What should I get my online friend for their birthday?

https://sh.itjust.works/post/42400173

Look for a humblebundle that donates to a cause they would care about.
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Try Celeste. It’s not obviously about being trans but it’s a really good puzzle game that has a story they might find relatable.

How Celeste became an icon of trans gaming share.google/tWB4bVUbyYeLM8s6Y article about it

How Celeste became an icon of trans gaming

Celeste is a trans game despite not being ‘explicitly’ trans – the reasons why go against prevailing rules about what makes a game queer

GAY TIMES
great suggestion, it’s just hard to imagine a trans person who owns a Switch not already owning it.
Do they have a wish list? That’s what I’d recommend doing. Most people don’t play games they’re bought by other people I’ve learned that very well over the years, but if it’s on their wish list already there’s a good chance they will.
Idk, but if you want some cool indie game recs: Pseudoregalia, Dread Delusion, Demon Turf.

Vintage story.

www.vintagestory.at

Home

Vintage Story is an uncompromising wilderness survival sandbox game inspired by lovecraftian horror themes. Find yourself in a ruined world reclaimed by nature and permeated by unnerving temporal disturbances. Relive the advent of human civilization, or take your own path.

Definitely Stardew. Everyone should have Stardew.
I think the screenshot is from their friend’s account, to show us what kinds of games they’ve already played? Wasn’t super clear to me either though

Ohhhhhh shit you’re right. I still stand by my statement lol. If you don’t own Stardew you should.

Hollow knight is another one like that. Absolute must play.

Core keeper.

It’s a co-op base building game similar to minecraft only top-down pixel art graphics. Easy to sink hundreds of hours into, and if you get yourself a copy as well, then you can both play together

As stated by others, their Steam wishlist is always a good starting place.

If they like story games, To The Moon is like a book you wish you could forget so you could read it again for the first time. It’s best played with 0 spoilers.

If they are the type of person who tries to optimise everything and automates a lot on Minecraft, Factorio (a bit expensive) might take over their entire life for a few years.

If they enjoy puzzles and/or you want to play with them, Portal 2 has a co-op section.

I will happily agree with everyone who mentioned Stardew Valley. It can be single or multiplayer, and has a large number of mods. The Expanded and Ridgeside mods add a huge amount of content including trans characters.

Depending on how well you know them, you could try asking if there’s any game they’d like to play together that they don’t have. Having a friend to play with is often better than the game itself.
PULSAR: Lost Colony and Void Crew are mediocre games made fun by forcing interaction with other players (friends or random people in open games). They also have a surprising proportion of LGBTQ+ players.

Save 75% on To the Moon on Steam

A story-driven experience about two doctors traversing backwards through a dying man's memories to artificially fulfill his last wish.

Instead of Void Crew (which uses Epic launcher and is not quite done yet) I recommend Raft. Quite replayable, fun, has a nice story.

You might be thinking of another game. Void Crew is only available on Steam.

I would also recommend Jump Ship which is in the same style, but I doubt it will be released in time.

Jump Ship on Steam

Jump Ship is a mission based co-op PvE for up to 4 players, where you are the crew of a spaceship. Transition seamlessly from crewing the ship to on-foot exploration and space walks. Engage in intense battles both on the ground and in space, and always keep your ship upgraded and intact.

Daaamn, you are right, I was half-asleep, I have mistaken it with Void Crew.

Raft suggestion still stands tho!

I have no idea how I first obtained too the moon but that shit made me cry my eyes out and refuses to ever leave my head.

10/10 would be traumatized again

No Mans Sky might be a good idea.
Satisfactory was a phenomenal video game that you guys can play together. Not quite like Minecraft, but similar.

Any idea if they are playing the games solo (where possible) or with a group? They do all support multiplayer, and it’s kind of important to understand why they play the games they play.

I’d probably check the wishlist or literally ask.

A second vote for Core Keeper here. I think it’s a safer option than Terraria, which could also be a good option but isn’t for everyone.
If you’re friends with them on Steam you should be able to see their wish list. That’s what I usually get my friends for Christmas, just something gifted that they’ve already flagged on their wish list.
They’re trans. Is it safe to assume New Vegas is in their library?
Since they like Stardew, I would recommend Coral Island! It’s like Stardew but Mermaid themed. And I believe they’re working on a co-op mode for it too!

If you have a venmo or other money-transfer method, consider cash.

While a thoughtful gift is nice, cash is flexible. Enough small gifts, and one can flee home…

A Short Hike on Steam

Hike, climb, and soar through the peaceful mountainside landscapes of Hawk Peak Provincial Park as you make your way to the summit.

Have you considered sending them a physical letter? You can put a lot of digital goods as codes there (even steam games, albeit bought in 3rd party stores), also gift cards like ‘$10 in X store chain’ if that’s a thing at their place, but the novelty (hehe) of getting a birthday card that they can keep is waaay more cool than a gift notification. See if that’s possible and is up your alley.
If they like story games Oneshot is a good idea. You could also send them Steam credit so they can pick one for themselves, like sending them a gift card.

13 hours is not that far if you’re in the states… You should go and meet them!!

Just kidding, good luck in whatever you decide to do; your heart is in the right place!

Noita (<- Minecraft)

A short Hike (<- Webfishing, Stardew Valley)

And just a suggestion, since you mentioned that they had a switch: Maybe try finding a used copy of Animal Crossing : New Horizons and bring it at that convention (this would be an amzing suprise but pretty costly depending on how you intend to do this 13h trip)

Steamで60% OFF:Noita

Noitaは、全てのピクセルが物理的にシミュレートされた世界を舞台にした、魔法アクションローグライトのゲームです。戦う、探索する、溶かす、燃やす、凍らせる、蒸発させるなどの方法で、自分が作った呪文を使いながら、プロシージャルに生成されるあらゆるところが破壊可能な世界を進んで行きましょう。

Fair warning: Noita is excellent, but it is also quite difficult and obtuse when you first pick it up.

My rec for Minecraft similarity is Terraria.

I’ve never really gotten into terraria, to much “what am I supposed to do now ???”
It’s secretly a wiki game. A very fun wiki game. I just find a piece of gear online I think looks cool and see how to get it.
Steam:ATLYSS

Enter the world of ATLYSS, a Singleplayer/Online RPG where you can fight with or against friends in a surreal world filled with creatures beyond comprehension. Customize and progress your character(s), complete quests, and discover strange locations.

Sable is a nice casual exploration/puzzlr game with climbing mechanics very similar to breath of the wild, but without combat. And a great soundtrack by Japanese breakfast
Factorio trust me
Hello fellow kids! Which of these promoted titles should you buy?!
i know you dislike ads but not everything is an ad, sometimes people talk about stuff they enjoy