What are the best Christmas video games? We can’t think of anything better than polishing off some pigs in blankets on Christmas Day before sitting down to play some of the best Christmas PS5 games and best Christmas Xbox games.
Well, ok, there are some more important things, but if you’re looking for something festive to play this holiday season, we have everything you need to know about the best Christmas video games out there right now.
If you’re not too fussed about how festive it is, you should check out our recommendations for the best PS5 games and the best Xbox games to play right now.
The best Christmas games are:
Dead Rising 4
If you’re looking for a sandbox action-adventure game where you can go to town on hordes of the undead in the same way you would a delectable plate of roast parsnips and stuffing balls, all while still maintaining that tinsel-fuelled festive cheer that comes with Christmas, you’re looking for Dead Rising 4.
The latest entry in Capcom’s iconic Dead Rising series, this game sees former photojournalist Frank West pick up his baseball bat and camera once more as he investigates another mystery in another zombie-infested shopping mall. It is also, funnily enough, set during Christmas 2022 – so, there’s never been a better time to jump in and be thankful this wasn’t some prophetic prediction of what’s to come. Dead Rising 4 is also the first game in the series to ditch the timer system – and features an open-world setting – so you can sleigh zombies to your heart’s content – without any cause for concern.
Dead Rising 4 is available on PlayStation and Xbox.
Overwatch 2
If you’re looking for something a little less undead, then Overwatch 2 might just be the game for you this holiday season. Although not strictly Christmas-themed, this is one of the best free shooting games on the market right now and there’s a lot to look forward to when it comes to Christmas celebrations.
Just like Overwatch, this game’s annual Winter Wonderland seasonal event will run throughout the holiday season and into January. Throughout this cool event, players will be able to jump into several LTMs like Mei’s Snowball Offensive and Yeti Hunter while also experiencing some festive variations of existing maps. Both of these modes are a lot of fun to play with friends and, unlike Overwatch, this game is free to play. So, we can’t think of a better multiplayer experience than this inclusion on our best FPS games list for the holiday season.
Overwatch 2 is available on PlayStation and Xbox. If you want to secure access to every hero in the game on Xbox, grab yourself the Complete Hero Collection using the link at the top of this entry.
Apex Legends
Okay, maybe we can think of one more. If you’re looking for a new challenge in the Apex Legends ranks or you’re looking to finally give one of the best battle royale games a go more casually, this is the perfect time to do it.
We know what you’re thinking: Apex Legends isn’t exactly a Christmas videogame – and you’re not wrong about that. However, it’s far from a bad option if you’re looking to play something with your friends and family during the holiday season. Especially if the Winter Express LTM comes back for a few weeks. Last year’s edition of mode had three squads of three fighting one another over a moving train – what’s more action-packed than that?
Apex Legends is available to play for free on all major platforms. If you’re already well-acquainted and want to pick up some extra cosmetic goodies on Xbox, be sure to treat yourself to some Apex Coins using the affiliate link at the top of this entry.
The Division
If you’re looking for something a little less stressful, though, we can’t recommend The Division enough when it comes to a fantastic third-person shooter for the holiday season. In this Tom Clancy game, you play as a Division Agent tasked with investigating a viral pandemic that hits Manhattan on Black Friday – and dealing with any criminal activity as a result of that.
We know we’re committing a festive crime by saying Black Friday is part of Christmas, but looting and shooting your way through Manhattan’s snow-covered streets is a lot of fun – and there’s a lot of looting and even more shooting to be had in Ubisoft’s The Division. Just, maybe have some Mariah Carey on in the background while you’re playing? This isn’t quite as festive as it could be.
The Division is available on PlayStation and Xbox.
Hitman 3
But, that’s where Hitman 3 comes in – specifically, the Holiday Hoarders bonus mission that was released for Hitman in 2016. If you’re looking for some more methodical murder this holiday season, Hitman 3 is easily one of the best stealth shooters ever made and the Holiday Hoarders mission brings a bit of festive cheer to that.
Throwing players (and Agent 47) into a Christmas themed version of The Showstopper, a mission from Hitman, you’re tasked with eliminating two targets who are trying to steal Christmas presents from the hotel the mission is set in. As you may already expect, you can get your hands on a Santa outfit during this mission and wreak havoc as Father Christmas with a Bartoli 75R, which is as hilarious as it sounds.
