Christmas in video games is rarely about holiday cheer or getting together as a family. More often, it involves getting punched, shot at, or chased through a snow-covered city while someone in the background has the audacity to leave their holiday lights on. Some of my favourite games are set at Christmas, and they use the season – the snow, the cold and the overall feeling of the holidays – to add mood and tension. So if you’re looking for a holiday playthrough (or gift idea), here are some great Christmas/winter-set games for you or the gamer on your list!
Spider-Man: Miles Morales
A superhero game that also feels like Christmas? Count me in! Spider-Man: Miles Morales absolutely nails the feeling of the holiday season, swinging through a snow-covered New York while holiday lights glow from apartment windows, which somehow makes this already great game feel warmer and more comforting. The story leans heavily into Miles finding his footing, not just as Spider-Man, but as part of his community, and the winter/holiday setting really makes you feel that sense of togetherness. It’s a tighter, more focused experience than the main Spider-Man game, which makes it perfect for a holiday playthrough you can actually finish between gatherings or on holiday vacation from work or school.
You can order Spider-Man: Miles Morales here.
Tom Clancy’s The Division
The Division might be one of the bleakest Christmas games you can play, and that’s precisely why it’s so memorable. Set in a post-pandemic Manhattan during the dead of winter, the contrast between abandoned streets and leftover holiday decorations is strangely peaceful, if not a little unsettling. Running around in a toque while snow piles up around wrecked cars and Christmas lights flicker around trees and in empty storefronts makes every mission feel a little colder, quieter, and a bit more tense because of it. The holiday setting isn’t cozy, but it’s immersive in a way few shooters manage, especially if you enjoy atmospheric games that pull you into their world. It’s a great pick for players who want something moody, tactical, and very different from the usual festive fare. Also, despite being almost a decade old, there is still a surprisingly dedicated player base for its core modes, especially with community-organized events and active matchmaking for popular activities like Legendaries and Survival.
You can order Tom Clancy’s The Division here.
Batman: Arkham Origins
Batman: Arkham Origins uses Christmas in the most Gotham way possible: snowy, violent, and a little unhinged. Set on Christmas Eve, the frozen streets and leftover holiday décor make Gotham feel even more isolated and dangerous than usual. The bleak winter setting works because this is a younger, angrier Batman who isn’t fully the Dark Knight yet, and the cold, unforgiving city matches that energy perfectly. Add Arkham’s excellent combat, a solid lineup of villains, and some great boss fights (though no Mr. Freeze in a winter-set game still feels like a miss to me), and you’ve got a Christmas-set game that feels dark, focused, and very on-brand for Gotham.
You can order Batman: Arkham Origins here.
What’s your favourite holiday-themed game? Let us know in the comments!
