While buying games for a gamer at Santa time is a logical enough equation, in terms of originality it's completely lame. So this year why not be a little more adventurous with your money? Sound painful? Don't panic - we've done the window-shopping for you.
Here you'll find a list of luxury gifts that are guaranteed to make the gamer in your life erect with Christmas cheer. Admittedly, most of these seasonal suggestions are ludicrously expensive, but you can't put a price on happiness. Can you?
Commission some original art
Price: Varies, but mostly affordable
Where:deviantART
Unlike the majority of gifts on this extortionately priced list, this can actually be affordable for simple folk who don't sell oil for a living. But just because it's realistically buyable doesn't mean it isn't luxury. Indeed, a one-off artwork original is tres desirable. And when you tell your friends that you're commissioning an artist it'll make you sound cultured and cutting edge. deviantART is where the best art ninjas hang out and you'll find that plenty of them have exemplary skills when it comes to character fan art.
Turn their console into a glowing sex machine
Price: Depends on how bling you want to swing, although a measly $100 will be enough to buy the bits required for a modest machine makeover
Where:Llama
A console that glows late night blue is pretty much the lounge jazz equivalent of luxury. Order the parts - choose from a selection of console cases, modded controllers, light kits, air coolers etc - and go to work transforming your gamer friend's unsightly plastic monolith of gamery into a sexy sex-minx worthy of occupying any room's focal point. Complete the look by serving with sophisticated cocktails.
Get them a Nintendo DSi before anyone else
Price: $250/£168.75
Where:Play-Asia
Every gamer loves getting stuff before everybody else and showing off about it and then when everyone else has got what they had first announcing how rubbish it is now that everyone else has got one. It's all about being exclusive. And this season's vogue handheld is the Japanese import Nintendo DSi. At first glance it may not seem massively different to the DS Lite your gamer friend already has, but don't be fooled. It's got a bigger screen! It's thinner! It's lighter! It's got cameras! It's got an extra brightness setting!
And - most desirable of all - it's only available in Japan. Get him/her one and see their little face light up with a spoilt shade of gloating.
Shower them with pretend gold
Price: Roughly about $999.99 for 60,000 gold
Where:ige
We're in the poorly wiped ass-hole of recession right now, so it's important that you spend your money wisely. And there's nothing more wasteful than an unwanted present. So, if you're seeking the perfect gift for a hardcore World of Warcraft gamer, spending real money on pretend gold is a guaranteed Azeroth smile maker.
$1000 will get you about 60,000 gold. That's $1000 real money in exchange for a mountainous pile of intangible in-game currency. Bloody. Bargain.
Elevate them to position of world-saving space marine
Price: $629.99/£699.99
Where:Costumes Inc(US),Forbidden Planet(UK)
If you know a man (or woman, but especially a man) that loves Halo, then splashing some serious spondoolies on this quality example of quilted leather craftsmanship will be money well spent. No gamer can claim to be a real certificated man until he's strutted around his own house dressed as Master Chief. A battle damaged cod-piece is the definition of macho.
Brand NEW space marine gift idea!
Price: $949.99 (Replica Lancer Assault Rifle)
Where:Nightmare Armor Studios/Project Triforce
As if pre-empting our luxury gift list, this utterly splendid Gears of War armour has recently appeared. It's bloody. It's nutty. And it's also probably very expensive, although no price details have been confirmed. However, if you want to complete that rugged kerb stomping look, you'll definitely be needing the replica Lancer. That alone will cost you the best part of $1000.
