Gamers are impatient and eager souls, always keen to look ahead at what's coming down the line rather than be content with what they already have in their hands. As soon as a new console is released, some gamers start thinking about the next generation of hardware. As soon as a new game is released, some gamers start opining on what needs to be fixed in the sequel.

In short, gamers need news. If you're a gamer, you probably want to know the latest goings-on in the industry. You want rumors, release dates, and trailers. Opinion pieces and round-ups of the best games in a certain genre. And while we at MakeUseOf do our best to provide much of that content, there are some other essential websites that deserve your time and attention.

Twitter is a great resource for news, and gaming is no exception to that rule. What follows are 8 tremendous Twitter feeds you should follow in order to receive all the gaming news you desire.

Polygon @Polygon

Latest Grand Theft Auto 5 trailer studies Michael, Trevor and Franklin

— Polygon (@Polygon) August 29, 2013

Polygon is a gaming website that has only been in existence since 2012, and yet in that short time it has built a reputation for breaking news stories and delivering a range of other video game related content. It's the gaming brethren of The Verge, and many of its writers are veteran journalists you'll recognize from other websites.

Giant Bomb @giantbomb

Microsoft Points Are Dead http://t.co/koS8o8o4I0 — giantbomb (@giantbomb) August 27, 2013

Giant Bomb is a gaming website founded by Jeff Gerstmann and Ryan Davis, previous editors of GameSpot (which also appears on this list). Unlike other gaming sites, Giant Bomb is built around the personas of the journalists, and this is how Giant Bomb manages to succeed despite the fact that some of its content is hidden behind a paywall.

Shacknews @shacknews

Bound by Flame coming to PS4, delayed to 2014 http://t.co/Gyr54sGHoA — Shacknews (@shacknews) August 29, 2013

Shacknews, also known as The Shack, is a gaming website that has been around in one form or another since 1996. Originally all about Quake, the site grew and evolved, and is now owned by GameFly. Shacknews has a great community feel to it, with a core group of staff who know their stuff.

GameSpot @gamespot

Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aime says "meh" to #XboxOne and #PS4 launch software. http://t.co/cNv96o9ZAO

— GameSpot (@gamespot) August 29, 2013

The aforementioned GameSpot may not be the force it once was, with the likes of Giant Bomb changing the scene, but it's still one of the biggest gaming sites in the world. The official Twitter account, which features links to all of the content posted to the site, has more than 500,000 followers. Which is pretty darn impressive.

IGN @IGN

EA's Origin Humble Bundle raised over $10.5 million for charity http://t.co/iYt1b3H1Cs

— IGN (@IGN) August 29, 2013

IGN, once known as the Imagine Games Network, was founded way back in 1996, when the Internet was only just starting to hit the mainstream. IGN was once owned by New Corporation but is now part of Ziff Davis Inc. Expect lots of news reviews and FAQs, as well as a range of other content.

Kotaku @Kotaku

Introducing the Nintendo 2DEES...yes, this time it's a mistake http://t.co/4TyjMAvhEt — Kotaku (@Kotaku) August 29, 2013

Kotaku is a gaming website that is part of the Gawker Media group of blogs and online media properties. As well as the usual news and reviews, Kotaku is home to in-depth features, opinion pieces, and great original content. This means it won't appeal to everyone, but those who like it will find it extremely entertaining.

Xbox @Xbox

Did you know? #XboxOne has gamescom favorites like @DestinyTheGame and @TESOnline coming its way: http://t.co/PLadybmSJo — Xbox (@Xbox) August 26, 2013

This list wouldn't be complete without the official feeds for both Sony and Microsoft's gaming divisions. This is where you'll find Xbox news first, be it about hardware such as the Xbox 360 or the new Xbox One, forthcoming game releases, or promotional efforts from retail partners.

PlayStation @PlayStation

Killzone: Shadow Fall multiplayer hands-on: http://t.co/iGEu8JpHvO New weapons and reinvented classics join a brand new Warzone system.

— PlayStation (@PlayStation) August 28, 2013

Just like the Xbox account, the PlayStation Twitter feed offers press releases, service updates, and promotional offers. These feeds are especially worth following when the biggest geek conventions come around. If anything PlayStation-related happens at E3, for example, you'll hear about it here first.

Conclusion

With the exception of the PlayStation and Xbox accounts, these Twitter feeds are obviously attached to websites. So you could just bookmark each of these sites or add the RSS feed to your favorite reader. However, Twitter offers a simple-yet-effective way of skimming news headlines and effectively sort the wheat from the chaff. Coupled with the Twitter accounts of famous gaming personalities this list should fulfill all your gaming news requirements.

Do you already follow any (or all) of these news feeds on Twitter? Are there any others we missed that deserve a place on the list? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.