The right game gift matches the recipient’s console, skill and taste, passes the age rating check, and survives the surprise. Here is how to cover all three.
Quick hits
- Check the recipient’s console model before buying a physical game; many current PlayStation 5 and Xbox consoles have no disc drive.
- Every ESRB rating has three parts: the age category, content descriptors, and interactive elements such as in-game purchases and chat.
- Steam and Xbox let you gift a specific game directly; PlayStation and Nintendo require a store gift card or a retailer download code.
- About 9 out of 10 games rated in 2025 were appropriate for a 13-year-old, with M ratings on just 10% of games rated.
- Buy digital codes only from major retailers or the platform itself; the FTC warns that unusually low prices often signal a scam.
A video game can be a great gift, but it is also one of the easier gifts to get wrong. The wrong platform, a game the recipient already owns, or content that does not fit the household can turn a thoughtful pick into an awkward exchange. This guide walks through the questions to answer before you pay, so the gift lands well and the surprise survives.
Start With What They Already Play
The most reliable information is the person’s current habits. Notice which console or device they play on, which games they keep returning to, and whether they play alone or with others. Someone who finishes story games every month needs different options than someone who plays one online game with friends, and our guide to picking games your friend group will actually play covers how taste and group habits shape a good pick.
Genre and mood matter as much as skill. A player who unwinds with quiet building or farming games will not necessarily welcome a punishing action game, however strong its reviews. When in doubt, look at what they have replayed rather than what they finished once and shelved.
If the gift is for a household rather than one person, look for a title with shared appeal. Our piece on choosing games the whole family can play offers ways to match a single game to a range of ages and skill levels.
Match the Game to Their Platform and Setup
Platform mismatches are the most common unforced error, and current-generation consoles make them easy. Not every PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series console accepts discs. The slim PS5 revision and the PS5 Pro support an optional disc drive but do not ship with one, and the Series S and the all-digital white Series X have no disc drive at all. A physical disc bought for one of those consoles is a paperweight.
Nintendo is simpler. Every Switch console has a cartridge slot, so a boxed Switch game works on any of them. The exceptions involve the Switch Lite, which lacks detachable Joy-Con controllers, so games built around them, such as Just Dance, Super Mario Party, Switch Sports and Ring Fit Adventure, do not play as intended.
Think about storage and hardware too. Switch consoles have limited internal storage, one reason physical games stay popular there, and a recipient who is always deleting games will appreciate tips on freeing up console storage space alongside any gift. On PC, a demanding new release can outpace an older machine, so compare the requirements on the store page against what the recipient actually runs.
Check the Age Rating and Content Before You Buy
In the United States, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) assigns ratings to games and apps, and every rating has three parts. The Rating Category suggests age appropriateness: E for Everyone, E10+ for ages 10 and up, T for Teen, M for Mature for ages 17 and up, and AO for Adults Only. Content Descriptors explain what led to the rating, covering things such as language, violence and humor, and the ESRB uses more than 30 of them. Interactive Elements flag features that matter to parents, such as in-game purchases and the ability for players to communicate with each other.
The odds are friendlier than many gift buyers expect. Of the games rated in 2025, 52% were rated E, 15% E10+ and 23% T, which puts about 9 out of 10 in range for a 13-year-old. M is historically the least assigned category, at 10% in 2025. Retail enforcement has real teeth as well: the FTC has reported that 87% of kids under 17 who try to buy an M-rated game at retail are turned away.
For a fuller walkthrough of the categories and labels, see our explainer on video game age ratings. For physical games, the ESRB website and mobile app publish Rating Summaries, a short paragraph on exactly what earned the rating, and digital storefronts show rating information on product pages before you buy. Gameplay videos are another practical check, because they show tone and difficulty in a way a label cannot.
Physical Copy or Digital Gift?
