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From sound engineers and screenwriters to celebrity makeup artists and stylists, Variety’s new series “Ask an Insider,” will ask top professionals within the entertainment industry to share their must-have essentials, for work… and for play. In this installment, three professional gamers (Alanah Pearce, Michael Jones, and ZLaner) share their favorite gaming gear that make for the perfect gift for the video game lovers in your life this holiday season.
New gear like headsets or hand-held controllers can make a world of a difference for serious gamers, whose every minute move can mean life or death (literally) on the pixelated world in front of them.
And with the amount of fun gadgets that exist nowadays, there’s never been a better time to be a gamer. From VR headsets to phone-connected controllers, gaming is lot more immersive, fun and, yes, addicting, than just a few years ago. But if you’re a non-gamer looking for the best gear and tech to gift the discerning gamer in your life, you might not know where to start, which is exactly why Variety employed some of the biggest online gamers to talk about their top gadget recommendations for you to gift this year, from wireless controllers and over-ear headsets, to Nintendo Switch and VR games.
Below, three professional gamers Michael Jones, Alanah Pearce and ZLaner give their top recommendations.
XBox Elite Wireless Wireless Controller Series 2 (20% Off)
Courtesy of Amazon
“The Elite is hands down my favorite gaming controller on the market for Xbox and PC. I love it because it has comfortable grips, loads of customization like multiple button mapping profiles, swappable analog sticks and adjustable tension to tighten or loosen controls depending on your preference. It also includes an internal rechargeable battery and comes with a magnetic charging station to rest it on so you’re always juiced and ready to go.”
– Michael Jones (Member of Roster Teeth’s “Achievement Hunter”)
Backbone One Mobile Gaming Controller
Courtesy of Amazon
“I still can’t believe how much I use my Backbone – it’s a game changer. This controller (which comes with an app), connects to your phone and, from there, you can stream games from your home console, from anywhere. I could be in an entirely different state and still connect to my console via WiFi, though I most often use it while I’m sitting on the couch while my partner is watching TV. I love this thing, it means I don’t have to stop whatever game I’m playing just because I stepped away from my home setup.”
– Alanah Pearce (Video game writer at Santa Monica Studio, Twitch Streamer)
Scuf Infinity4PS Pro Black
Courtesy of Scuf
“Something that’s super