In 2024, Sega stole the spotlight as the leading publisher according to Metacritic, the well-known platform for aggregating review scores.
On Wednesday, Metacritic rolled out its annual ranking of video game publishers, detailing which companies clinched higher average game scores throughout the year.
The ranking system by Metacritic factors in not just the scores but also awards bonus points for games averaging “90” or above, adhering to a very detailed point distribution across publishers.
Sega’s achievements this year were largely propelled by standout titles, notably Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth and Metaphor: ReFantazio, both crafted by Sega’s renowned subsidiaries, Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio and Atlus, respectively.
Coming in right behind Sega was Capcom, last year’s titleholder for 2023. Capcom didn’t slow down, impressing gamers with hits like Dragon’s Dogma 2.
Sony took a respectable fourth place, thanks significantly to the success of Team Asobi’s Astro Bot. This game not only grabbed the Game of the Year award at the Game Awards 2024 but also the same honor at the 28th D.I.C.E. Awards.
It’s essential to mention that any game released by Bungie and PlayStation Studios was included under Sony’s umbrella for this ranking, considering Bungie operates as a subsidiary that independently publishes away from PlayStation Studios.
Microsoft found itself in ninth position, rolling out several highly regarded titles including MachineGames’ Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, and Treyarch and Raven Software’s Call of Duty: Black Ops 6.
Much like Sony, Microsoft’s ranking included all its sub-labels, meaning the review scores from Xbox Game Studios, Bethesda Softworks, Activision Publishing, and Blizzard Entertainment all came into play.
Nintendo, somewhat surprisingly, appeared at #22. Their lower rank this year can be pin down to fewer major releases, probably as they’re gearing up for the anticipated launch of the Nintendo Switch 2, likely accompanied by significant game releases in the near future.
Now, while I generally exercise caution in putting too much stock in review scores — even though I use them in my own reviews, I find reducing games to numbers somewhat limiting — the data here surely offers some intriguing insights.
Sega is thriving, particularly with its Japanese brands, where Ryu Ga Gotoku Studio’s output, consistently rolling out Like a Dragon entries, shows no sign of flagging in quality or frequency.
Similarly, Capcom’s golden streak is a trend that’s been blazing since 2017’s revival of Resident Evil 7: Biohazard. With the recent release of Monster Hunter Wilds to rave reviews, they’re firing on all cylinders.
Could Sega and Capcom replicate this performance next year and once again secure the top Metacritic spots for 2025? That remains to be seen, but I’m certainly eager to unravel the outcome over the coming year.
