After the smash hit of 2023, 2024 is going to be home to a lot of first anniversaries as we look back and reflect on how the communities of 2023’s biggest releases are shaping up one year later. But as sweet as first anniversaries are, they’re not all that interesting. Thankfully, 2024 is also home to some cracking anniversaries that delve into this history of the medium, with their influence still being felt today.
Games Turning Five In 2024
Now that I’m in my thirties, I find that time is an altogether too upsetting prospect. Somehow, games that I swear came out just a few months ago likeDisco Elysium,Control, andThe Outer Worldsare turning five years old in 2024. And yet, games that I swear have been around forever, likeDeath Stranding,Sekiro, andOuter Wildsare also turning five years old in 2024. Crackdown 3 is also turning five in the year Suicide Squad is doomed to be compared to it (derogatory), as isJedi: Fallen Order,Resident Evil 2remake,Pokemon Sword & Shield, and The House in Fata Morgana. A decent collection, but it’s the older games that are carrying 2024’s anniversary celebrations.
Games Turning Ten In 2024
The tenth birthday celebrants might be home to the biggest party of all, asThe Game Awardsitself turns ten in 2024, as does the first GOTY winner,Dragon Age: Inquisition. Alongside it you’ll findShovel Knight(remember Shovel Knight?),Transistor(remember Transistor?), and Child of Light (remember Child of Light?), as well as a bunch of games I don’t need to ask you if you remember likeDark Souls 2(the Western release, at least),Bayonetta 2,Titanfall,Destiny,Alien: Isolation,Five Nights at Freddy’s, andHearthstone.
Games Turning 15 In 2024
Scratch what I said about The Game Awards, the real jumbo celebration has to be for the teenagers of the bunch asMinecraft, one of the most recognisable games in the world, turns 15 in 2024. First launched in 2009, although it had to wait two years for its full release, it will still be recognised in 2024. The 15th party will be packed out too, asUncharted 2,Assassin’s Creed 2,Dragon Age Origins, Bayonetta,Left 4 Dead 2,Batman: Arkham Asylum, and my all-time second favourite gamePokemon HeartGoldwill all be in attendance.Mass Effect 2, my favourite, is turning the distinctly awkward age of 14, but I’ll still find a way to write about it.
Games Turning 20 In 2024
For the third entry in a row, I’m revising what I said about those markers having the most iconic birthday on this list, because the 20s can outdo them all.World of Warcraft, one of the single most revolutionary titles for online play turns 20 years old in 2024 - so, the perfect age to drop out of college and dedicate your life to farming gold. 2004 didn’t put all its eggs in one basket either; it also gave usHalo 2,Pikmin 2,Far Cry,Half-Life 2,Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, Tony Hawk’s Underground 2, Burnout 3, The Minish Cap, and Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door.
Fun fact: The Nancy Drew game Curse of Blackmoor Manor reviewed higher than Paper Mario. Critics, eh?
Games Turning 25 In 2024
Given I noted Pokemon HeartGold as my second favourite game ever, it should come as no surprise that I consider the biggest 25th anniversary of 2024 to be the original Pokemon Gold & Silver. That duo aren’t without challengers, however. Soulcalibur (home release), Chrono Cross,Crash Team Racing,Resident Evil 3, Unreal Tournament,Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater,Donkey Kong 64, Mario Golf, Syphon Filter,Pokemon Snap, Super Smash Bros., andSpyro 2all turn old enough to take it as a compliment rather than an offence when the clerk asks to see their ID while buying a six pack. I miss those days.
Games Turning 30 In 2024
These games aren’t quite as old as me, which causes about as much pain as the knowledge that Disco Elysium is soon to be five years old. NBA Jam (the home release), Disney’s Aladdin, The Lion King, Donkey Kong Country, Final Fantasy 6, Super Metroid, andSonic the Hedgehog 3all turn 30 in 2024, while I turn 32, despite the fact that I am young and spry and they are ancient machines from my ancestor’s time.
With Grand Theft Auto, Pokemon, Minecraft, World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy, Halo, Zelda, Mario, Resident Evil, and dozens more of legendary series having significant birthdays in 2024, it’s a big year for video games celebrating their history - and for games journalists who get to write ‘This Great Game Turns Ten Today’ instead of having to think of a real idea.
