A good gift for a gamer is something they will actually play, or use while they play. A night of board games and an evening on a screen are the same love of a game and not the same gift, so the useful present is the one that fits how they already play. Think a game they will open, or an upgrade to the setup they already use.
What a gamer really wants
People who play already own the obvious thing, or have a strong opinion about it. Someone who wants a table of friends and someone who wants an hour alone on a screen are not waiting on the same gift, and a second of their favourite rarely lands. The better present is the part they keep mentioning.
Before you choose, ask yourself
- Board games or screen games?
- Which console or PC do they play on?
- Do they play alone or with friends?
Gaming gift ideas
Around the table
A board game the group can learn in one evening beats a box that needs a whole weekend. A suits a collector, and a tabletop RPG starter set suits a group ready to try one. Ask how many people usually play. Some games are best with two players and some need a crowd.
On the screen
A works when you know the console and the kind of game they like. A spare controller or a headset gets used every time they play. Check the console they own before you buy, because games and controllers are made for one system.
At the desk
For someone at a PC, a mechanical keyboard, a better or a for the desk they already use. These suit someone who plays on a computer and has the setup already.