With annual global video game revenues already estimated to be greater than the combined gross of worldwide movies and North American sports, the pandemic gave the gaming industry an unneeded shot in the arm (so to speak). Now, hundreds of millions of us actively play games and log billions of hours each year watching others play.
To help bring everyone's gameplay—whether on a phone, tablet, console, PC or another platform—up to snuff, we've gathered some highly giftable gaming gadgets. In fact, some of these products were literally just announced.
So if you want to know about the very coolest and latest gear, read on. As always, prices and availability may fluctuate.
Nintendo Switch OLED Model
Although its resolution and gameplay may be similar to those of the standard Nintendo Switch, the new OLED model sports a few enhancements. Most notably, the screen's higher quality—and slightly bigger size—offers a better visual experience with richer and more vivid graphics. The unit also features a wider kickstand for better stability in tabletop mode. And the dock now has an Ethernet port for more reliable online connectivity in TV mode. It comes with either all-white or blue and red Joy-Cons. And while it may not be on sale or the overall upgrade that die-hard Nintendo fans were hoping for, this stellar home-mobile gaming hybrid is a super console choice for new Switch players.
Master & Dynamic MG20 Wireless Gaming Headphones
Don't be fooled by the refined, monotone appearance of the Master & Dynamic MG20 headphones. Released just a few days ago, these seemingly simple-looking 7.1 surround sound wireless gaming headphones—available in white or black—are seriously tricked out. Its premium materials include custom 50-millimeter beryllium-coated drivers, lightweight magnesium ear cups and cushioned lambskin leather ear pads. For chatting, players can choose between excellent sound quality through either the headset's internal microphone or the detachable boom, which contains a built-in pop filter. Lastly, instead of worrying about lag time or interruptions with Bluetooth, a tiny little USB wireless audio adapter minimizes latency and lets you quickly switch from, say, a PC to a PlayStation.
Buy at Master & Dynamic for $449.
HexGaming Ultimate Controller 4
Built for the demands of professional gamers, the HexGaming Ultimate Controller 4 offers tons of personalization options. Aimed at improving in-game speed and accuracy, it enables you to swap in thumbsticks of three different height levels and two different grip designs (concave or convex). And the remapping program lets you reassign up to 15 buttons on the fly. So this flexible, modular joystick fantastique can essentially become whatever works best for you, wired or wireless.
SkinIt PS5 Bundle Skins
For players who refuse to leave the graphics on the screen, SkinIt offers eye-appealing ways to adorn your prized gaming system. If you look at your PS5 and see a blank canvas, perhaps you'd care to color up your console and controller with wraps based on your favorite college, pro sports team, superhero, animated character or movie franchise. Or maybe just adding a snazzy color or texture would do it for you. With hundreds of choices, SkinIt literally has you covered.
AndaSeat Marvel Collaboration Series Gaming Chair
AndaSeat took its already great gaming chairs and put a Marvel character spin on them. The Captain America version is extralarge, made for folks with a maximum height of 6 feet 8 inches and a maximum weight of 400 pounds. The Spider-Man edition is good for folks under 6 feet 5 inches and 374 pounds. And the Ant-Man and Iron Man versions are both recommended for gamers shorter than 5 feet 9 inches and under 330 pounds. All the chairs feature iconic hero designs in PVC leather, a mighty aluminum base, large non-scuffing wheels, highly adjustable armrests and the ability to lock the seatback into angles from 90 to 160 degrees. To sweeten the deal, AndaSeat's currently offering special prices on these and its other seats, plus the chance to win fun prizes.
Move38 Blinks Game System
Blinks by Move38 is a gaming system, unlike anything you've ever seen. Each hexagonal Blink contains the programming for a particular game that challenges your (and one or more opponents') creativity, strategy, timing and problem-solving. It's able to share those instructions with other Blinks when magnetically interconnected. So if you have a sushi roll (its ingenious wraparound carrying case) of six Blinks, you essentially have six different light- and color-based games you can play pretty much anywhere. Future versions of Blinks will be able to download games from your phone for a virtually endless library of mobile gaming. But for now, it's great how its current bundles of 9, 15 and 30 Blinks take up relatively minimal space for how much fun and gameplay flexibility they offer. For a limited time, Blinks is offering a Black Friday Bundle 18 Game Special.