Once the platform checks out, decide on format. Digital is the safer choice if you are unsure about someone’s hardware, but each store handles gifting differently.
| Platform | Gift a specific game? | What to watch for |
|---|---|---|
| Steam | Yes, to a friend or by email | Recipient has 30 days to accept; declined gifts are refunded; some titles, bundles and regions cannot be gifted |
| Xbox | Yes, to a friend or email | Recipient must be in the same country; digital purchases generally cannot be refunded |
| PlayStation | No | Give a PlayStation Store gift card or a retailer download code matched to their account’s region |
| Nintendo | No | Give an eShop card or a retailer download code; cards work only in the region where they were sold |
Steam offers the most control: you can schedule delivery for a specific date up to 12 months after purchase, and the standard refund rule of 14 days and under two hours played applies to gifts. PlayStation and Nintendo do not let you send a specific game directly, so a store card or a retailer-sold download code is the standard route. Physical copies still earn their place, since they give someone something to unwrap and are simple to exchange, but only if the console actually takes discs or cartridges.
How Much Should You Spend?
Full-priced new releases cost about the same at every major retailer, so the real variables are format and extras. Store gift cards and subscriptions, such as online play memberships, come in several sizes and suit recipients you do not know well, and an accessory or subscription can round out a gift for someone who already owns plenty of games.
One warning matters more than the price tag. The FTC cautions that unusually low prices are a common sign of a scam, particularly with digital codes from unfamiliar sellers. Buy codes from major retailers or the platform’s own store, and pay by credit card so a bad charge can be disputed.
Watch out
Digital codes sold at steep discounts by unknown sellers are a frequent scam, and a fake code cannot be returned. Stick to the platform itself or major retailers, and keep your receipt.
Keep the Surprise Without Guessing Blind
The awkward risk with a game is that the recipient already owns it. On Steam, a friend’s name showing as greyed out in the gifting flow often means exactly that, and there is no graceful fix for a duplicate digital gift. A little quiet research prevents it: look at a public wishlist, ask a parent, partner or roommate, or pay attention to the games they keep mentioning. A store card sidesteps the problem entirely and still feels planned if you say what it is meant for.
If the gift is physical, ask for a gift receipt at the register. It lets the recipient exchange without revealing what you paid, and it protects you if the price drops after you buy.
Returns, Exchanges and Wrong Guesses
Return rules vary by store and platform, so check before paying rather than after. Steam refunds declined or unredeemed gifts automatically, and its standard refund window of 14 days and under two hours played applies once a gift is accepted, but that clock starts at purchase, so a gift bought weeks early can lose the window before it is opened. Xbox digital purchases generally cannot be refunded, which is one more reason to be sure of the game first. PlayStation and Nintendo codes follow the retailer’s rules, and many stores will not take back a code that has been redeemed.
Physical games are the easiest to correct. Retail return windows vary by store, receipts make exchanges simple, and holiday purchases often come with extended windows, so ask at the register instead of assuming. If the pick still misses, store credit toward something the recipient actually wants is a fine outcome. The goal is a game they will play, not a game they will shelve.
Player questions
Can I gift a specific digital game on PlayStation or Nintendo?
No. Neither the PlayStation Store nor the Nintendo eShop lets you send a specific game to another account. Give a store gift card or a retailer download code instead, matched to their account’s region.
How do I check a game’s age rating before buying?
The rating appears on the front and back of the box and on digital store product pages. For more detail, search the title on the ESRB website or app to read the Rating Summary, which is available for physical games.
What happens if the recipient already owns the game on Steam?
Steam will not let you send a gift to someone who already owns it, which is one reason a friend’s name appears greyed out. Check a public wishlist or ask someone close to them before you buy.
Should I buy a physical or digital game as a gift?
Digital avoids hardware problems, since a store card works on any console, while a physical copy gives them something to unwrap and is easier to exchange. Physical only works if their console accepts discs or cartridges.
Games, platforms and settings change with updates, so check the official help pages for your platform if something looks different.