Christmas 2008 gift ideas for gamers

Christmas is coming, and video games fans everywhere will be stocking up on the latest titles for their beloved gaming platforms. So, what do you get for the diehard gamer who has all of the games, all of the consoles and all of the latest add-ons? There's much more to the games culture industry than just the games and games machines themselves, so there are always loads of great ideas out there for video and computer games related Christmas gifts. Let's take a look at a few ideas for different gift items from the biggest games titles around, all of which would make Christmas 2008 special for the gamers in your life. They would certainly make a change from just a pair of sore thumbs…

First up would be the officially licensed action figures that are available. Action figures are a fantastic and affordable item for any games fan, with all of the major releases represented in action figure form via your local specialty stores. 2008 saw the rise of Halo 3 figures and Gears of War figures (individual, box sets and 12 inch versions) storming the video games merchandise scene, but there are so many other games with licensed figures available that there is something out there for most gamers' tastes, and we all know just how discerning they can be.

Final Fantasy is, as always, well represented on the scene. There are action figures, statues, replicas and other collectibles available from the hugely popular franchise. This particular series of games seems to be the one with the most longevity, with each of the games from recent years proving to be popular on the merchandise front. The action figures, from Square Enix/Play Arts, are some of the most beautifully made and packaged items on the market, and would make the ideal gift for any fan.

There are even high-end collectibles relating to games and video games culture from companies such as the mighty Sideshow Collectibles, who create some of the most finely detailed and highest quality collectibles on the global market.

Other classic games franchises with items available include Tomb Raider and its legendary leading lady, Lara Croft, God of War, the hit Metal Gear Solid games and more. Of course, as mentioned before, the big two this year are undoubtedly the all conquering Halo 3 and Gears of War, both of which have been immortalized as action figures, high quality statues, posters, calendars, clothing, messenger bags, prop replicas, comic books and more. There is much more out there for games fans than one may at first think, and as you see, there are many great ways to find games fans the perfect Christmas gift for 2008.