Massively OP’s holiday gift guide for your guildmates

December 8, 2015 12:00 PM

“Hi, my name is Tina and I have very real, very cool internet friends that I met in online games.” Say that sentence to a non-gamer and you might see more than one concerned raised eyebrow or receive several “You need to get out more, sweetheart… the voices through the headset aren’t friends” pep talks from your real-life friends and family, but we MMO players know the deal: You’ve pwned with them and wiped with them, died with them and cried with them. Our guild buddies share a significant amount of our leisure time with us, so unless you’re secretly a robot, you’ll have built up close bonds with them over the months or years of playing together. Heck, many of my guildies are real-life friends whom I also game with, so I certainly love those guys even when they’re not helping me out in-game.

If you’re particularly close to your guildmates, some of them might well be on your nice list this holiday season. Luckily for you, I’ve created this quick wee guide to gifting for guildies in order to keep you right in your shopping. Whatever your budget and giftee’s interests, I’m sure to have you covered, so scroll on down and get inspired!

1. More MMOS!

It can be a real challenge to encourage your guildmates to try out a new MMO with you, especially when there’s a box cost or subscription barrier to jump. Use the festive season as a good excuse to eliminate the cost excuse by purchasing your latest MMO of choice for your favourite guildmates. Whether your new poison is Guild Wars 2, TERA, SWTOR, or anything in between, picking up the game or a time card is a fab idea. Even settled guildmates that don’t want to budge from a favourite MMO can benefit from game time cards for subscription MMOs or in-game currency cards, so do your research and kit out your guildies for additional DKP!

This is a fantastic option for those who are (rightly) conscious about sharing their personal data with people on the internet, regardless of how many hours a day you talk to each other. Don’t know your giftee’s address? No problem! You can gift them a game on Steam perhaps, or simply email or whisper the relevant codes to them. This is a great low-risk option for those who haven’t yet met in person.

2. USB gadgets and gizmos a-plenty

I adore silly, pocket money gadgetry as little stocking fillers for people we’re thinking of over the holiday season. I know that I adore novelty USB sticks, for example: These make great gifts because you can theme it around the particular interests of the giftee. Your guildmate’s main is a Tauren? Find a cute bovine USB pen! Saving those guild screenies is a doddle with the additional storage space, and to make the gift even more special, you could always pre-load it with your top guild memories!

Massively OP’s Brendan Drain frequently receives calls and texts from his corps mates to let him know if and when any major drama is unfolding in EVE Online. Having his phone handy and fully charged while he’s on the PC is vital in order to be ready whenever he’s needed, so for gamers like him I’d recommend a pretty Qi wireless charger station for their gaming stations. You’ll never hear the “sorry, missed your message!” excuse again, or at least that’s the plan!

Most MMO players spend several hours in front of their computer screens in a week, so anything that makes the area more comfortable or engaging is always appreciated. Add a little interest to your guildmate’s setup with a novelty USB fan clock, a colourful USB desktop fan, a USB mug warmer, or a multiport USB charger for all those USB goodies. Think outside the box and consider your guildie’s usual PC use to choose a fabulous USB accessory that makes the perfect thoughtful gift.

3. Fun gifts and relaxing destressers

Long hours playing MMOs together can take their toll on your guildmates, so use the holidays as the perfect reason to treat your giftee to some fun or relaxing treats that make the tough play sessions that much easier. If you have a little bit of an energy drink addict on your hands, why not try ordering a bulk pack so he or she has a good stock before your next all-nighter?

Even the comfiest computer chairs and desks can take their toll after a particularly long session, so consider sending your giftee something to raise his or her comfort levels. A back support is helpful, and there are several types of wrist support available for mice, keyboards, and even laptops to ease the strain of clicking and swiping. Comfort is key to great performance in high octane MMOs, so these gifts would be welcomed by most of your guildmates.

There’s no doubt that guild membership and management can be very stressful (hence the existence of Guild Chat in the first place), but some thoughtful gifts can help your guildies beat the tension. Save yourself and your giftee a future headache and send along something to help her or him unwind. Think outside the world of computers for best results: Try a bonsai tree, stress relief toys, or adult colouring books to encourage tense guildies to step away from the monitor for a while.

4. Gamer swag

The difficulty of obtaining specifically themed gamer swag varies depending on your MMO of choice, but a good internet search will usually turn up something. Plushies, tees, and hoodies all make brilliant guildmate gifts, especially if they represent the game you both play. If you can’t find something for your game, you could custom make a tee that boldly displays your guild name using transfer paper for household printers for that handmade touch, or you could pick up some generic gamer tees.

I love cozy novelty holidayware, even if it isn’t specifically gamer themed, so I have to point out that little things such as festive slipper socks can go down a storm with the right giftee.

5. Gaming peripherals

We all have that one guildmate who accidentally ruined a peripheral and didn’t get around to replacing it, so use the holiday gift-giving tradition to do the legwork for the guilty party in your guild. There are some stunning game-specific peripherals out there if you have a look, but there are also some solid, affordable generic peripherals that are perfect for MMO players.

I have my eye on the highly programmable, MMO-friendly Logitech G13 gameboard to take care of my MMO needs, though for someone who’s not so comfortable with out-there peripherals, perhaps the Mad Catz MMO Tournament Edition mouse would be a winner. Twenty programmable buttons and three modes make this beauty a macro enthusiast’s dream, and even relative newbies can find comfort and powerful control through the in-built premade game profiles for most popular MMOs. I also have heard good things about the Razer Ansia MMO keyboard, which is a solid programmable keyboard that works hard so you don’t have to.

Solid headsets, microphones, and even webcams can make guild communication much simpler. Encourage your guildies to ditch the old crackly microphone from the nineties with a gorgeous new replacement: Try the Plantronics GameCom 780 headset for a general-purpose affordable gaming headset that’s well padded and comfortable to wear for prolonged periods of time. Solid webcams have dropped in price this year, so it’s a good time to grab a nice 1080p camera for your video fan guildmate. I like Logitech cameras because they’re simple and no-fussI use mine fairly frequently with no issues at all. Whatever you choose, have a wonderful holiday season!

Some links included within this article may be part of MOP’s Amazon affiliate program, income from which goes entirely to funding our operational budget. MOP’s writers have selected products based on their own opinions and receive no direct commission or profit from the affiliate program. We have not been sponsored or coerced to mention any product. Stay tuned for more of our holiday gift guides for MMO players throughout the winter holiday season, and feel free to add your own suggestions in the comments!

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