Ho Ho Holy Cow!: The Holidays and Gaming

Man! The Japanese know how celebrate a holiday!!

The holidays are upon us, and for many of us that means spending time with family, treats and sweets, dinners with friends, gift giving and receiving, egg nog drinking, ugly sweater/bad mustache contests, and a bevy of other festive things. For the game industry though it means something else altogether: making money, and lots of it.

Say what you will, but it's how the industry works. Game companies know that with the holiday season comes a surge in purchases of nonessential goods (E.G. video games and Elmo dolls). Which results in many of the largest companies holding off their big releases until fall and winter. Which leaves prices high when most have little money to spend on themselves. However there are some advantages to this. As with most markets, many titles go down in price, or are put on clearance to make room for the newer, bigger, "better" things to come. This can be a blessing and a curse to the average gamer, and can lead to a lot of tough choices. It can also be a tough on those who are buying for gamers, yet may not have much experience with, or knowledge about, games. Purchasing a game as a parent, grandparent, spouse, or even just a friend, can be a harrowing experience. They may have only a rudimentary knowledge of what the person they're shopping for likes, if even that. Add to the fact they may be dealing with pushy, or uninformed, salesman, and purchasing a game as a gift can become a nightmare for some, and is a generally unpleasant experience for most.

So what do you do? Skimp on the gifts for family/friends and buy all the new games you want? Or hold off until after the holiday season for sales and price reductions? Go middle of the road on both? It can honestly be a tough call. Here at Gaming Cuisine we can feel your pain when it comes to a lack of funds, and have thrown together some advice on how to get the most bang out of your buck this coming holiday season, as well as a few tips for the non-gamers trying to find the perfect item for their loved ones who game.

Detective John McClane was patient, and things worked out pretty well for him.
"Die Hard" is my favorite Christmas movie ever. Seriously.  

Be Patient.

I've mentioned this in previous articles, but being a patient buyer can not only save you a lot of money, it may save you some regret. Purchasing a game day one is great, especially if you know the quality is going to be there, from highly rated pre-release reviews and demos. Some games though, highly regarded or not, may not go over with every audience, and waiting a week or two, and trying it out at a friends, or even renting it, may end up saving you the cost of a purchase and a valuable lesson learned. On the other hand it may also leave you salivating at the thought of it, and have you "hankering" to purchase it as soon as possible; holidays and friends be hanged. Trying before buying can go either way. However with the many returns, and sales that happen in January, sometimes waiting is your best bet. Sure you may not have as much time off to play the titles you're desperately craving, but that also leaves you more time to spend with your friends, family and loved ones you may not get to see as often. Not a bad trade off.

Black Fridays at Walmart are getting really out of hand lately. 

Keep an eye out for killer deals.

Many websites and stores have killer deals at the holidays, especially on games that are a few months old. The shelf-life on video games is shorter than many other forms of entertainment. While yearly sequels and updates may be a movie industry standard, in the game industry the next big thing might be only months away. While it's easy to find copies of obscure eighties titles on DVD/Blu-ray in many stores, try finding old video games in the same places. While the ability to download classic titles is bringing back availability of many titles, it's a fact that games on shelves tend to move, and get moved, faster than other forms of media. Probably due to the highly competitive nature of the market,and the ever increasing power and popularity of game consoles. It seems like there is almost always a sale on games somewhere. While a daily perusing of the paper and local shops for killer deals will likely help you find great deals during the holidays, internet searches are far more effective overall. Several websites exist solely to locate, and advertise, games that have been drastically reduced in price. My personal favorite site is cheap***gamer.com (Ed- name edited to keep it family friendly). With regular updates throughout the day and forums for local gamers, it's a great one-stop-spot for finding killer deals. Another great resource is Woot! Sellout, with more than just gaming deals, this can be a great place for all your holiday gift purchases.

Child's Play is an awesome charity. I have nothing funny
 to say about this, and if you do, you're probably a bad person. 

For PC gamers, humblebundle and indieroyale are also great choices. Though these two bundles are only available at certain times, they will likely both have packages up for sale before the holidays are over. Providing a "pay what you feel it's worth" system for a set number of titles, you get a good deal, and the chance to help out others. The creators of Humble Bundle give a portion of their profits to the charity Child's Play; Indie Royale's profits go to helping out up-and-coming developers who may otherwise go unnoticed. All in all you get a bunch of great games for very little money, and you can pat yourself on the back for being charitable (in a way) at the same time. A win-win situation. Also download services such as Steam and Desura have great sales for the holidays, and you can "gift" copies of games to your friends and family as well. A great, and cheap way to purchase gifts for your fellow gamers.

