So you’ve finally bought into the gaming culture. You’re son or daughter (or spouse) has adequately worn you down enough to actually allow serious gaming in the house. I’m not talking an app on your iPad. I’m talking serious.
For us, the natural progression was from a Nintendo Wii to a Nintendo Wii U to an Xbox One. Personally, I would have been happy to stay with our Wii U but the Xbox One is now part of the tween life.
My son comes home, pops on his Xbox One, and not only plays his games but plays his games with his friends. They’re his actual real-life friends but they all hang out together online while playing games together.
I don’t love it but it’s kind of today’s reality. Plus, is it really any different than me spending my days chatting with my Facebook friends and retiring for the evening with a nice game of Candy Crush?
Let’s say you’re in the position I was in last year at this time. You’ve finally decided to give in and make your next big gaming purchase because you husband and son beat you down until you just couldn’t say no anymore. What happens after that?
I was worried that the days of wishlists and toys were gone and that my Christmas shopping would only be about $60 video games and giftcards to Gamestop.
It turns out there there are still plenty of non-game things to purchase for the gamer in your life. Whether you’re still shopping for last minute gaming gifts or you’re helping that special someone in your life figure out how to spend their Christmas money on gaming accessories, I’ve got a few picks for you.
Top Gaming Accessories for Gamers
Razer Kraken Pro Headset
We went from not allowing headsets to allowing a single ear headset with a microphone to going for a full over-the-ear headset with a built-in mic. And we quickly learned that QUALITY MATTERS. In this case, a third party headset is the way to go.
The Kraken Pro headset from Razer has high quality sound, retractable microphone (my favorite part), analog volume control wheel, and quick mute toggle (a must for any mom). And it’s available in black, white, or green.
Just make sure that the headset you’re looking at is compatible with your gaming system or PC as the audio jacks can vary from headset to headset.
Custom Xbox Wireless Controller
Brought to you by the Xbox Design Lab, you can create your own colors and specifications for your Xbox Wireless controller. Like the one up above? That’s the one I designed. You can design it to your own color combinations or you can purchase it as a gift for someone so you don’t have to worry about picking the wrong D-pad colors.
And if you don’t know what a D-pad is, you need to catch up before your kid outplays you.
Thumb Grips
While we’re talking about controllers, let’s talk about comfort. The reason I don’t play more video games is because I play them so intensely that my hands hurt from pressing the buttons so hard and so rapidly.
Thumb grips slide over the knobs on your gaming controller and not only provide a different tactile sensation but also raises the height of the knobs so you won’t get thumbs cramps any more. DON’T LAUGH. IT’S A REAL THING.
Video Gaming Chair
While we’re talking about comfort, let’s get real comfortable with a video game chair. Technically it’s called a video rocker but it’s basically a comfortable spot to plant yourself in front of a screen while playing hard with your video games. This is about as basic as they come but you can go up in price and find models with features like armrests and built-in audio.
PC Gaming Chair
This chair is for people that like to pretend they have better things to do when they’re seated in front of their computer. But we know that half the time they’re “working” or “doing homework”, they’re really getting caught up in the latest PC game.
What makes this chair special? It’s designed for HOURS of sitting. Like, it actually has a footrest and reclines fully flat. You may laugh but I know many of us that could have used these during our start-up software days.
Gaming Glasses
I know “gaming glasses” sound like such a gimmick but it’s not because “High Energy Blue Light emitted by electronic devices (such as computers, TV, smartphones) have shown to increase the risk of vision conditions from sore dry eyes to macular degeneration.” You could reduce your screen time or you could get some cool glasses that reduce blue light exposure.
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Hope you found something for you or the gamer in your life. Now go forth and play!
I was sent a complimentary Razer Kraken headset. Some affiliate links are included in this post.