The UK Gamer Gift Guide 2025: What to Actually Buy
Skip the generic gift cards. These are picks that gamers actually want, for every budget from £15 to £150.
Buying for a gamer is either very easy or completely impossible, depending on how well you know their setup. This guide assumes you have some idea of what they play. If you don't — and you genuinely have no idea — a PSN or Xbox Gift Card is the correct answer. Don't guess a specific game.
All prices are approximate UK retail. Check current prices on Game Spotter before buying — they move constantly.
Under £20
Codenames (£15–18) — for households, families
The single best under-£20 game gift. Works for any group, any age from 12+. If they've played it before, get Codenames: Duet for two players, or Codenames: Disney for a younger household.
Love Letter (£8–12) — for couples or small groups
Tiny box, complete game. Card game about deduction and bluffing in 16 cards. Perfect stocking filler or secondary gift.
Steam Gift Card (£15 or £20) — for PC gamers
Available from Argos, Smyths, most supermarkets. Let them spend it during the Winter Sale. Zero risk of buying something they already have.
£20–50
Carcassonne (£25–30) — for almost anyone
Our top recommendation for a first serious board game gift. Easy to learn, depth to explore over time, elegant design. Works for two players or up to five.
Azul (£25–32) — for the aesthete in your life
A tile-drafting game where you're decorating a Portuguese palace with beautiful marble tiles. The components alone are worth more than the box price feels like. Games take 30–45 minutes and it handles 2–4 players equally well.
Wingspan (£40–50) — for the serious gamer
The board game that crossed over to mainstream attention. An engine-builder about attracting birds to your wildlife reserve. Sounds niche, plays beautifully. Gets heavy discounts a couple of times a year — worth setting an alert for.
LEGO Creator or Icons set (£30–50)
Almost any adult in your life who doesn't actively dislike LEGO will enjoy a mid-range set. The Icons range (Orchid, Typewriter, etc.) is specifically designed for adults and makes a genuinely impressive display piece.
£50–100+
LEGO Technic McLaren F1 42141 (£80–130)
For someone who likes cars or engineering. The Technic line has working mechanisms — gearboxes, pistons, suspension. The McLaren F1 is the flagship set for enthusiasts. Price varies significantly between retailers; worth comparing.
Terraforming Mars (£45–55) — for the strategic thinker
Longer, denser board game where players compete to terraform Mars over a century of in-game time. Genuinely complex strategy. Best for groups who've already played games like Wingspan or Ticket to Ride and want something more involved.
PlayStation Gift Card (any value) — for PS5 owners
More useful than a specific game because they know their library. Buy from PSN directly or from Argos/Amazon. Available at £10, £25, £50.
What to avoid
- Specific PC or console game discs unless you know for certain they don't already own it digitally
- Gaming peripherals (headsets, mice, controllers) unless you know their exact setup — compatibility is a minefield
- Funko Pops unless you know they specifically collect them. Many gamers don't.
- Game subscriptions (Xbox Game Pass, PS Plus) if they're already subscribed — they don't stack usefully
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