A Decade Later
2015 was a huge year for gaming. The PlayStation 4 and Xbox One entered their second year, leaving the previous generation behind and ushering in a wave of exclusive titles. Developers began experimenting with new systems and mechanics that would eventually become industry standards. It was also the year some landmark games were released; titles that still resonate a decade later. So join me as I look back at the pivotal games that will be celebrating their 10th anniversary in 2025.
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt – Release Date: May 19, 2015
The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt set a new benchmark for open-world storytelling. Its lush environments were filled with meaningful content, making exploration genuinely rewarding. In many games, side missions often felt like an afterthought with repetitive fetch quests or uninspired collectathons. But The Witcher 3 changed that. Its side quests featured compelling stories, memorable characters, and challenging battles that enriched the world rather than padded it. Thankfully, many developers have since followed suit, ensuring that side missions contribute to the overall experience rather than detract from it.
Undertale – Release Date: September 15, 2015
Nobody could predict the impact that Undertale would have on the gaming community. While players fell head over heels with its personality and delicious soundtrack, the way it reimagined the RPG mechanics and player morality is truly special. Fox’s use of mini-games and choice made the game feel unique and has resulted in several retro-inspired RPGs that experiment with the formula rather than religiously sticking to it.
Rocket League – Release Date: July 7, 2015
The idea behind Rocket League sounded a little daft at first: football with cars? Surely that couldn’t work, right? And yet, ten years later, it’s bigger than ever. With regular esports competitions and tournaments, the game has built a massive, dedicated following. Its success has even influenced countless other titles to put their own unique spin on the sports genre.
Bloodborne – Release Date: March 24, 2015
Arguably the best FromSoftware game, Bloodborne is now 10 years old. While Demon’s Souls laid the foundation and Dark Souls refined it, Bloodborne perfected the formula. It’s faster, more aggressive combat style struck a chord with players, and to this day, fans continue to hope for a remake or sequel. With its neo-Gothic, Victorian-era art direction and haunting atmosphere, the game has left a lasting impression that still echoes a decade later.
Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain – Release Date: September 1, 2015
Kojima’s final Metal Gear Solid is both incredible and tragic. Although it’s one of the greatest stealth games ever to be released, it’s clearly incomplete and is missing its final act. Although the auteur has created another epic with the Death Stranding series, many still look back at his work on Metal Gear and hope that one day he will return.
Life is Strange – Release Date: January 30, 2015 (Episode 1)
Life is Strange broke new ground with its emotional storytelling and meaningful representation of the LGBTQ+ community. Embracing individuality, the developers have continued to showcase a diverse cast of characters, allowing players from all walks of life to connect with their well-rounded personalities. Its impact is clear, as more and more games have followed suit, embracing difference to portray richer, more authentic worlds.
Splatoon – Release Date: May 29, 2015
Nintendo rarely releases new IPs, so when word got around that they were making a shooter, no one knew what to expect. What would a Nintendo shooter even look like? When Splatoon finally launched, players went wild for its wholly unique, addictive, and competitive multiplayer. Bursting with personality, it quickly became a staple in Nintendo’s catalog, and with a new spin-off on the way, its legacy is still going strong.
Her Story – Release Date: June 24, 2015
Nobody expected FMV games to make a comeback. Once thought to be relics of a bygone era, the genre seemed incompatible with modern gaming trends. But Sam Barlow had other ideas. Her Story used a groundbreaking non-linear storytelling approach, placing you in the role of a detective as you sift through video footage to piece together a mystery. Its success helped put FMV games back on the map and inspired developers to explore bold, unconventional ways of telling stories.
Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege – Release Date: December 1, 2015
Rainbow Six Siege is now in its tenth year, and it’s still going strong. As one of the most successful live-service shooters of all time, it set a standard that many publishers have tried to replicate. While this has led to a wave of imitators, many of them unsuccessful, there’s no denying the massive influence Siege has had on the genre over the past decade.
Super Mario Maker – Release Date: September 11, 2015
Nintendo doesn’t usually like handing control of its properties to the public, but when they finally took the leap, inspired by the success of LittleBigPlanet and other user-driven games, they did it in a big way. Mario Maker let you live out your fantasy of designing levels for everyone’s favorite plumber. It set a new standard for user-created content, one that has since found its way into other Nintendo titles, and hopefully, it’s a trend that continues into the future.
These games, and many others, left a huge mark on the industry, with elements they introduced still shaping games today. Which titles released in 2025 do you think we’ll be talking about a decade from now? Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
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