Metacritic is known for compiling the internet’s critiques on notable games, TV, and films in a one-stop-shop for consumers of all media, and their annual game publishers rankings just went live.
Before purchasing a new album, going to see a new film, or diving into a new game experience, fans have flocked to Metacritic for their hands-on approach when it comes to having the written word about the latest in media.
Throughout the year, game publishers do their best to deliver the best experiences when it comes to gaming. There are many hits in any given year and, of course, a lot of misses. In an absolutely stacked 2021, Metacritic gave their list, ranking each publisher based on statistical analysis that they do a great job of explaining here, of the best publishers that have succeeded in 2021.
Best 5 Publishers of 2021, According to Metacritic
Microsoft
Improving on their previous #6 spot, with the runaway hit racing game Forza Horizon 5, or the sequel in Double Fine’s Psychonauts 2, Microsoft kept the heat up all year long making them the top dog this year in accordance with the list. As Microsoft kept fan favourite releases continuously happening, Halo Infinite was allowed to be delayed without much fan backlash, and released to positive reviews. With an average Metacritic score of 87.4 on 10 products, 2021 was a job well done. This, of course, isn’t discounting the pending acquisition of Activision Blizzard which is a dynamite move for the house that built the Xbox.
Sony
Microsoft’s direct competitor, Sony, also improved on their previous years placing in the list, from #4 to #2 with ease, although they did have the mediocre reviewed Destruction All-Stars failing to meet expectations. Director’s Cut editions of Death Stranding and Ghost of Tsushima held Sony above water, with the help of the newest title in the Ratchet & Clank series. Acquisitions of BluePoint Studios, and Bungie kept Sony one step ahead of the rest, but their one hiccup led to an average score of 81.4 out of 11 scored titles, which places them second.
Humble Games
It wasn’t far back when Indie Games weren’t taken seriously, and here we are in 2021 with a publisher mainly known for pushing out stellar Indie titles only behind two juggernauts, in the third place spot. With showcases now being held by Nintendo, and ID@Xbox, Humble Games has been able to thrive in the new platform given to solid Indie titles. From well-received chill titles like Unpacking, to the well received RPG Dodgeball Academia, proves that Humble has range and quality. With a whopping 17 products listed, Humble scored an average of 80.9 on Metacritic, improving from their previous #18 spot.
Activision Blizzard
With the hurricane of legal issues surrounding Activision Blizzard, it’s become slightly hard to remember that they’re a notable publisher capable of pushing out truly impeccable titles. Although Call of Duty: Vanguard was met with mediocre scores, help from Diablo II: Resurrected, and Crash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Time helped right the ship. Blizzard also helped by constantly updating their WoW: Classic MMO, and Overwatch, with the latest news regarding the sequel finally revealed. With the impending sale of Activision Blizzard to Microsoft being worth over $68 billion, it’s easy to see why they’re in the 4th slot, improving on their previous #5 slot, with 17 scored titles averaging a Metacritic score of 80.6.
Bethesda Softworks
Bethesda Softworks rounds out the fith spot in this list, beating its former #16 rating by a landslide. Help with well received titles such as the PS5 exclusive Deathloop, Doom Eternal DLC, an excellent remastered Quake for consoles,and, yes, another port of Skyrim — which included a Gray Fox quest line — helped Bethesda stay a notable name in publishing. 2022 looks to be another HUGE year for the company that rebuilt Fallout, with a huge new ESO expansion of the High Isle, and the highly anticipated Starfield. The sky may be the limit for some, but not Bethesda, popping out 15 scored titles, and averaging an 80.2 on Metacritic.
That concludes the best 5 publishers of 2021, according to Metacritic scoring, which is according to the internet’s reviews on titles (please see their explanation). With 2021 well behind us, fans can look ahead to 2022 with huge titles on the horizon, with the latest blockbuster releases of Elden Ring and Gran Turismo 7, and upcoming titles like Forspoken and the reboot of Saints Row, 2022 is promising to be a huge year already… but hopefully we won’t get another one of these:
Fans can head over to the Metacritic ranking page for the rest of the publishers on their list, which contains a massive 42 names.
