Xbox Formally Beats PlayStation and Nintendo in 2025 Rankings

In some respects, Xbox has been falling quick within the console wars, as gross sales for the Xbox Collection X/S consoles aren’t even akin to what Sony has finished with the PlayStation 5. Nonetheless, Microsoft’s system has scored a serious win within the gaming division, managing to outshine each PlayStation and Nintendo.

Metacritic’s sixteenth Annual Recreation Writer Rankings record has been revealed, rating the grades varied gaming publishers have scored for the yr 2025. Microsoft ranked at No. 5 on the general record with a median Metacritic rating of 80. That places it far above each Sony and Nintendo, setting an enormous win for Xbox players.

Xbox Rose From No. 9 to No. 5

Xbox noticed an increase within the rankings from the yr prior, the place it ranked at No. 9. For the 2025 yr, Microsoft earned 305.7 factors together with its Metacritic common rating of 80, with 81% of the sport catalog garnering constructive rankings throughout 43 merchandise and 21 titles. This was notably forward of Nintendo, which landed at No. 12; it has a median Metascore of 77 with 68% constructive rankings. PlayStation in the end completed within the No. 21 spot, garnering a 74 common with 53% of their video games getting constructive opinions.

Although that is nice information for Microsoft, there’s an fascinating caveat that it comes with. The 2 highest-scoring video games from the corporate had been PlayStation ports, particularly the PS5’s Forza Horizon 5 and Indiana Jones and the Nice Circle. It is also value noting, nevertheless, that these had been each ports of earlier Xbox console exclusives. So far as on Xbox, the best-performing sport was Tony Hawk’s Professional Skater 3 + 4. The very best title from Xbox Recreation Studios particularly was The Outer Worlds 2. On the opposite facet of the coin, Name of Responsibility: Black Ops 7 and the Indiana Jones DLC had been among the many extra damaging opinions that introduced down Xbox’s total rating.

Sq. Enix Made No. 1 for the First Time

Picture by way of Sq. Enix

In the meantime, Sq. Enix was the sport writer that got here out on high, scoring 330.5 factors with a median Metascore of 84. With 19 merchandise and 9 titles, 100% had been labeled nearly as good, with Remaining Fantasy VII Rebirth rating as the perfect 2025 sport. This was Sq. Enix’s first time in 16 years claiming the No. 1 spot. The opposite firms to outrank Microsoft within the high 5 embody Gamirror Video games (322.4 factors, 82 common Metascore); Capcom (322.2 factors, 83 common Metascore); and Thunderful (306.8 factors, 78 common Metascore).

It stays to be seen the place Microsoft will land subsequent yr, however there is a robust probability it may carry out even higher when the 2026 rankings are compiled. There’s a slew of anticipated releases coming this yr, together with titles like Halo: Marketing campaign Advanced, Gears of Warfare: E-Day, Forza Horizon 6, and Minecraft Dungeons II, amongst others. If no less than most of those video games stay as much as expectations, Microsoft shall be inching nearer to the coveted high spot on the record.

Launched

February 29, 2024

ESRB

T for Teen

Engine

Unreal Engine 4

PC Launch Date

January 23, 2025

PS5 Launch Date

February 29, 2024