2026 will be old enough for fans of the franchise to start thinking about mortality a little more. Some of these milestones are older than me and let me tell you, I'm no Spring Quinton as they say.
We like to talk about major anniversaries in the industry because sometimes they can represent big announcements. They don't have to; let me emphasize that for those who are less focused on the matter. Often, fandoms get hyped for the 5th, 10th, 20th, and so on, only to be disappointed by the volume of crickets and the silence of the publishers. These are main However, IP. Even if it's just merch and artwork, something's bound to happen. At least in one case, we know very well what awaits us.
Here's to many more
What we all love to see is something like a new game announcement. That's the best, right? It doesn't always happen. In fact, in many cases this was not the case. 35th anniversary of The Legend of Zelda, in 2021, sure announced Wind Waker and Twilight Princess remasters for the Nintendo Switch. It echoed from the rooftops. People thought it was destined. No.
This does not prevent us from thinking about what may and may not happen. Nor does it diminish the ultimate importance of seeing a franchise we love succeed enough to raise those hopes every time the clock strikes a memorable number. And the year 2026 strikes, oh so many hours:
As you can (probably) see, Redditor yotam5434 helpfully noted everything. I'm afraid I don't know the exact source of the image; if you've made it, let me know and I'll credit you! Maybe it was the thread's own creator.
- 40: The Legend of Zelda; Metroid; Dragon Quest; Kid Icarus; Castlevania
- Completion 35: Sonic the Hedgehog
- Finishing 30: Pokémon; Persona
- Completion 25: Crossing of animals; Luigi's Mansion; Pikmin
I don't know why, but for some reason Luigi's Mansion is approaching the quarter-century mark that makes me feel old. The rest… makes more sense. I'm having a hard time with this one.
What can be prepared? Pokemon is almost certainly getting a big duo in Gen 10. The leaks are out. Oh, they're so, so, out there. Maybe we'll see Dragon Quest 12? I don't know. It's been radio silence since the announcement over four years ago… who knows. We will see Dragon Quest 7 Reimagined, though! In just two months!
Persona 6, maybe? Please? Like, I'm literally begging you, Atlus? And I can easily imagine another Animal Crossing. I'll be real about Zelda – I'm just waiting for news about the movie coming out in 2027. The rest… I have no idea.
But what are they? You hope? I don't do the “let us know in the comments!” shtick often, but I love reading your thoughts. Do you have any big prayers for your aging gaming titans?
