In 2026, a ton of major gaming franchises are celebrating big anniversaries. Some, like The Legend of Zelda, feel like ancient staples in the gaming world. But in some cases, it’s really hard to believe some of the biggest, most beloved games are as old as they are. Indeed, many massive video game hits that are still popular today are celebrating major milestones this year. From long-running series to standalone breakout hits, 2026 is giving us plenty of big video game birthdays to celebrate.
Admittedly, some games certainly feel their age when you boot them up. But gaming technology isn’t improving as quickly as it once was, and a 10-year-old game now may well not look as ancient as you think. So, at the risk of making us all feel old, here are 5 games that are somehow already 10 years old. And honestly, it feels like some of them just came out yesterday.
Believe it or not, Overcooked made its global debut back in August 2016, arriving on the Nintendo Switch a year later. This chaotic cooking sim is still frequently cited among the best co-op games to test your friendships with, and for good reason. It is a truly challenging but delightfully addictive game, with co-op and single-player modes. And thanks to its cartoon graphics, the game has held up pretty well visually, making it hard to believe it’s already turning 10 this year.
Overcooked got a follow-up, Overcooked 2, back in 2018, and it also got a recent remaster via the All You Can Eat edition in 2020. Since then, we haven’t heard much about the future of the cooking game franchise. Here’s hoping for an Overcooked 3 announcement when the original game officially celebrates its 10th anniversary on August 2nd.
Yes, you read that correctly. 2026 officially marks 10 whole years since the last brand-new main series installment in the Persona franchise. Persona 5 got its initial Japan-only release back in September 2016, with its worldwide debut to follow in April 2017. So while it’s only been 9 years for many Persona fans in the west, the JRPG is technically marking its 10th anniversary this year. And given that we still don’t have even a confirmed announcement about a Persona 6, that’s pretty hard to believe.
Like many Persona games, Persona 5 has seen its fair share of re-releases and updated editions since it first released in Japan. The enhanced Persona 5 Royal arrived in 2020, with modern console ports in 2022. The game has also gotten quite a few spin-offs. However, its direct sequel has yet to be revealed. Perhaps when Persona 5 turns 10 in September of this year, we’ll finally learn about Persona 6.
Like Persona, this one is largely surprising because fans are still waiting on its sequel… even if FromSoftware never promised us one. Somehow, it’s already been over 10 years since Dark Souls 3 made its debut. Released in March 2016 in Japan, and worldwide shortly after in April, the most recent main series installment in the Soulslike-genre-spawning Dark Souls franchise is now, somehow, 10 years old. Yet so far, it seems like there’s no sign of a direct follow-up in store, unless you count the 2017 board game spin-off.
Dark Souls 3 is a rare case where a beloved series managed to continue to deliver solid games that actually met fan expectations. Since it released, Dark Souls 3 has received a few updates and DLC to add more content. But believe it or not, the game is now 10 years old, and its most recent DLC isn’t much younger. A new installment is always possible, but as of now, Dark Souls 3 remains the conclusion to the franchise.
The Pokemon franchise itself is turning 30 this year. But along with that major milestone, the mobile spin-off will turn 10 years old this summer. And no matter how many times I type the sentence “Pokemon Go is turning 10 years old,” it’s still hard to believe. The Pokemon Go summer of 2016 was a magical time, one that arguably helped spawn a resurgence in Pokemon fandom more broadly. And I kind of refuse to believe it can have been that long ago.
As a live service game, Pokemon Go feels pretty different now compared to what it was when it first released in 2016. The Poke Dex keeps growing, the Shiny Pokemon keep coming, and new features are added left and right, to mixed results. But even 10 years later, Pokemon Go remains a beloved daily adventure for many Pokemon fans.
Given the fact that Stardew Valley remains arguably the most popular farming sim around, it’s hard to believe how old this one truly is. After all, it’s still topping the Steam charts and crushing sales records. But Stardew Valley did, in fact, first release on February 26th, 2016, meaning it turned 10 earlier this year. The game’s never-ending gameplay loop and truly in-depth lore mean that players are still uncovering new secrets even now, making the game feel much newer than it is.
The game’s ongoing popularity is, in part, due to the developer’s continued free updates that add fresh content to the game. In fact, Stardew Valley is supposedly getting yet another major free update sometime in the near future. So even though it’s officially a decade old, it’s not likely gamers will be abandoning Stardew any time soon.
Which game are you most surprised is 10 years old this year? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
