Every year Metacritic compiles a list of best performing game publishers based on critic reviews for games released in that particular year. User reviews and sales are not taken into account to evaluate performance. The list for 2017 is lead by Bethesda with an average metascore of 79.9%. Its best overall release is Wolfenstein 2, with a metascore of 88%. Doom VFR has been awarded the title of Bethesda's worst overall release, with a metascore of just 69%.

Second place takes Nintendo, boosting an average metascore of 78%. Its best overall and worse overall releases were Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (97%) and Flip Wars (53%), respectively. The Big N yet again released more distinct titles (31) than any other publisher. It was also the only publisher to achieve a 90+ score for three different titles in 2017. Those titles were Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (97%), Mario Kart 8 Deluxe (92%) and Super Mario Odyssey (97%), all released for the Switch. The Switch itself got a metascore average of 80% for its releases, compared to 75.5% for 3DS games.

The bronze medal goes to SEGA, averaging a metascore of 75.5%. The PC port of Bayonetta has been a huge hit, receiving a metascore of 90%. Not so much well received was Valkyria Revolution for the PS4, averaging a metascore not more than 55%.

The list goes on as follows:

4. Activision Blizzard (75.7%)
- Best overall release: Destiny 2 (Xbox One) (87%)
- Worst overall release: Destiny 2: Curse of Osiris (PS4) (57%)

5. Capcom (76.6%)
- Best overall release: Okami HD (PS4) (92%)
- Worst overall release: Ultra Street Fighter 2: The New Challengers (Switch) (66%)

6. Ubisoft (75.4%)
- Best overall release: Assassin's Creed: Origins (Xbox One) (85%)
- Worst overall release: Monopoly for Nintendo Switch (53%)

7. Sony (74.9%)
- Best overall release: Horizon Zero Dawn (PS4) (89%)
- Worst overall release: Drawn to Death (PS4) (56%)

8. Square Enix (73.6)
- Best overall release: Final Fantasy XIV: Stormblood (PS4) (89%)
- Worst overall release: Oh my Godheads (PS4) (56%)

9. Bandai Namco (73%)
- Best overall release: Project CARS 2 (PC) (85%)
- Worst overall release: Mighty Morphin Power Rangers: Mega Battle (Xbox One) (46%)

10. Koei Tecmo Games (69.7)
- Best overall release: Nioh: Complete Edition (PC) (84%)
- Worst overall release: Berserk and the Band of the Hawk (PC) (54%)

11. NIS America (68.2%)
- Best overall release: YS VIII: Lacrimosa of DANA (PS4) 85%)
- Worst overall release: Tokyo Tattoo Girls (Vita) (36%)

12. Telltale Games ( 70.9%)
- Best overall release: Guardians of the Galaxy - Episode 2 (Xbox One) (78%)
- Worst overall release: The Walking Dead: A New Frontier Episode 4 (PS4) (62%)

Source

 

[PrincessLillie]

It's always nice to see Nintendo getting some good rep. I only have one question about this list though...
HOW DID BETHESDA TOP THE LIST?

 

[CallmeBerto]

Always interesting to take a look at these lists. I really need to pick up Wolfenstein 2 and Mario Kart.

 

[fedehda]

It's always nice to see Nintendo getting some good rep. I only have one question about this list though...
HOW DID BETHESDA TOP THE LIST?

Great Games made by great devs /s

Seriously, because of the support they are giving to the Switch, they are at the top of MY list of publishers from last year.

 

[Joe88]

It's always nice to see Nintendo getting some good rep. I only have one question about this list though...
HOW DID BETHESDA TOP THE LIST?

I dont know, they only had 2 new games and only one of them was actually good, (insert ports of 2-6 year old games here)

 

[CathyRina]

It's always nice to see Nintendo getting some good rep. I only have one question about this list though...
HOW DID BETHESDA TOP THE LIST?

Must be a bug in the system. I bet there is a Mod to fix it.

 

[Gourmet]

NISA was a major publisher but not EA or Microsoft . What a day to be alive, lads. Hopefully they'll make better translations in the future.

 

[Burlsol]

NISA was a major publisher but not EA or Microsoft . What a day to be alive, lads. Hopefully they'll make better translations in the future.

EA was busy trying to cram loot boxes back into Battlefront II, and was more focused on releasing DLC for their failing titles, and paying off critics to ignore how bad of a botch job they did with Mass Effect Andromeda. But rest assured, EA will be back next year after releasing FIFA and Madden ports for Switch and paying off more critics. They'll also get a small bump from their development program aimed at totally fucking over small developers by restricting developers to only use Origin (among other things), while offering back almost no marketing assistance.

 

[codezer0]

I guess Bethesda's critic payroll accounts did their job, after all.

All the while rereleasing the same game with all the same game breaking glitches they refuse to address, or fix.

 

[osaka35]

It's always nice to see Nintendo getting some good rep. I only have one question about this list though...
HOW DID BETHESDA TOP THE LIST?

The scores don't seem to be weighted based on the amount released, just on the mean average. So 1 game out of 2 near the top will do better than 40 games out of 100 near the top.

 

[YugamiSekai]

Sony at 7 and Nintendo at 2? This is truly the right timeline.

 

[Kioku]

Give the gamers what they want, and you'll be at the top. Just saying..

 

[kumikochan]

Nice to see Sega still topping the charts

 

[Giga_Gaia]

NISA was a major publisher but not EA or Microsoft . What a day to be alive, lads. Hopefully they'll make better translations in the future.

Would be hard for Microsoft to be in this list considering they barely released anything in 2017.

 

[MikaDubbz]

I dont know, they only had 2 new games and only one of them was actually good, (insert ports of 2-6 year old games here)

That's pretty much exactly why. Less games to weigh down their average score. Sure most of their releases in 2017 were ports, but those were mostly well received. This list doesn't give a shit about about how original and unique the games that were released are.

 

[Deleted User]

Sony at 7 and Nintendo at 2? This is truly the right timeline.

nah
ninty just released the switch and afew games they hyped up
of corse they were over sony this year

 

[MikaDubbz]

nah
ninty just released the switch and afew games they hyped up
of corse they were over sony this year

Well, if you read the article, it also states that of all the devs on the list, Nintendo released the most games at 31 distinct titles (helps that they have 3DS titles in addition to Switch titles, and I'm not sure if their mobile titles get counted or not). No matter how you look at it, its impressive what Nintendo has achieved here, the most games of any developers and a high enough average across all 31 of those titles to land in the number 2 spot based on those game ratings.

 

[osaka35]

nah
ninty just released the switch and afew games they hyped up
of corse they were over sony this year

So only hyped games are rated well?

 

[Deleted User]

So only hyped games are rated well?

no but hyped games tend to get alot of really good reviews then the hype starts to die and they get more average ones

 

[osaka35]

no but hyped games tend to get alot of really good reviews then the hype starts to die and they get more average ones

except when they don't :3 But if what you say is completely accurate, I guess this just means sony doesn't hype their games at all.