Being cool doesn't apply to this box set. I'd stab you over one these. Shoot,
I'd stab Santa Claus over this. Don't ever come between me and Zelda. Ever. 

Be cool and be smart.

Some bundles, special/limited editions may be hard to come by during the holiday season, and even after. However, remember to remain calm and cool, and don't get on Ebay and drop $3K for a game or system you'll be able to buy in three months at regular retail cost, and possibly even less. While your sibling, child, spouse, significant other or friend may be a bit disappointed they didn't get the Limited Edition "Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword" with gold Wiimote, they won't love you any less because they didn't get it. On the off-chance they do love you less because of this, well you have bigger problems to worry about than games and gifts then.

When a store is sold out of that "must have" item though, it doesn't hurt to ask if they're getting more in, and if so when. The employees may groan, because they'll probably have been asked this same thing a dozen times in the last fifteen minutes (I know, I've been that employee), but they may be able to give you more info as to if or when they'll be receiving more. Yes, they've been asked "that question" a million times, but you may be surprised the answers you'll get. If you find out they'll be getting more on a certain day, show up early, or pre-order if possible. It won't hurt to ask, and you may end up snagging a copy of the coveted item you're seeking. Whether it's GameStop or Target somebody will usually know when things are coming in, and how many of them are on the way. The more you know, the better you can plan, and the more likely you are to find that sought after game/system/item.

For instance: Grandma loves the Wii, if she doesn't get Zelda, she's gonna be sad. 

For non-gamers, finding the right game can be a real challenge. Being aware of what a person likes is the first and most important step. Find out what your gamer loves, and write it down. Do some research, and if you can't get them that item, then try and find something similar. Game reviews are a dime-a-dozen on the internet, but may not translate in real life in some aspects. If you know what they want, or at least what they love, get online first and check it out; then go to a video game store and ask the staff for some help in finding them the right game. Let them know what is already owned, and liked, and ask their opinions on things. I recommend writing down their recommendations, and even checking at other stores to see if they would recommend those same titles or items. If you're getting the same answers at different stores and retail chains, chances are you have a winner. If you're not comfortable buying them an actual game, or if you don't want to drop $50-60 on something they may not love (and really, who does?), then gift cards for stores, or even system services (such as PSNetwork, Wii Shop, Xbox Live), are a great alternative. They may not be as personal as a gift picked out specifically for them, but it does allow them to purchase the games and items they want. This saves you the hassle and worry about whether they'll like it, as well as the time spent shopping for them. Remember if you buy system specific service/download cards, you need to know what systems they own, and play. Buying a Xbox 360 owner a Wii gift card won't do anybody any good. For the gamers out there, you can do your part by letting parents, grandparents, spouses and friends know what you'd really like, and what you already enjoy. Can't hurt to let them know which things you already love.

Which brings me to my last, but not least important, tip for the holidays.

He may look upset, but he was actually in the middle of saying
"THANKS FOR THE GIFT MOM! I WILL CHERISH IT FOREVER!"

Be gracious.

The holiday season, whether you celebrate Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, Solstice, etc., is not about giving, or receiving. It's about spending time with people you care about, and finding joy in the season. Even if you don't celebrate this season in any way, many others do, and there's usually a party or two to join.

Just moments before the mosh pit broke out. 

For a lot of people this year is going to be extra rough. With a down economy, high unemployment, and worldwide mayhem, things are tough all over. I think our readers are clearly wise enough, and mature enough, to understand this, but it never hurts to repeat it.

It's a lot more fun than it sounds.
Again, I'm not kidding. 

Go out, have fun, and do what you can to make this the greatest holiday season ever, for you and for others. If you can't afford awesome gifts for your friends and family this year, I'm sure they'll understand that, and vice versa. Remember when grandma gives you "Princess Tomato in the Salad Kingdom" (yes, that's a real game), if you can't act like it's the most awesome thing ever at least let her know you love her. Not knowing the difference between Mario and Master Chief isn't something you can hold against somebody. So remember to act surprised and happy if they don't get you something you absolutely love, and ask for the receipt later. Though I recommend a great excuse when doing so, something like "Oh, I've wanted this, but it's on the wrong system..." It'll make them feel great, and you can still get something you want. Not the most honest approach, but it spares some feelings.

Just remember, this is a time of joy and thanksgiving, enjoy it and have fun.

Until next time, game on.