Immerse Gaming Hive 5-Year Plan
Audio is a big deal in gaming, especially as it reveals contextual elements about your environment. For example, being able to ascertain what direction gunshots are coming from or how far away footsteps are could easily be the key to your survival (or demise). Immerse Gaming Hive is software that adds spatial audio awareness to any set of headphones while playing any PC game title. Higher-end cans may be able to take better advantage of this service's sampling rates (up to 96 kHz) and bit depths (up to 32-bit). But this service—around $15 per year or just under $40 for five years—is a great way to level the audio playing field.
Backbone One for iPhone
The Backbone One for iPhone simply looks like a mobile game controller accessory for Apple phones to the untrained eye. But it's so much more. Yes, it is compatible with the iPhone 6s up through the 13 Pro Max. You can use it to play Xbox and PlayStation games remotely. It's also compatible with Apple Arcade, Google Stadia, Nvidia GeForce Now and Steam Link. Even better, purchasing the device includes three months of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, two months of Stadia Pro and a full year of Backbone+. (Just those services alone represent a combined value of over $100.) Through the companion app, you can consolidate all your gameplay; record, edit and share HD clips of that gameplay using the dedicated Capture button; stream to Twitch, and create voice chats and multiplayer lobbies. And as if all that weren't enough, you can alternatively ditch the iPhone and connect this multitalented controller to any USB-C device (such as an iPad or PC) for an even bigger, badder screen on which to view your complete arsenal of games.
PlayShifu Tacto Game Night Pack
PlayShifu's Tacto uses real figurines that interact with an Android, Amazon Fire or iOS tablet app to teach kids how to play board games. Its Game Night Pack bundles two of its popular kits. The Chess kit teaches kids moves and strategy through whimsical characters, AI-driven puzzles and fun storylines. And the Classics kit similarly helps kids develop strategic thinking in Checkers, tic-tac-toe and two other games. Each kit is around $50 on its own; combining them in this way saves you about $20, which is a nice win right off the bat.
Corsair iCue Lighting Node Pro
It's amazing how a few (dozen) well-placed lights can add color, life and personality to a gaming rig. And no one knows this better than Corsair, the popular purveyor of gaming gear, streaming devices, software, PCs and components. Its two-channel iCue Lighting Node Pro can control a total of up to 12 RGB fans, or 12 RGB LED strips. It comes with four such strips, each of which contains 10 individually addressable LEDs that magnetically attach to your PC. Best of all, its iCue software helps you to customize and synchronize the effects and transitions of RGB lights across all of your various Corsair products (such as a keyboard, mouse and fans), turning them into a dazzling, mesmerizing show.
LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures
LeapFrog LeapLand Adventures has just a wireless controller paired to an HDMI dongle, making it a highly portable gaming system. The coolest part about it is that it not only teaches toddlers about letters, numbers, colors and shapes amid a fun storyline but actual video game skills, as well. While trying to collect gems and make their way to a castle, youngsters learn to use a directional pad for navigation and buttons to select and jump over stuff. So it's educational on a few levels.
HyperX QuadCast S USB Microphone
Anything with RGB lighting looks appropriate for a gaming setup. But beyond its software-customizable lighting colors and effects, HyperX's QuadCast S is actually a handy, well-featured USB microphone. On its top, you can tap to mute the mic quickly. And on the bottom, the gain dial lets you easily adjust the sensitivity level. In between, it features an anti-vibration shock mount, built-in pop filter, headphone monitor jack and a knob to select a stereo, bidirectional, omnidirectional or cardioid polar pattern. It's compatible with Mac, PC and PlayStation systems; most stands and booms, thanks to the included mount adapter; and both the Discord and TeamSpeak platforms.
