Nintendo is currently having the strongest year among the three major console manufacturers when it comes to first-party game reviews. Based on a comparison of 2026 releases, Nintendo’s qualifying lineup has earned an average Metacritic score of 80.33, putting it ahead of both PlayStation and Xbox.
The comparison counts games that were published or funded by the respective platform holder or developed by a studio it owns. Ports, remasters and DLC are excluded, while remakes are included.
Nintendo Leads on Consistency in 2026
Nintendo’s nine qualifying releases include Fire Emblem: Fortune’s Weave and Pokémon Pokopia, both of which received scores of 89. Rhythm Heaven Groove and Splatoon Raiders follow with 82, while Star Fox and Yoshi and the Mysterious Book scored 81 and 80 respectively.
That gives Nintendo six games rated 80 or higher, compared with only three for each of its competitors. Pokémon Pokopia has also become a major commercial success, selling more than five million copies within its first four months, according to The Pokémon Company.
Xbox and PlayStation are tied with an average score of 77.5. Xbox has the highest-rated individual game among the three manufacturers, with Forza Horizon 6 scoring 90, followed by Gears of War: E-Day at 86 and Halo: Campaign Evolved at 80.
PlayStation’s lineup is led by Saros at 87, followed by Marvel Tōkon: Fighting Souls at 85 and Marathon at 81. Sony’s MARVEL Tōkon is officially published by Sony Interactive Entertainment and developed by Arc System Works.
The gap between the three companies remains relatively small, but Nintendo’s stronger number of highly rated releases gives it the edge in 2026. With additional games still arriving before the end of the year, these averages could change.
| Release Date | March 5, 2025 |
|---|---|
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch |
| Developer | The Pokémon Company, GAME FREAK, KOEI TECMO GAMES |
| Director | Takuto Edagawa (Chief Director) Shigeru Ohmori (Concept & Senior Director) |
