ORLANDO, Fla. (Ivanhoe Newswire) – Tank, camping, mob, grast — if you’ve heard these terms in your house, it sounds like you have a gamer living there.
With kids and adults stuck indoors, gaming is moving to a new level of popularity. People who have never before picked up a controller are now giving it a go. Even on a budget, if your loved one loves gaming, we have some gift ideas for you.
It’s time to ask for the list and check it twice, but what they want may seem like it’s written in secret code.
“Parents will attempt to buy gifts for their kids, they think their kid has the Xbox One, they buy the game for that, and it turns out they have a Play Station 4,” said Bryan Alvarado, general manager of Hudson’s Video Games.
Level one: figure out what console they have. Two of these brands have just released, new generations, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5. Level two: each system offers something different. PlayStation has tons of exclusive franchise titles whereas Xbox has more backwards compatibility, meaning players can still use old games on the new hardware. And Nintendo Switch offers mobile gaming opportunities. Level 3: when in doubt? Go digital—consider subscriptions like Xbox game pass.
“For kids who are going through quarantine right now, who maybe don’t have a lot of outside exposure, who don’t get to see their friends often, playing online games is super important and super meaningful for them. Because it gives them social interaction that they may be lacking,” said Alvarado.
Virtual reality or VR is also a hot topic but the major players in this realm are expensive and only for PC. The cheapest versions are not worth the money. Gamers may be called “geeks” but they are always excited to talk about and share games. So, when in doubt, reach out to your local gaming store for guidance!
Contributor(s) to this news report include: Sabrina Broadbent, Producer; Bob Walko, Videographer and Editor. To receive a free weekly email on Smart Living from Ivanhoe, sign up at: http://www.ivanhoe.com/ftk