OtterBox Xbox Power Swap Controller Batteries
Running out of juice in the middle of a game is not only unacceptable, but it's also easily avoidable. OtterBox's Power Swap Controller Batteries can recharge two Xbox controller batteries at a time. When you notice the illuminated low battery alert during play, the included reserve energy cell maintains controller power. So you can make the swap without having to connect the controller to the console or worry about resyncing. And thanks to a quick-release system, you can even do so one-handed. It includes two swappable batteries; the charging dock; cages for Xbox X, S and One controllers; the reserve energy cell; and a USB-C to USB-A charging cable. That just leaves the occasional trip to the lavatory as the only remaining necessary break in the action.
Logitech G923 TrueForce Racing Wheel
If you've got a serious need for speed, you need a top-end steering apparatus. Logitech's latest G923 TrueForce Racing Wheel doesn't just look the part, with leather stitching, brushed metal and polished pedals. It also feels real, right down to the progressive spring that mimics the performance of a racing brake system. The G923 works with dozens of popular driving games on PlayStation, PC and Xbox. And this fancy wheel uses the latest haptic and force feedback technology to help you feel shifts, drifts, turns and road conditions in real-time, just as you would in an actual car. An integrated dial lets you control such factors as traction, torque and brake force. And it even features an integrated rev indicator so that you can keep an eye out for redlining.
Atari XP Game Cartridges
As a follow-up to releasing its retro-licious gaming, streaming and computing VCS 800 system earlier this year, Atari just this past week announced the availability of the never-before-released and limited edition Atari 2600 game system cartridges. Enthusiasts and collectors will be able to snag (and actually play) rare, newly manufactured game cartridges, starting with Aquaventure, Saboteur and Yars' Return. The standard versions will come in an authentic game box, and the limited editions—only 1,983 of which will each be made, honoring the year they would have been released—will also include exclusive bonus material, along with a digital copy of the game that's playable on the modern Atari VCS. Atari anticipates shipping the standard editions in time for Christmas, with the limited editions planned for arrival in early 2022.
Austere VII Series 8K HDMI Cable
Austere's VII Series HDMI 8K helps ensure that the very best graphics make it from your cutting-edge console to your next-gen TV, monitor or projector. Available in 1.5- and 2.5-meter lengths (roughly 5 and 8 feet, respectively), this Kevlar-reinforced cable features silver-plated conductors and pure gold-plated contacts. In addition to those highfalutin materials, state-of-the-art eARC technology promises to deliver the best quality audiovisual experience possible. In fact, this cable is capable of carrying resolutions up to an almost unimaginable 10K. Given that, along with its support of variable refresh rates, it seems like it will be up to the task of churning out smooth performance under the challenging demands of high-speed gaming for years to come.
"NBA 2K22" 75th Anniversary Edition for PlayStation 5
NBA2K22 puts the world of pro hoops right in the palm of your hands. You can create your own dream team from among today's stars and yesterday's legends. You can also play in actual NBA and WNBA environments and even step into the shoes of an aspiring baller, making strategic decisions about your journeys both on and off the court. Best of all, this special 75th-anniversary edition not only includes versions for both PS5 and PS4, but 100K in virtual currency; various MyTeam points, tokens and cards; and all sorts of other cool virtual swag. Plus, if you purchase from GameStop, you may be able to score a free limited edition Kevin Durant bobblehead. More than just a mere game, this title is a truly comprehensive tribute to basketball life.
Acer Nitro XV2 Monitor
With a 28-inch diagonal, 21:9 aspect ratio and 178-degree viewing angles, Acer's Nitro XV2 (officially, the XV282K KVBMIIPRUZX) offers an immersive visual experience. It not only promises smooth gameplay—with a 1 millisecond response time in 4K UHD resolution at a 144 Hz refresh rate—but also reduced eyestrain. This high-performance monitor supports over a billion colors. In addition to the monitor itself and power cord, the package also includes DisplayPort, HDMI, USB-C and USB 3.0 cables.
