These 2001 Gaming Classics Turn 25 In 2026, And Yes, We Feel Old

2001 being 25 years ago in 2026 sounds fake, but unfortunately bro, the maths checks out.

Destructoid recently looked back at several major games from 2001 that are hitting the big 25-year mark, and the list is honestly ridiculous. This was not just a “few good games came out” kind of year. This was the era where the PlayStation 2 started flexing properly, Xbox entered the chat, Nintendo got weird, and several franchises helped define what modern gaming would become.

For Malaysian and SEA gamers, especially those who grew up with PS2 rental shops, pasar malam game stalls, cybercafes, and second-hand discs, this list hits extra hard.

2001 was a monster year for gaming

Gran Turismo 3 was one of the PS2’s early technical flexes. It was originally planned under the name Gran Turismo 2000, before arriving later as Gran Turismo 3. The game looked slick, moved fast, and gave racing fans a proper reason to believe the PS2 was a serious upgrade. For a lot of Malaysian players, this was the kind of game you saw running in shops and immediately went, okay, this console is different.

Then there was Devil May Cry, which started life connected to early Resident Evil 4 experiments before becoming its own stylish action series. That shift mattered. Without it, we might not have the same language for combo-heavy action games today. Dante’s attitude, the demon-slaying pace, the gothic cool factor — semua cukup ngam for the PS2 generation.

Halo: Combat Evolved also launched in 2001, and while Halo has never been as locally dominant as Counter-Strike, Dota, Mobile Legends, or FIFA in Malaysia, its influence is undeniable. It helped prove console shooters could feel good, and it basically gave the original Xbox its identity.

PS2 classics that still get discussed today

Metal Gear Solid 2 had the impossible job of following the first Metal Gear Solid, while also becoming one of the PS2’s biggest early statement games. At launch, people praised it, then argued about its very strange Kojima-style story. Years later, that same ambition is why players still talk about it.

Final Fantasy X was another huge PS2 milestone. It brought Final Fantasy into a fully 3D world and became the series’ highest-selling entry. Even if fans still debate the cast, the world, music, and emotional moments gave it a staying power that RPG fans in SEA still recognise today.

And then there is Silent Hill 2, still one of horror gaming’s most respected titles. The remake has been well received, but the original remains the benchmark for psychological horror. For players who think horror is only about jump scares, Silent Hill 2 is the old-school reminder that dread, guilt, and atmosphere can hit harder than any monster closet.

Nintendo, Rockstar, and the weird side of 2001

Super Smash Bros. Melee also turns 25 in 2026, and this one is special because the competitive scene never fully let it die. Newer Smash games arrived. Plenty of platform fighter clones tried. But Melee’s hardcore crowd is still loyal, and second-hand copies are not exactly cheap now.

Ico helped set the tone for emotional third-person adventure games on PS2, telling a quiet story about a boy and girl in a mysterious castle. Without Ico, the path toward Shadow of the Colossus would feel very different.

Conker’s Bad Fur Day remains one of Nintendo’s wildest moments: cute character, very not-family-friendly humour. Imagine a parent buying it because the squirrel looked harmless. Confirm kena shock.

And of course, Grand Theft Auto 3. This is the big one. It changed how open-world games were built, and its influence can still be felt in everything from modern GTA to countless city-based action games. The fact that only two more numbered GTA entries followed after GTA 3 makes the wait for each new Rockstar release feel even more insane.

Twenty-five years later, 2001 still looks like one of gaming’s strongest years. For SEA players, it is also a reminder of an era when one console generation could reshape everything — from cybercafe conversations to weekend gaming sessions at a friend’s house.

Source: Destructoid