Summary
Metacritic data has indicated that 2023 has the most games with a 90 or higher average score on the review aggregate site in the last 20 years.2023 has been a banner year for the gaming industryin terms of new game releases, with a variety of blockbuster AAA games and smaller indie titles launching to rave reviews from critics.
The seemingly endless string of high-quality new game releases have seen 2023 compared to some of the other notable years in gaming history. 2018 is a more recent example of a year that is held in high-regard by the gaming community, with mega hitsGod of WarandRed Dead Redemption 2both releasing then.2007 is another year that many claim is the best in gaming history, with heavy hitters likeSuper Mario Galaxy,BioShock,Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare,Halo 3, and more releasing that year. Going back further, 1997 and 1998 are often brought up as two of gaming’s best years, but there’s no denying 2023 is firmly in that same conversation.
Axios has shared datarevealing that 2023 has had the most games with a 90 or higher review average on Metacritic in the last 20 years. This means that the claims of 2023 being one of the best years for new game releases is now backed-up by statistics.
10 Highest-Rated Games of 2023
When removing remasters and re-releases, these are the 10 highest-rated new video game releases of 2023.Baldur’s Gate 3andThe Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdomlead the pack with 96 overall ratings, and one has to imagine that those games are on the short-list to win Game of the Year. Survival-horror gamesAlan Wake 2and theResident Evil 4remake are tied with 93 overall ratings, whileStreet Fighter 6,Cocoon, andSuper Mario Bros. Wonderall have 92. The bottom three consist of three games with a 91 overall rating:Turbo Overkill,Sea of Stars, andDiablo 4. It’s highly likely that these games will be heavily featured atThe Game Awards 2023 in December, with many of them likely nominated for multiple categories.
While 2023 has been an incredible year for gaming in terms of new releases, it has arguably been one of the worst for actual game developers.2023 has seen mass layoffs industry-wide, with some of the biggest companies letting their employees go. So while 2023 will be remembered as one of the best years for new games, it will also be remembered as one of the worst for the ones making the games.