Hitman 3 is available on all major platforms.
Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales
Let’s be honest, we couldn’t make a list of the best Christmas videogames without including Insomniac Games’ Marvel’s Spider-Man Miles Morales. This 2020 spin-off from Marvel’s Spider-Man continues Insomniac Games’ story with fantastic open-world superheroics that take Spider-Man-in-training Miles Morales on his own adventure over Christmas while Peter Parker is away on a trip to Symkaria for a couple of weeks.
It features a wonderful cast of characters and stellar acting performances from Nadji Jeter as Miles Morales, Jasmin Savoy Brown as Phin Mason, and veteran VAs like Troy Baker, Ashly Burch, Fred Tatasciore, Travis Willingham, and Darin De Paul (among others), this is easily one of the best PS5 exclusives out there – it’s also on PS4 – and one of the best superhero games full stop.
Batman Arkham Origins
If you’re more DC than Marvel, then you need to check out Batman Arkham Origins if you haven’t already. While it might not be held quite as highly in public opinion as the other Arkham series games, it features a classic comic book caper packed with Gotham City’s worst villains set on Christmas Eve. So, what’s not to love about that?
Building on the series’ combat system and introducing a fast travel system, this is far from a bad open-world Batman game. It’s also an iteration of Batman we don’t often see in videogames, one where he’s a little more fresh-faced and tenacious in his crime-fighting. You’ll also be pleased to know that Roger Craig Smith also does a stellar job of playing the role of Batman- so, don’t worry about missing out on Kevin Conroy’s iconic portrayal here.
Batman Arkham Origins is available on all major platforms as part of the Batman Arkham Collection.
Kingdom Hearts 2
Keeping track of Kingdom Hearts’ narrative over the years has been an Olympian task for its fanbase, as series creator Tetsuya Nomura has continuously tantalized players with a sprawling series of games across multiple platforms, released in an order that is anything but chronological. For us the best of the bunch, and one of the best games of all time, is Kingdom Hearts 2.
Set a year after the events of the original game, spiky-haired protagonist Sora is once again rejoined by Donald Duck and Goofy – this is a Disney and Square-Enix game, by the way – as they battle a new threat known as ‘Nobodies’, as well as the mysterious Organization XIII that holds hegemony over them.
In this exceptional RPG, you’ll get to travel to numerous Disney worlds including – you guessed it – Halloween Town and Christmas Town. Here you get to fight alongside the Pumpkin King Jack Skellington himself, as you drive out not only the Nobodies, but the Heartless threat that you’ll get to know very well in the first game.
While it’s ideal to play the original Kingdom Hearts game first, there is a stunning AMV at the beginning of KH2 that gives you the broad strokes of what transpired. Even more fortunately, Square has compiled most of the games into ‘ReMIX’ collections that can be enjoyed on both PlayStation and Xbox – there’s even an ‘All-in-One Package’ that includes them all, though only PS players can get their hands on it.
Deep Rock Galactic
ROCK AND STONE! Deep Rock Galactic is a light-hearted FPS with plenty of cheer – including the festive variety – to go around. Here you take on the role of a dwarf tasked to mine away at the dangerous caves found within the planet of Hoxxes IV, on behalf of a company called Deep Rock Galactic – you can see where DRG gets its name from.
Of course, there’s more than rocky terrain in the caverns, and horrifying alien beasties can be found behind every crevice. Fortunately, DRG is also one of the best co-op games out there, so you’ll have plenty of help while staving off waves of extraterrestrial creatures. In return for your service, you’ll be able to upgrade one of four unique classes, as well as plenty of weapons and equipment – not a bad return for a hard day’s work.
With regular seasonal events in-game, including an annual Yuletide Christmas event, you’ll get to embark on special assignments that yield all sorts of festive goodies. So grab your pals, and start digging those holes.
Deep Rock Galactic is available on PlayStation and Xbox.
But, that’s all you need to know about the best Christmas games to play this holiday season. You don’t see this holiday season shown in games too often, but it’s always worth checking out when it’s done right – and seasonal events are always a great way to bring some festive cheer to the live service games you play regularly.
While you’re in the mood to treat yourself, give your gaming setup a festive boost with some of the best PS5 accessories and best Xbox accessories. Happy holidays!