiar character.
- Nendoroids. This distinctive toy line comes from the Good Smile Company hobby item manufacturer.
- Qposket. These are mini-sized, cutesy toys that follow the chibi design model.
- FiGPiNs. Though these aren't action figures in the formal sense, they’re collectible replicas of fictional characters your friend or family member loves in their video game. FiGPiNs have a multifunctional backing that allows them to stand on their own on a shelf or clip onto a piece of clothing.
True-To-Form Figures
The opposite of highly stylized figures, true-to-form figures work hard to recreate the specific design, shape, and functionality of the on-screen characters. These are the best types to explore for your stockings this Christmas:
- Banpresto Figures. Always staying true to their design, Banpresto action figures are one of the most reliable toy manufacturers and designs.
- Hasbro Figures. These high-quality six-inch-and-smaller action figures come with interchangeable parts for many forms of play, posing, and enjoyment.
- Bandai Spirits. Like Banpresto, Bandai Spirits figures are quite realistic and come with extensive articulation, perfect for play and shelf positioning alike.
More Media From the Same Worlds
Video games either start or continue creative worlds that extend into other media formats. Give gifts that go above and beyond the confines of the game with these other media options.
Manga and Graphic Novels
Manga and graphic novels are image-based narrative books that your friend or family member would love to grab ahold of and read. These books offer new stories with the same beloved characters, making for a fun and intriguing gift. Many of these books are collectors items, too, and would be an excellent addition to a budding collection.
Anime, TV Series, and Movies
The silver screen boasts the widest array of fictional worlds and creative content. Give the gift that keeps giving with anime, TV series, or movies that your gift recipient can watch again and again. Though a DVD set may not be the most accessible option, you could find a digital all-inclusive collector's set that includes new footage and interactions with the content.
Gifts for Playing the Video Game
On to the second major category, these stocking stuffers make for the perfect addition to a gamers gaming life. Explore the myriad options for video games and gaming equipment that would build the best stocking ever.
Video Games Themselves
You can always look for new video games that will bring countless hours of puzzling and exciting joy to the gamer in your life. Have you heard them mention any upcoming games or new releases they're excited about? Have you seen any further adaptations or continuations of game series that they really enjoy? Try outfitting a stocking with one of these options.
Search by Console
As you find a video game for their recreational enjoyment, make sure you get a disc that is compatible with their systems. If you don't get them a game with the proper formatting, it’ll be an unplayable surprise. These are the most common gaming consoles to check out and explore for gift ideas:
- Xbox. Versions include the Xbox, Xbox 360, Xbox One, and, recently, the Xbox Series X.
- PlayStation. Versions include the PS, PS2, PS3, PS4, and, recently, the PS5.
- Nintendo. Versions include the Nintendo DS family, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Wii and WiiU.
- PC. These games work on personal computers and usually include online downloads.
- Steam. These are streamable video games for players who enjoy web-based gameplay and use cloud storage solutions.
Tools and Gadgets for Playing
You can also gift your gamer with new and improved tools for gameplay. Level up their tech with new headphones, microphones, gaming mice, VR glasses, programmable control pads, and more. See what their current setup looks like and find a stocking-sized gadget to make their gaming experience even better.
With these 2021 stocking stuffer ideas for the gamers in your life in your back pocket, you can find the best toy, book, game, or gadget that will make this holiday an extra special one. If you have any questions regarding the world of collectible toys and the wide array of manufacturers, reach out to our team at Shumi Toys & Gifts. We have an expansive selection of toys that your gamer will love!
