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[onesvenus]

... Microsoft, with an average metascore of 87.4

Sony, Humble bundle, Activision and Bethesda follow.
An interesting point is that no publisher had and average rating above 85 before.


What an amazing powerhouse Xbox will be once Activision and Blizzard are under the same umbrella

Metacritic's 12th Annual Game Publisher Rankings

We reveal the past year's best and worst videogame publishers (based on their 2021 releases) in the 12th edition of our Game Publisher Rankings.

www.metacritic.com

 

[Chukhopops]

Well the numbers don’t lie, not just the best but an unprecedented performance:

It is very rare for a publisher to average above 80 for its releases across a single calendar year. But how often does a company average above 85 ? Never ... until this year.

And that doesn’t even include Bethesda apparently?

 

[Riky]

Putting out 90+ games this gen, long may it continue. With the amount of games coming it will be a gaming avalanche of quality.

 

[Markio128]

They’ve certainly kept the momentum going this year with Crossfire X.

 

[Belthazar]

Well the numbers don’t lie, not just the best but an unprecedented performance:

And that doesn’t even include Bethesda apparently?

If it did the average would've dropped significantly, as Bethesda was #5 in this.

 

[Riky]

They’ve certainly kept the momentum going this year with Crossfire X.

Who published it?

 

[fatmarco]

They link to the Xbox One version of Psychonauts 2 though, with 11 reviews averaging at a 91.

The main reviewed version of Psychonauts 2 however was the Series X version with an average score of 87, so that's a bit cheeky there.

Imo, it did deserve to be over 90 but whatever.

 

[Markio128]

Who published it?

Xbox game studios was a publisher I believe.

 

[onesvenus]

They’ve certainly kept the momentum going this year with Crossfire X.

Are you talking about exclusives? Because CrossfireX was not published by Microsoft.
And talking about exclusives, there's a thing called Babylon's Fall that has almost the same critics rating but much lower user rating than that.

And now, please, stop trolling

 

[Riky]

Xbox game studios was a publisher I believe.

Bad trolling.

 

[onesvenus]

They link to the Xbox One version of Psychonauts 2 though, with 11 reviews averaging at a 91.

The main reviewed version of Psychonauts 2 however was the Series X version with an average score of 87, so that's a bit cheeky there.

Imo, it did deserve to be over 90 but whatever.

They use all scored products so both versions are taken into account

 

[lh032]

imo, i dont see any games from activision has "anything" to do with Microsoft.
So any good games coming from them, will be kudos to the publisher not to Microsoft tbh.

Especially the relationship between Microsoft and Activision doesnt smell like "hey they always work together closely previosly".
Activision just gets acquired by Microsoft suddenly, thats it.

 

[onesvenus]

imo, i dont see any games from activision has "anything" to do with Microsoft.
So any good games coming from them, will be kudos to the publisher not to Microsoft tbh.

Especially the relationship between Microsoft and Activision doesnt smell like "hey they always work together closely previosly".
Activision just gets acquired by Microsoft suddenly, thats it.

I suppose you won't count Bungie games as Sony games and that you don't count Returnal as a Sony game then, do you?

 

[lh032]

I suppose you won't count Bungie games as Sony games and that you don't count Returnal as a Sony game then, do you?

not sure if serious about returnal?

A simple google can answer your question. Majority of their games published by Sony. They have a long history working with Sony.

Out of all the devs you picked housemarque to counter my argument?

Housemarque - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[EdGalTBR]

WoW, Xbox took the 1°, 4° and 5° places!

 

[onesvenus]

not sure if serious about returnal?

A simple google can answer your question. Majority of their games published by Sony. They have a long history working with Sony.

Out of all the devs you picked housemarque to counter my argument?

Housemarque - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

It's a game not developed by Sony and published by them.

Do you really think the relationship between Sony and Housemarque was more involved than the one Microsoft and Activision will have when Microsoft owns them? Really?

 

[Markio128]

Bad trolling.

I literally typed in Crossfire X publisher and Xbox game studios is showing as one of the publishers. Not sure how that translates to trolling

 

[lh032]

It's a game not developed by Sony and published by them.

Do you really think the relationship between Sony and Housemarque was more involved than the one Microsoft and Activision will have when Microsoft owns them? Really?

yes.

Relationship between Sony and Housemarque was more involved than Microsoft and Activision.

 

[Riky]

I literally typed in Crossfire X publisher and Xbox game studios is showing as one of the publishers. Not sure how that translates to trolling

You were so desperate to downplay and troll you didn't check that the publisher is Smilegate.

 

[Pallas]

That’s interesting, kudos to Microsoft and Phil Spencer. They really have turned that sinking ship around.

On another note, this counts all games published by Microsoft, Sony, Activision, etc whether it’s first or third party developed games?

 

[Teslerum]

They link to the Xbox One version of Psychonauts 2 though, with 11 reviews averaging at a 91.

The main reviewed version of Psychonauts 2 however was the Series X version with an average score of 87, so that's a bit cheeky there.

Imo, it did deserve to be over 90 but whatever.

Things like this are all over metacritic.

Metacritic performances have to be taken with a huge grain of salt.

 

[Banjo64]

yes.

Relationship between Sony and Housemarque was more involved than Microsoft and Activision.

Pathetic.

 

[The_Mike]

I literally typed in Crossfire X publisher and Xbox game studios is showing as one of the publishers. Not sure how that translates to trolling

You not being capable to Google such a simple thing as "crossfire X publisher" doesn't make your post true.

