For better or for worse, the holiday season is just about upon us. With all the new hardware coming out, there are plenty of great things out there for either your own wish list or someone else’s. If you’re a fan of the Sony brand and are looking to expand on your collection then this is going to really be a good holiday season for you so let us here at Gamingbolt give you a few recommendations.
The PlayStation 4:
The PlayStation 4 is a hot item this year, it’s going to be difficult to get your hands on one of these puppies during the holiday season. If you can though, this may be the system to get this holiday season. The game selection for it is a bit thin right now, but that’s something that will quickly begin to expand as the new year comes, lurching coldly over the hill. If you already have one though, there is plenty of goodies that are available now for you to put on your list, or to maybe put on someone else.
PS4 Camera:
The PS4 camera may be a great gift for someone who already has a PS4. This camera is great for party games and doesn’t run for too much money. Support for it is currently a bit limited, but the type of games that would utilize this little piece of hardware is a the kind of game you can have plenty of fun with, especially if the person using it has more than a few friends. If you take a look, Jimmy Fallon and Ice Tea seemed to be have one hell of a time with it, live on television.
New Controllers:
The PS4 just hit the shelves and for those of you who already have it, there’s already plenty of great peripherals for it already. If you’ve only got one controller and want something that’s a bit more flashy, or just a bit more unique then you should check out evilcontrollers.com. These things are really cool looking. With plenty of designs to choose from, you should find something you like. Maybe complicated and intricate patterns aren’t your thing though? Well, that’s okay too. Evil Controllers offers a variety of solid colors that are just a bit out of the ordinary. The best part about these controllers is they aren’t a custom design. The company has licensed the designs from Sony so that you’re using the standard layout and design that you’ve most likely become accustomed to.
Quality Ear Wear:
If you have a PS4 and you’re interested in online play, like many of us are, you’re probably going to want to get a new headset and microphone. While the console comes with one, which is a nice gesture from Sony, it’s a bit flimsy and really just meant to get players started. Well, we recommend picking up a nice and comfy headset, since the person using it is obviously going to be wearing it for awhile.
As long as you make sure to update your console it should work with a variety of USB headsets. The jack on the controller is also a universal type so it will accept any standard input into it, which was certainly a smart choice. If the gamer in your life wants a nice, comfortable headset that is compatible to not only the PS4, but the PS3 the 360, Wii, Wii-U, PC and even the Android OS then the Afterglow headset may be perfect for them. The best part is it is available at major retailers like Toys R’ Us and Amazon.
The Vita:
Why not spring for a Vita this season? Kids love them, there are some great games out there with an always growing library and the great remote play option available on the PS4 now makes this an even more attractive option for gamers who may also be big into traveling. If you’ve got a Vita or plan on picking one up for someone this holiday, then you’re most likely going to need some accessories with it.
Hand Grips:
If you’ve got a Vita or you know someone who does, you may notice that, that the little handheld is a bit, well, cramped. Luckily there’s a fix for people the people out there who love games but have giant hands. There are handlebar grips that connect to the PS Vita, which definitely makes things easier. These handles may make the little handheld more comfortable for the gamer, and may be just the thing for the gamer on the go.
Hard Case:
Another good thing to have would be a carrying case, however not all of them are created equally, some of these offer a few different options. There are hard cases that are great for travel, these hard cases are quite durable and is a great accessory gift for someone who already has a Vita. They’re not exactly cheap though. The Sony Vault Case is great. While you may not be able to carry every game in it that you’ve got, there are a few slots that allow you to carry the games that aren’t downloaded to your memory card.
I’ve put mine through it’s paces, and by that I mean I accidentally dropped my Vita, while it was in it’s case down a flight of stairs and there wasn’t a single thing wrong with it. Imagine if it hit those stairs without a hard case? Even the soft carrying case wouldn’t have held up well to that sort of punishment. A case is perfect for anyone who is actually traveling a lot with their Vita, and is a great, inexpensive gift for someone.
Vita TV:
The Vita TV or as I like to call it, the “TVita,” is only available to a lucky few, but if you’ve got the ability to purchase one this season for someone, you could make them a very happy gamer this holiday season. For about $100.00 U.S. gamers basically get all the power of the Vita in a portal, yet screenless option. Instead it hooks up to any TV with an HDMI cable, and works with the standard DualShock 3 controller, which plenty of gamers have laying around. There are already some incredibly good Vita games out and with the Sony console ecosystem what is is these days, there is definitely an advantage for gamers who already have all things Sony. [You have to get this imported from Japan]
Closing words:
Sony has some great products for any time of the year, but with the new software and hardware available this season may make a gamer very happy, whether it’s you or someone in your family. There’s no need to break the bank necessarily either. Even if what you’re looking for isn’t on this list, Sony has plenty of great hardware as well as their own accessories that can certainly make for some great gifts. Even a PS3 is a great choice for people who may not have one. With an extensive library of titles already available for it, there may be no reason to jump to the next generation this holiday, unless you really want to that is.