Xbox Takes #1 Spot In Metacritic's Top 10 Video Games Of 2026 So Far

May 17, 2026 - 17:44

Microsoft's Xbox brand has claimed the top position in Metacritic's overall ranking of the best video games released in 2026 so far. The list, which aggregates critic scores from across the industry, places an Xbox title at number one, marking a significant win for the platform holder. However, in a strange twist, that same game does not appear at the top of the list specifically for Xbox Series X and Series S consoles.

The discrepancy has left some fans scratching their heads. While the game in question earned the highest aggregate score across all platforms, including PC and PlayStation 5, it was apparently outranked on its home hardware by a different title. This suggests that Metacritic's overall list and its platform-specific lists are calculated using different criteria or weighted averages, leading to a split result.

For Xbox, the achievement is still a strong signal of momentum. The company has invested heavily in first-party studios and publishing deals over the last few years, and seeing a game under its banner lead the entire industry's critical chart is a clear payoff. Yet the fact that it does not also lead the Xbox console list raises questions about how these rankings are compiled and whether they truly reflect the quality of the platform's exclusive library.

Neither Microsoft nor Metacritic have commented on the split result. For now, Xbox fans can celebrate the top spot in the overall rankings, even if the console-specific list tells a slightly different story.