2025 PC Holiday Gift Guide
The holiday season looms large, a wallet-draining behemoth cresting the horizon. You’re prepared this time, and yet! There’s a PC gamer on your shopping list. What to do? Perhaps one of these choice items from our gift guide will bring the requisite joy and wonder come late December.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
Medieval mayhem fell off most people’s lists of fun activities some years back. But Kingdom Come is looking to change that. Kingdom Come: Deliverance II continues the epic sage started in the first game, with everything a little bigger and bolder than before. The writing is terrific, the action is exceptional, and the world is properly enormous. What better way to enjoy the holidays than with a huge single-player RPG?
Battlefield 6
If you’ve got a Battlefield fan on your list, bad news: they’ve definitely already bought this game. On the flip side, if you’re looking to create a new Battlefield fan? Battlefield 6 is a great way to do just that. There are seven different multiplayer modes to choose from, and a myriad of ways to go to war. Tons of weapons, intense vehicular combat, and a wide variety of levels should keep you hooked for many hours.
Hades 2 (1.0)
The thing all Hades Fan want is more Hades. So a sequel that’s twice the size of the original is a fantastic gift idea. Hades 2 (1.0) has more weapons to master, more levels, more nasty boss fights, and more unlocks to work on. The combat is more involved, the writing is charming, and the visuals are a delight. They’ll be playing this one till well into 2026.
Hollow Knight: Silksong
This game has been on a lot of wishlists for a lot of years. Hollow Knight set the gold standard for metroidvania games, so much so that we might have to call them something else going forward. Hollow Knight: Silksong is a marked improvement in all the ways that matter, which is what you really hope for in a sequel.
Peak
Gigantic AAA masterpieces are all well and good, but there’s something magical about indie multiplayer jank. Why not climb a mountain with a few good friends? Sure, you might not all survive, but that’s part of the thrill! Fresh air, exercise, and adventure await you this holiday in Peak!
Elden Ring: Nightreign
Elden Ring is already very, very hard. But it could be harder. Elden Ring: Nightreign takes the existing soulsborne epic and mixes it up with some roguelike and multiplayer spice. The results are, to put it mildly, a little hectic. If you’ve got a soulsborne player on your list, why not reward/punish them with this game?
Avowed
If your loved ones prefer their RPGs a little more colorful and a lot more intense, what about Avowed? This first-person swords-and-sorcery epic is guaranteed to scratch that monster-slaying itch. Obsidian has built a rich, vibrant world full of fascinating characters and nasty beasts. The game also looks fantastic if you’ve got the rig to make it run just right. A great choice for anyone looking to show off the incredible power of their PC.
Civilization VII
I know people who routinely play Civ 5 to this day. They are religiously devoted to the franchise thanks to that game. Civilization VII is the kind of gift that could change the trajectory of some gamer’s life. Maybe someone on your very shopping list! Why not gift someone special with countless late-night sessions full of complex strategy and fantastic last-minute twists? History has scarcely been this dense yet approachable before.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows
It was only a matter of time before the Assassin’s Creed series went to Japan. And why not? There’s so much rich assassin-based lore to draw from. If you’ve got any fans of stealth action, epic stories, and more focused exploration, this game might be a great idea. There’s never a bad time to jump into the Assassin’s Creed franchise, and Shadows makes a fine entry point. You’ve even got two distinct protagonists to choose from, each with their own fighting style! What’s not to love?
Blue Prince
Roguelike puzzle games weren’t exactly a thing before Blue Prince came along. But the game makes a compelling case for the establishment of a new subgenre. Indeed, this simple formula leaves so much space for cool new ideas to worm their way into your brain. Every new room is a chance for a new incredible mystery to steal your sleep and rearrange your grey matter. Surely there’s someone on your shopping list who’s open to being driven insane by a fresh new puzzle game. Based on the reviews, it seems like most people would be thrilled to have their worlds rocked in this specific fashion.
What would a gift guide be without toys? Check out some exceptional PC gaming accessories on the next page.