As we roll into 2026, the number of major gaming franchises celebrating big anniversaries is truly staggering. Of course, there’s the long-awaited 30th anniversary of Pokemon, and Persona is gearing up for its 30th birthday as well. But these popular Japanese franchises are far from the only big gaming properties celebrating milestones in 2026. And hopefully, that means video game fans are about to be treated to a truly exciting year.
Many gaming franchises plan ahead for milestone anniversaries, with new remakes, merch, or even new games dropping in big birthday years. And this year could bring celebrations and new goodies from all manner of big gaming franchises from Animal Crossing to Sonic the Hedgehog and beyond. So, let’s dive into some of the biggest gaming anniversaries of 2026 and what we can expect from them.
Big Games Celebrating Major Anniversaries in 2026
It’s a big year for Nintendo, as the Nintendo 64 turns 30 this year. And right along with it, several big Nintendo gaming properties are also hitting big milestones in 2026. But it’s not just a Nintendo party, as many other big franchises are hitting major milestones this year as well. Here is a list of some of the major games celebrating milestone anniversaries in 2026:
- Animal Crossing – 25 Years on April 14th
- Castlevania – 40 Years on September 26th
- Dragon Quest – 40 Years on May 27th
- Halo – 25 Years on November 15th
- Luigi’s Mansion – 25 Years on September 14th
- Metroid – 40 Years on August 6th
- Persona – 30 Years on September 20th
- Pikmin – 25 Years on October 26th
- Pokemon – 30 Years on February 27th
- Resident Evil – 30 Years on March 22nd
- Rune Factory – 20 Years on August 24th
- Sonic the Hedgehog – 35 Years on June 23rd
- Story of Seasons – 30 Years on August 9th
- The Legend of Zelda – 40 Years on February 21st
- Tomb Raider – 30 Years on October 25th
This isn’t an exhaustive list because 2026 is just so massive for anniversaries. However, it’s clear that this year is full of gaming milestones. And with any luck, that means fans of these franchises and more can expect at least some kind of celebration for those IPs that are still kicking. In fact, we already know of a few things headed our way in celebration of some of these gaming anniversaries, and we’re just a few days into the year.
What Fans Can Expect from Game Anniversary Celebrations This Year
While games turn another year older every year, most companies only celebrate major milestones. With many gaming properties turning 25, 30, and 40 this year, that’s a lot of potential for fans to celebrate. If nothing else, it’s fun to mark just how long your favorite games have been around. But it’s likely we’ll get something new (or remastered) from many of these IP in 2026. In fact, a few are already confirmed. Here are the new games, updates, and more that some major games have already got headed our way this year.
Animal Crossing – New Horizons 3.0 and Switch 2 Edition
The timing may or may not be accidental, but Animal Crossing fans already have something to look forward to as the franchise turns 25. The Animal Crossing: New Horizons 3.0 update, along with the Switch 2 edition, are slated to release on January 15th.
Many fans are no doubt also hoping to finally see a brand-new installment in the series announced. With New Horizons getting an update, a new game coming out in 2026 seems fairly unlikely. But hopefully, a teaser trailer officially confirming the game could come into being in celebration of 25 years of Animal Crossing.
Dragon Quest
This franchise is putting out its next remake, Dragon Quest 7: Reimagined on February 5th. Beyond that, Square Enix has teased more to come, but hasn’t shared any specific details. Many fans are hoping to see more remakes announced, but nothing has been confirmed just yet.
Halo
The original Halo: Combat Evolved is getting a remake. The story-focused remake, titled Halo: Campaign Evolved, is set to release in 2026. That’s perfect timing for the franchise to celebrate its 25th anniversary. This new game is also planned for PS5, bringing the franchise to PlayStation for the very first time.
As for any other celebrations for Halo fans, those still enjoying Halo Infinite can grab some 25th Anniversary freebies in-game. More is likely to come as the year goes on, but we’re off to a solid start here.
Persona
Atlus hasn’t confirmed anything official just yet. However, they have shared a link to a brand-new 30th Anniversary website for Persona. The site gets its first big update on January 8th. However, a teaser from the official Fitness Boxing account heavily implies we’re getting a Persona x Fitness Boxing game this year.
As for additional celebrations, only time will tell. However, many fans are hoping to get some info on the 6th Persona game as the franchise celebrates its 30th anniversary.
Pokemon
For many gamers, myself included, this is a big one. The Pokemon Company recently shared its 30th Anniversary logo, along with soft confirmation of a Pokemon Day showcase on February 27th. Most of what’s to come this year probably won’t be unveiled until then.
That said, we already know that the Pokemon Pokopia spin-off is coming out this year. And many leaks and rumors suggest a new 30th anniversary Pokemon TCG set, as well. But for many fans, the big question is… is Gen 10 coming out this year, or just being announced?
Resident Evil
The newest Resident Evil game, Resident Evil Requiem, will release just ahead of the franchise’s 30th anniversary. This 9th main series installment arrives on February 27th, bringing in a new protagonist. Capcom has also already put up a 30th Anniversary portal for Resident Evil, highlighting its upcoming Resident Evil Generation Pack for Switch 2.
It’s quite possible there’s more to come, especially where the live-service mobile game Resident Evil Survival Unit is concerned. But for now, these February releases are all we know about for Resident Evil in 2026.
Sonic the Hedgehog
Sega hasn’t shared any of its major plans to celebrate 35 years of Sonic just yet. However, the 2026 Sonic the Hedgehog calendar did reveal a new 35th Anniversary logo. And that definitely suggests that Sega does plan to celebrate, even if they’ve not revealed the specifics just yet.
Fans are heavily speculating that we could see remakes of some older Sonic games this year, along with a potential sequel to Sonic Frontiers. For now, though, we’ve got a calendar and not much else to go on.
Tomb Raider
At the 2025 Game Awards, two new Tomb Raider projects were revealed. The most explicit anniversary celebration is Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis, which is a reimagined take on the original game from 1996. This game is expected to release this year, perfectly aligned with the franchise’s 30th anniversary.
The other new game, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, isn’t expected to release until 2027. However, it’s likely we will see a bit more from the game this year, with a gameplay trailer and more details potentially headed our way as Tomb Raider turns 30.
For now, these are the primary franchises that have teased or confirmed specific events or releases to celebrate their anniversaries. Others, including Pikmin, have rumored remasters or ports in the works. And Marvelous has already shared graphics in celebration of the Rune Factory and Story of Seasons anniversaries, suggesting there’s more to come this year. If you’ve been a gamer for the last 20+ years, there’s likely going to be at least one or two nostalgic treats headed your way this year.
Which franchise anniversary are you most excited to celebrate in 2026? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!