Segway Ninebot Mecha Kit
A super fun add-on to Segway Ninebot self-balancing scooters, the Mecha Kit is quite literally a blast. After all, what could be more fun than strafing by friends and family as you pelt them with environmentally safe water bullets? Well, we can think of one thing—using an app on your phone to remotely control this baller ballistic vehicle, of course. Safety features include a steel frame and human-sensing joysticks. A built-in sound system offers vocal cues for new riders getting up to speed (which tops out at over 8 miles per hour), as well as a way to crank out tunes. And underbody RGB lighting and forward-shooting laser targeting complete this IRL driving and shooting experience.
Lifepro Legra Hand Massager
After a long gaming session, it's time to relax your hands and rejuvenate your weary wrists. The Lifepro Legra hand massager offers several modes of air compression, along with optional heat and vibration. So you can take a pause and slip in your paws. After a sublime 15 minutes of squeezing and releasing, you'll be ready to return to the battlefield fully refreshed.
Arcade1Up Infinity Game Table
At long last, it's time to skip the typical first step in family game nights: searching for an inevitably clumsy cardboard box with a bunch of loose pieces, some of which may have gone missing since the last session. Instead, join the new millennium by gathering around Arcade1Up's Wi-Fi-enabled Infinity Game Table. Available in 24- and 32-inch touch screen versions, this sleek setup is the coolest, most modern and efficient way to breathe new life into beloved board game titles. You can dial up digital versions of your favorite games, such as Scrabble, Monopoly, Candy Land, Sorry, Yahtzee, Trivial Pursuit and dozens of other crowd-pleasers, plus an assortment of card games puzzles, coloring activities and more.
Backyard League Gaming Baseball
The perennially heartwarming activity of having a catch just got an upgrade. Backyard League's Gaming Baseball—though its size and weight remain familiar—packs a smart tracker and Bluetooth technology. So it can sync with its companion app on your phone to give you all sorts of stats to see and games to play. With a battery rated for 70 hours (roughly 40,000 tosses), you'll have plenty of time to practice your throwing skills and challenge yourself to improve.
Buy at Backyard League for $89.
iiRcade Classic Bundle
Having an actual arcade machine in your living room is the epitome of cool, as evidenced by this full-size gaming cabinet. Packing 100-watt dual speakers, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, a 19-inch HD display and two-player arcade-level controls, this modern machine can download and play hundreds of classic and new retro games. And when it's not playing games, iiRcade's free, proprietary JukeBox application turns it into a party-pumping sound machine. Best of all, both this Classic Bundle and some of the other special editions that play off particular franchises are currently available for a substantial $200 off.
Alienware M15 Ryzen Edition R5 Gaming Laptop
Alienware's M15 Ryzen Edition R5 is quite the beast. Most impressively, this gaming laptop features an optional 360 Hz display. But it also sports a high-end keyboard, boasting four-zone RGB, N-key rollover and anti-ghosting technology. With configurations from just under $1,400 to just under $2,000, only serious PC gamers need apply.
Optoma UHD38 4K UHD Projector
The Optoma UHD38 not only offers a wide color gamut in stunning ultrahigh definition—upscaling lower resolutions to near 4K—but its 4,000-lumen lamp can throw a larger-than-life image (up to 300 inches) even in the daytime. And with refresh rates as quick as 240 Hz and lag times as minimal as 4.2 milliseconds, it packs plenty of performance for console or PC gamers. Quick, smooth and compact, this is a great projector to help take your gameplay to new heights.
Buy at B&H Photo Video for $1,399.
Newsweek may earn a commission from links on this page, but we only recommend products we back. We participate in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
In an award-winning tech journalism career spanning over 20 years, Scott Tharler has contributed hundreds of articles to Club Life Magazine, Gear ... Read more
