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[Ghost of Caelid]

After Halo seems to be doing well and we can assume will finish with a MC above 85 MS has pretty much produced quality games all year in good quantity.

• Psychonauts 2 (89 OpenCritic)
• Forza Horizon 5 (92 OpenCritic)
• Halo Infinite (87 OpenCritic)
• Microsoft Flight Simulator (92 OpenCritic - Came to PC last year but Xbox this year)
• Age of Empires IV (83 OpenCritic - Currently only on PC)
• Deathloop (88 OpenCritic)

Is this enough to net them a publisher of the year? Something that seemingly they haven't had since the 360 days.

 

[Lognor]

Yes, and it's not even close. I don't even know who else could be in contention. Not only based on the volume, but the quality. Very impressive showing from Microsoft this year.

 

[Lokaum D+]

 

[SlimySnake]

That's a pretty good resume.

And pretty much everyone else had a down year so they should win by default.

 

[DarkMage619]

After Halo seems to be doing well and we can assume will finish with a MC above 85 MS has pretty much produced quality games all year in good quantity.

• Psychonauts 2 (89 OpenCritic)
• Forza Horizon 5 (92 OpenCritic)
• Halo Infinite (87 OpenCritic)
• Microsoft Flight Simulator (92 OpenCritic - Came to PC last year but Xbox this year)
• Age of Empires IV (83 OpenCritic - Currently only on PC)
• Deathloop (88 OpenCritic)

Is this enough to net them a publisher of the year? Something that seemingly they haven't had since the 360 days.

They certainly should be in contention. At least no one can say they have no games and the TV TV TV era is over. They have been delivering fantastic games and value so far this generation for sure.

 

[Zok310]

If you ignore all the other pubs maybe.

 

[ManaByte]

 

[Chukhopops]

I don’t see who else could get the title this year based on the numbers. No competition really.

 

[CatLady]

No question. I don't recall them having any low-scoring dogs this year so I would imagine they have the highest scoring average of any publisher.

 

[Topher]

 

[Banjo64]

Can’t think of anyone else who’s even come close.

 

[Kagey K]

If you ignore all the other pubs maybe.

Such as?

Going to be pretty hard to find another with the same output, and consistency this year.

 

[alabtrosMyster]

YES! They killed it!!!

 

[ANDS]

Such as?

Going to be pretty hard to find another with the same output, and consistency this year.

SONY? R&C, Returnal, Death Stranding DC, GoT: DC. All of these games are "mighty" according to MC (can even get away with throwing Demon Soul's in there with OP's inclusion of MSFS).

 

[SLB1904]

How do you check what games each publisher release this year?

 

[Lokaum D+]

How do you check what games each publisher release this year?

google it

 

[envyzeal]

MS is buying their way to multiplat/3rd party. Either way, a great year.

 

[HeisenbergFX4]

Sony had a great year as well so can't go wrong with either imo

 

[Banjo64]

SONY? R&C, Returnal, Death Stranding DC, GoT: DC. All of these games are "mighty" according to MC (can even get away with throwing Demon Soul's in there with OP's inclusion of MSFS).

They’ve published Returnal and Ratchet only in terms of original games this year. Please don’t make yourself look like a pillock.

 

[MDSLKTR]

If you ignore all the other pubs maybe.

 

[tusharngf]

 

[SLB1904]

Cringe

 

[reksveks]

How do you check what games each publisher release this year?

Not on open critic afaik, I have adapted a scraper to download this info from MC and the reviewer information.

 

[Punished Miku]

They definitely have an argument for it this year. Sony had Returnal, Ratchet and MLB the Show I guess. Nintendo had Dread and some smaller titles.

For me personally, I'd pick SQEX: Guardians, Dungeon Encounters, Voice of Cards, Actraiser, Bravely Default 2, FFXIV Endwalker, Life is Strange, Outriders, The World Ends with You 2, FFVII Intergrade. People just kind of forget that they put out a ton of stuff every year.

 

[ANDS]

They’ve published Returnal and Ratchet only in terms of original games this year. Please don’t make yourself look like a pillock.

MS had no hand in the development of Psychonauts or Deathloop (and hell didn't even publish DL) but sure. . .get in a tizzy over them publishing releases of previously released games (both of which had their new versions extensively reviewed by the gaming press).

Pillock indeed.

 

[Mr Moose]

They’ve published Returnal and Ratchet only in terms of original games this year. Please don’t make yourself look like a pillock.

Flight Sim is included, even though its a game from last year. They also didn't publish Deathloop.

You are also forgetting this *cough* gem:

 

[Lupin25]

Because this thread doesn’t encourage console warring lol…

 

[reksveks]

Not on open critic afaik, I have adapted a scraper to download this info from MC and the reviewer information.

This is for 2020 but i will try and do something for 2021 but currently my scraper is going through 2015-2020. I need to fix the scraper slightly to fix a small issue where MC has the wrong publisher first.

 

[Nankatsu]

 

[SlimySnake]

If you ignore all the other pubs maybe.

??

Sony:

1. Destruction All Stars
2. Returnal
3. Ratchet

Activision

1. CoD Vanguard

EA
1. Battlefield 2042
2. It Takes Two

Capcom
1. Resident Evil 8

Rockstar
1. GTA Trilogy

Ubisoft
1. Far Cry 6

How about now?