 

[lh032]

Pathetic.

its a fact.
being fanboy is one thing, being a fanboy without valid argument is another thing.

I did not deny the relationship between Bethesda and Microsoft, but i really dont see the "close partner" between activision and Microsft.

 

[Banjo64]

its a fact.
being fanboy is one thing, being a fanboy without valid argument is another thing.

I did not deny the relationship between Bethesda and Microsoft, but i really dont see the "close partner" between activision and Microsft.

It’s amazing that on the one hand you are capable of such a succinct thought but on the other hand your statement perfectly applies to your previous comments.

It’s also pretty funny that the most militant fanboys are the ones to accuse everyone else of being a fanboy.

 

[lh032]

It’s amazing that on the one hand you are capable of such a succinct thought but on the other hand your statement perfectly applies to your previous comments.

It’s also pretty funny that the most militant fanboys are the ones to accuse everyone else of being a fanboy.

 

[RafterXL]

its a fact.
being fanboy is one thing, being a fanboy without valid argument is another thing.

I did not deny the relationship between Bethesda and Microsoft, but i really dont see the "close partner" between activision and Microsft.

What are you even crying about? Activision isn't even part of this years Microsoft list, so why even make this point? And when they do own them any game made by Activision will be solely at the discretion if Microsoft, i.e. they'll be responsible. Either way you're argument holds no water. You don't get much closer than being owned.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

 

[lh032]

What are you even crying about? Activision isn't even part of this years Microsoft list, so why even make this point? And when they do own them any game made by Activision will be solely at the discretion if Microsoft, i.e. they'll be responsible. Either way you're argument holds no water. You don't get much closer than being owned.

No shit.
Relationship between Activision and Microsoft is not even close before the acquisition, thats what i was saying compared to housemarque and Sony.

 

[DrSerigala]

Damn so salty here . LOL

 

[MasterDerico]

He is right.

 

[Roxkis_ii]

Games so good, yet still in third in console sales. There seem to be a disconnect between apparent game quality and resulting success. I wonder why..

 

[M1chl]

In early in a great thread.

 

[Brofist]

yes.

Relationship between Sony and Housemarque was more involved than Microsoft and Activision.

Well nothing is closer to your relationship with Sony

 

[Vaelka]

What?
All I know Microsoft when it comes to actual games is basically Halo lol..

 

[Markio128]

You not being capable to Google such a simple thing as "crossfire X publisher" doesn't make your post true.

I’ll hold my hands up and apologise if I’m wrong, but Google does state several times that the game was published in partnership with xbox game studios. My first comment was a little joke, sorry for any upset and distress this may have caused.

 

[onesvenus]

yes.

Relationship between Sony and Housemarque was more involved than Microsoft and Activision.

Notice that I'm talking about the future relationship between Microsoft and Activision.
You are talking about future games, so I think what you should take into account is their future relationship.
The relationship they had in the past means nothing about the one they'll have in the future.

Having said that, it's obvious why you don't want to group them under the same umbrella so let's not keep going off-topic

 

[RafterXL]

No shit.
Relationship between Activision and Microsoft is not even close before the acquisition, thats what i was saying compared to housemarque and Sony.

If it's no shit why are you even bringing it up? Wtf does Activision and Microsofts current relationship have to do with this list?

 

[hemo memo]

Well deserved. Phil truly transformed not only Xbox but gaming as a whole with Gamepass with Sony following that approach with Project Spartacus.

 

[Ass of Can Whooping]

This is unacceptable Jim

 

[Robb]

Well deserved, they really managed to push out a lot of great stuff during the second half of the year.

 

[Rudius]

For some reason I thought it would be Nintendo, since they are consistent. But they aren't even on the list.

 

[Bernd Lauert]

For some reason I thought it would be Nintendo, since they are consistent. But they aren't even on the list.

They're #14. Only Nintendo games that review well are Mario and Zelda. Reviewers hate everything else.

 

[GreatnessRD]

In spite of the clownboyism from both sides (You PS and Xbox loyalist) This is good. That means Sony need to bring the smoke for next year. And in the end, the gamers win.

Congrats to Microsoft.

 

[MilkyJoe]

And here we go...

 

[Pedro Motta]

Their investment on Stevivor paid off.

 

[Goalus]

yes.

Relationship between Sony and Housemarque was more involved than Microsoft and Activision.

Activision has been releasing games for the MS DOS and Windows operating systems and even the MSX since the early 1980s. That is a long and fruitful relationship they have with MS.

Their investment on Stevivor paid off.

I need to check if Stevivor's GT7 review has been finished yet, thanks for the heads-up.

 

[kingfey]

No shit.
Relationship between Activision and Microsoft is not even close before the acquisition, thats what i was saying compared to housemarque and Sony.

they are not the same.
Both released the game, before being acquired.

Housemarque will have relationship with Sony, once they release a game under Sony. Just like how bethesda still doesnt have relationship with MS for their deathloop.

You need to release a product under that company to have a relatonship, not just 2nd party exclusive.

Housemarque was like insomniac to MS, before Sony bought them.

 

[kingfey]

This is unacceptable Jim

Dont worry. This year, it will go to fromsoft. Unless JIm buys them of course.

 

[anthony2690]

Well deserved they had genuinely really great output in 2021, especially the last 6 months!

Huge surprise for myself was psychonauts 2, loved that game.