2017 has been an incredible year for digital entertainment. We’ve had good times (Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild) and bad (Star Wars Battlefront). No matter which you feel won out, however, it’s always a good idea to end the year with Christmas cheer. What better way than by starting Christmas lists? Whether it’s hardware, software or merch, these little prizes will be sure to warm a cold gamer’s heart. Here are 5 gifts for a Gamer’s Christmas Wishlist.
1. Resident Evil 7: Biohazard – Gold Edition
Let’s start off with one of this year’s best video game releases, Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. Capcom took the world by storm in January with Biohazard’s stealth-survival gameplay. This was a league above the action zombie shooters that the franchise had devolved into over the years. Biohazard started the year with a bang, and it quite fittingly will end the year with one. The Gold Edition, to be released on December 12, will include all three DLCs (Banned Footage vol. 1 & 2, and End of Zoe). Gamers will be happy to now that pre-orders are available on Amazon for around Php 2,512. Expect to pay more for release.
2. Nintendo Switch (Doom and Skyrim)
The Nintendo Switch was a mixed bag upon release, and the device still isn’t something for everyone. However, late 2017 saw the release of ports of Doom and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim for Nintendo’s new console. These are two of Bethesda’s most successful IPs to date, and it would be well worth it to buy them on the Switch. The console itself costs around Php 15,000. The games sell for around Php 3,000 (Doom) and Php 2,900 (Skyrim) respectively.
3. NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 GPU video game graphics chipset
The GTX 1050 may be last year’s model, but it is far from obsolete. The 1050 was introduced as a budget gamer’s alternative against AMD’s Radeon RX 400-series. This meant for the first time, high-quality graphics was no longer a luxury reserved for the most dedicated — or well-off — of gamers. Brand new, the 1050 costs little under Php 5,500. With frequent Christmas sales, the price could go even lower.
4. Nendoroids
Of course, if you already have the best games and/or hardware out there, adding other titles to your collection might not feel special. The option then becomes to go hunting for merchandise. Originally released in 2006 by the Good Smile Company, Nendoroids are among the most popular collectibles around. These adorable figures hark back to the heyday of the Super Deformed Gundam models, but for more than just robots. Good Smile creates Nendoroids for an incredible number of popular IPs including Overwatch for just over Php 2,000. Visit their website and take your pick.
5. Assassin’s Creed: Origins Hidden Blade
Here’s another piece of video game merch well worth its price. This year’s Assassin’s Creed: Origins is a breath of fresh air as far as AAA games are concerned. While EA and Bethesda blundered around this year with bad PR and greedy business models, Ubisoft returned to the roots of one of its most successful franchises. Reward their restraint and respect for good community relations. Don’t just buy the game; get this Php 2,000 wristblade at the Ubisoft store. Show the industry that this is the kind of care the consumer deserves. Or just get it because it looks great.