 

[Zathalus]

Flight Sim is included, even though its a game from last year. They also didn't publish Deathloop.

You are also forgetting this *cough* gem:

How on earth did they not publish Deathloop?

 

[Banjo64]

MS had no hand in the development of Psychonauts or Deathloop (and hell didn't even publish DL) but sure. . .get in a tizzy over them publishing releases of previously released games (both of which had their new versions extensively reviewed by the gaming press).

Pillock indeed.

No hand in Psychonauts? They acquired Double Fine 30 months prior to release. Tim Schaffer said they were able to add more content, bosses and polish due to daddy Microsoft’s cash.

No shit XGS didn’t publish Deathloop, they’ve literally explicitly stated that Bathesda Publishing will still operate (however, if it really needs to be explained to you: Xbox own Bathesda Publishing).

‘New version’ to describe those re-releases is comically disingenuous. Oh shit man, Microsoft have just released the ‘new version’ of Skyrim which is a 96 rated game on Metacritic - wow that’s fucking amazing.

 

[Deerock71]

They have a good case.

 

[Mr Moose]

This is for 2020 but i will try and do something for 2021 but currently my scraper is going through 2015-2020.

They do this: https://www.metacritic.com/pictures/2021-game-publisher-rankings but it's later in the year (no idea why it says 2021), so 2021 might be done in March next year.

How on earth did they not publish Deathloop?

Bethesda did, not Microsoft.

 

[M1chl]

For me it is and on the top of that, it's Microsoft best year ever.

Hopefully they will continuing pushing like that.

 

[Zathalus]

They do this: https://www.metacritic.com/pictures/2021-game-publisher-rankings but it's later in the year (no idea why it says 2021), so 2021 might be done in March next year.


Bethesda did, not Microsoft.

Bethesda is owned by who again?

 

[reksveks]

They do this: https://www.metacritic.com/pictures/2021-game-publisher-rankings but it's later in the year (no idea why it says 2021), so 2021 might be done in March next year.


Bethesda did, not Microsoft.

Yeah, I just wanted to kill some time today and also wanted to look at whether there was any publications that had a higher/lower average than the rest.

 

[R6Rider]

 

[CatLady]

They do this: https://www.metacritic.com/pictures/2021-game-publisher-rankings but it's later in the year (no idea why it says 2021), so 2021 might be done in March next year.


Bethesda did, not Microsoft.

And Bethesda is part of Xbox

 

[kingfey]

Nope. Its Nintendo year. Its always been Nintendo year.

 

[Warnen]

 

[Mister Wolf]

Of this year and next year.

 

[Kenshin775]

XBGS will win Metacritic Publisher of the year. Deathloop won't count though because I don't think they include Bethesda games with XBGS. But like I said it doesn't matter they will still get Publisher of the Year.

 

[Topher]

Of this year and next year.

Nah, Sony has the stronger lineup next year, imo.

 

[AV]

Yes. If you're jumping through any sort of hoops to pretend that's not the case then there's a good chance your inherent bias is showing. Doesn't matter what their recent years have looked like or how much money they've thrown around, the answer is the same no matter how many logic hoops you wanna jump through.

 

[Gavon West]

MS had no hand in the development of Psychonauts or Deathloop (and hell didn't even publish DL) but sure. . .get in a tizzy over them publishing releases of previously released games (both of which had their new versions extensively reviewed by the gaming press).

Pillock indeed.

They actually did have a hand in psychonauts II. Full on interview about it on Google and everything. And Deathloop is from a first party studio.

 

[ANDS]

No hand in Psychonauts? They acquired Double Fine 30 months prior to release. Tim Schaffer said they were able to add more content, bosses and polish due to daddy Microsoft’s cash.

No shit XGS didn’t publish Deathloop, they’ve literally explicitly stated that Bathesda Publishing will still operate (however, if it really needs to be explained to you: Xbox own Bathesda Publishing).

‘New version’ to describe those re-releases is comically disingenuous. Oh shit man, Microsoft have just released the ‘new version’ of Skyrim which is a 96 rated game on Metacritic - wow that’s fucking amazing.

DS and GOT literally added content to their games (and for the better in both cases) and - again - had these version rereviewed based on this. However sure, MSFS deserves to be in the OP's list.

. . .and disingenuous? Really? It's not disingenuous to try and paint Deathloop (and yes, even Psychonauts) as some game with MS DNA in it and not just a direct impact of them scooping up Bethesda within the last year? Meh.

 

[Lone Wolf]

Nah, Sony has the stronger lineup next year, imo.

maybe, both are bringing big titles. Gonna be a great year, barring delays of course.

 

[CitizenZ]

Yea, been that way for couple of years now. You also forgot about DLCs, updates and more content for all the other titles which are in a lot of ways the better titles. Also they are just $$$, they have nothing to do with creativity, none.

 

[Kagey K]

SONY? R&C, Returnal, Death Stranding DC, GoT: DC. All of these games are "mighty" according to MC (can even get away with throwing Demon Soul's in there with OP's inclusion of MSFS).

N/M not gonna bother