Ep 80: Nerd Tutorial Gift Giving Guide (2020)

Topic: Gift Giving Guide (2020)

 

The holidays are among us, and now is a great time to consider what to get for Christmas for that special someone in your life, or just a nerd you happen to know.  This week we’re discussing gift giving for the nerds in your life.

 

See our Previous Episode Here!

 

Party Games

Jack Box Party Pack

Cards Against Humanity / Apples to Apples

The Resistance

Among Us

Betrayal At House On The Hill

 

 

Game Consoles

Playstation 5

Releasing on 11/12/20

Backwards compatible with 99% of PS4 games

$399 for Digital Version

$499 for HD Blu-Ray Drive

Opinion: New system means Playstation Exclusives will come out only for it, but right now, there isn’t any brand new ‘Killer App’ that makes the system a must get now.  The PS5 is useful to get as an upgraded PS4 if you already have a lot of games for the PS4, but not necessarily worth getting at this time.  Like Buying a new car, but not necessarily any difference in where you’re driving to and from.

 

 

Xbox Series X/S

Releasing on 11/10/20

Series X is bigger and more powerful and Series S.

Similar to iPhone S series.

Some games will be ‘Optimized for Series X’. 

Backwards compatible with 99% of Xbox One games.

$299 for Series S

$499 for Series X

Opinion: A concern over games for the Series S over Series X, as there will be some games that will take advantage of only Series X hardware, and not be playable on Series S.  Much like the PS5, it’s intended to offer a great experience in the future, but doesn’t offer any immediate ‘Killer App’ titles.  If you have an Xbox One, it’s an upgrade, but that’s about it.  Like Buying a new car, but not necessarily any difference in where you’re driving to and from.

 

 

Nintendo Switch

Released on March 2017

Sold 68 Million units worldwide.

$199 for Switch Lite

$299 for Regular Switch

Opinion: Nintendo has a cool niche of offering great family friendly games that you can’t get anywhere else.  Nintendo has a huge catalog of games at this point, and their games always tend to be different when compared to the Playstation or Xbox.  It can be considered childish and colorful, but no less fun and entertaining.  Only downside is that it’s been out for awhile, and so if someone was interested in getting it, they may already have.  An upgraded of the Switch is also rumored for sometime in 2021, so it might not be worth getting if a new one comes out a few months later.

 

 

Show Off Potential

Nerds love to show off their passions as often as possible.  But they also Love to just look at their collections too, seeing the endless possibilities

 

 

835

Cool Statues of Licensed brands

A bit limiting on merchandise, but a great starting place it feels like.

 

This is Why I’m Broke

Truly nerdy stuff worth getting

Nice variety of strange, practical, and desire-able

Links to various Etsy, but Amazon too

 

Geekstore

Lots of Licensed Brands, but not a lot of actual merchandise

Selling the ‘Offical’ licensed merchandise

 

Boxlunch

Good collection of licensed brands

Lots of variety

 

 

 

Etsy

As mentioned last year, Etsy is a great place to look for one of a kind things from makers that make this kind of stuff.  If you’re looking for a cosplay piece, someone out there makes it on Esty, or even better, sells the plans on how to make it. 

 

If you want to request something from Esty, it’s safe to make the assumption it’s going to be delayed due to the holiday season, so it Might not come on time.

 

You can ask for custom orders too.  If you like the look of someone’s work, but you don’t see what you’re looking for, you can always ask if they do custom orders.  This can help the Maker add to their merchandise they can sell, and also be a great relationship in the future for stuff.  Try to stay in someone’s wheel house though; don’t go asking for something that’s outside of their norm.  IE, don’t ask someone who primarily makes jackets or works with leather to suddenly start making dresses all the sudden.  Also, try to stay within a brand: most Makers try to stand out by having their own brands or focuses, IE, some people focus on Mario or Nintendo merchandise, so asking for something from World of Warcraft might be out of their wheel house.  Ask, be generous, and kind, because you’re asking for something from them.

 

 

Loot Boxes

Lootcrate has a number of geeky loot boxes tailored for different focuses, ie:

Marvel

Harry Potter

Rick and Morty

WWE

Anime

Pixar

 

Others exist as well, some offering food or other items:

Lego

Comic Books

Tokyo Treat Box

 

This can be a bit pricey at the end of the day, as it’s considered a monthly subscription, but they often offer discounts for those who purchase multiple months at a time.  You can set the length for as long as you want, so if you want to do only a few months to a year.  Most of the items in a box can will usually cost more if you bought them separately, so while you may pay a $25 charge, you’ll likely receive $40 - $50 worth of value in the box.  And some of the items can also be sold online as they’re collectables that only come in the loot boxes.

 

 

Order Early

Holidays this year will likely be more focused on shipping and receiving stuff in the mail.