The 10 best gifts for Xbox gamers – from merch to headsets, games, hard drives and more

I've never heard of any console gamer say no to a spare controller, as they're always handy – you can barely have enough of them on standby or for when friends come over for couch co-op or party gaming. This is a chunky discount on the standard black controller, too, and is perfect for gifts. Nice.

While the Nova 7X gaming headset for Xbox hasn't sold at its $200 list price for a while, this $82 discount brings it down to a great price in its own right. It's an ideal gift for any Xbox gamer looking to get a modern headset that offers a fantastic audio experience and a suite of modern features – and if you don't believe me, check out our glowing SteelSeries Arctis Nova 7X review.

This isn't the biggest discount in the world, but it's a great value price for something that any Xbox gamer would be grateful for – extra storage that doesn't compromise on performance. Bespoke for Xbox Series X and S consoles, this is ideal for any Xbox gamer with a big library or someone who frequents the Xbox Game Pass service.

These thumbsticks are brilliant for all gamers and can transform the default sticks you get on regular Xbox controllers. They're affordable, colorful, and can make a genuine enhancement to your favorite Xbox gamer's experience – just perfect for a stocking filler, right?

Game Pass Ultimate is Xbox's premium level of its subscription and grants access to a whole host of new releases on their launch day, one of the biggest back catalogs of games you will ever see, and it'll ensure gamers can get online and play with pals too. And with this neat discount, it makes for the perfect gift - gamers can always add more months to existing subscriptions too, so it'll never go to waste.

If the Xbox gamer in your life is a big action-adventure fan, then the immersive and brilliantly gripping world and story of S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is the perfect game to get as a gift. We gave it 4 stars in our S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl review, and at this price, it's wonderfully affordable and great value, too.

For less than $25 you can't go wrong with some fun Xbox merchandise in the form of these officially licensed lights. Perfect for any fan's gaming setup, or bedroom or office desk, these will shine the Xbox Icons beautifully via battery or cable.

If you know that the Xbox fan in your life prefers a wired headset over a wireless model, then the HyperX Cloud Alpha is an easy recommendation. It's stood the test of time and has an enduring quality that will make it an awesome set of audio givers for anyone on an Xbox console.

Borderlands 4 only came out a matter of weeks ago, so this is a brilliant price for such a new game – and perfect as a gift. The looter shooter game received high praise from both fans and critics – check out our Borderlands 4 review for proof – and it's an ideal gift this holiday season for any Xbox gamer into FPS games or co-op action with friends.

This is a brilliant controller-shaped gift for any Xbox player looking for something more than the default experience. While it's a wired pad, the Recon offers a host of enhancements, particularly around audio, but also focused on accuracy, grip and comfort, and offering some remappable buttons. A bargain at this price and an easy gift recommendation as a result.