Video game merch is rarely cool. You’ll be hard pressed to find wearable merch worthy of anywhere other than the gym, or household items to display in a mid-century modern living room. It’s also rarely inspired or unique – my closet is full of lightly chipped ones call of Duty Coffee mugs, my stash bin is overflowing with cheap shirts, my couch beers are almost always wrapped in a branded koozie.
The swag players get is loudly garish, wildly patterned, or just downright ugly, with an obvious hatred of subtlety. Similar to how top gaming executives have dressed at the Game Awards in the pastGaming merch so often feels like cheap cash—a picture of Pikachu ironed onto a coarse-spun t-shirt, or a collage of it Super Mario Characters huddled together on a canvas pair of Vans. There are hot topics.
But lately, as the gaming community expands and brings out more diverse voices (including those of us who like fashion), we’ve seen an uptick in some really cool gamer merchandise. There is inspiration in these items, whether it’s a gorgeous vinyl, a really nice pair of kicks, or a fancy gamer’s chair. Here are the coolest video game merchandise we’ve seen this year.
