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PlayStation 4 - Holiday 2018 Gift Guide

Looking to pick up a new PlayStation 4 or some PS4 accessories for the gamer in your life? We break down the essentials as well as some of our best holiday 2018 gift ideas.
Kevin Tucker
Kevin Tucker
1

Now is the time to start looking for some solid PlayStation 4 holiday gift ideas. It goes without saying that this holiday season is the perfect time to scoop up new consoles and accessories for the video game enthusiast in your life, and Shacknews is here to help. Keep reading to learn about all the basic hardware needed to start gaming on PlayStation 4, plus learn about games and accessories that would make excellent gifts for PS4 players this holiday season.

Holiday 2018 - PlayStation 4 Gift Ideas

This guide aims to take the guesswork out of shopping for any gaming fan who's ready to see the best of what Sony's PlayStation 4 has to offer, whether they already own the console or haven't yet picked up a PlayStation 4. Without further ado, this guide kicks off with the most crucial component to PS4 gaming — an actual PlayStation 4 console.

PlayStation 4 Slim

ps4 holiday gift guide 2018 playstation 4 slim
Simple, effective, and slim. 

Are you interested in diving into the world of PlayStation 4 gaming? Maybe you've got a loved one who hasn't yet picked up Sony's latest console? Whatever the case, this is the place to start. The PlayStation 4 Slim is the latest version of Sony's core PS4 hardware, and it comes with all the bells and whistles that gamers crave. By now, many PS4 Slim packages will come bundled with at least one game, like with the Marvel's Spider-Man PS4 bundle that was a big seller over Black Friday 2018. It's very possible that holiday shoppers will see that exact bundle on discount again, though we don't necessarily expect it to drop to such a low price.

PlayStation 4 Pro

ps4 gift guide 2018 playstation 4 pro
Now with four times the resolution!

What's the difference between the PlayStation 4 and the PlayStation 4 Pro? Easy: the PS4 Pro is capable of displaying games and other content at a 4K resolution. Aside from that, the PS4 Pro doesn't really do anything the core PS4 doesn't do. And, considering that it's primarily focused on 4K visuals, the PS4 Pro isn't the console of choice for players who don't yet have a 4K display. If they do have a 4K TV, though, the PlayStation 4 Pro is certainly the console to get.

DualShock 4 controllers

ps4 holiday gift guide 2018
Sony's tasty 500 Million Limited Edition DualShock 4 controller.

Even though each PlayStation 4 comes with at least one DualShock 4 controller, it's always nice to have an extra on hand for the times when couch co-op is on the menu, or even for when the main controller's battery has died. Sony is offering new DualShock 4 controllers in a wide variety of colors, and most of them go for around or slightly under the MSRP of $65. Holiday shoppers who want to go the extra mile might consider picking up the DualShock 4 500 Million Limited Edition, which is not only a functional controller with a delightful transparent-blue shell, but could also serve to become a collector's item in time.

PlayStation VR

ps4 holiday gift guide 2018 playstation vr
Take gaming to a new level with PlayStation VR.

Sony's virtual reality hardware is widely considered to be one of the best ways to jump into VR gaming without breaking the bank. At around $200 for each of the various PlayStation VR bundles, it presents a considerable discount over the (admittedly much more robust) VR head-mounted displays from rivals HTC and Oculus. The only real requirement is a PlayStation 4; luckily, any PS4 model will do the trick, from launch models all the way up to the latest PS4 Pro.

Charging Dock / Vertical Stand

ps4 holiday gift guide 2018 vertical stand charging dock
Collected, connected, and remarkably upright.

There are some people out there who simply prefer to keep their consoles upright, and that's okay. There are also plenty of players who often forget to charge their peripherals in between gaming sessions. Holiday shoppers can eliminate two birds with one stone by picking up one of several available PlayStation 4 vertical stands and charging stations. The Pecham PS4 vertical stand featured above is a popular choice among Amazon shoppers, and at under $20, it's one of the least expensive (and most handy) items featured on this list.

PlayStation 4 Games

ps4 holiday gift guide 2018 marvel's spider-man
Marvel's Spider-Man is one of the hottest PlayStation 4 exclusives of 2018.

Here's the big ticket item. Whether the gift receiver doesn't yet own a PlayStation 4 or has already been gaming happily for years, the best gift for a PS4 player will be a fresh new PlayStation 4 game. This year has played host to plenty of excellent releases, so holiday shoppers should be spoiled for choice when it comes to picking out a new game.

Below we've put together a list of some of the more popular titles to release in 2018. For convenience, we've provided genre details for each — this should come in handy if you happen to know that the recipient likes first-person shooters, role-playing games, or other common genres.

For a more in-depth look at this year's newest releases, be sure to stop by our 2018 video game release date schedule.

The PlayStation 4 consoles and accessories we've listed above will no doubt make a big impression this holiday season. Be sure to keep checking back as we add more items and deals in the final weeks of 2018, and stop by our holiday 2018 home page to discover more great gift ideas and guides.

Guides Editor
Guides Editor

Kevin Tucker is a core component of Shacknews' powerful guide development team. For questions, concerns, tips, or to share constructive criticism, he can be reached on Twitter @dukeofgnar or through e-mail at kevin.tucker@shacknews.com.

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