Sony's Major Studios Demand High Metacritic Scores, Claims Former God of War Developer

According to a former Sony developer, professional review scores are considered by the publisher as a measure of a game's success and it is expected that major development studios achieve a Metacritic score of at least 90. While Sony's first-party titles such as God of War and The Last of Us have received high ratings, it is not a guarantee for all their games. However, recent incidents such as the Diablo 4 Metacritic review bombing show that the platform is not immune to the gaming community's unpredictable opinions on a game. While professional critics tend to be more objective, the idea that Sony mandates a specific Metacritic score from its studios may still be a point of contention for some.

A game's critical reception plays a significant role in shaping its reputation within the gaming community. While review scores may not always accurately reflect a game's success, they are often used as a benchmark for measuring excellence. According to Rafael Grassetti, former Art Director at Sony Santa Monica and a key contributor to the critically acclaimed game, God of War, studios under Sony's umbrella are expected to achieve a minimum score of 90 on Metacritic for their high-end productions. This expectation is specifically targeted at developers like Santa Monica Studio and Naughty Dog, as stated by Grassetti in an interview on the Portuguese Flow Games Podcast.

While Sony's high regard for its games' Metacritic scores is understandable given its position at the top of the official game publisher list, it's worth noting that only a select few of their first-party productions have received a Metascore of 90 or above, including God of War, The Last of Us Part 2, Uncharted 4: A Thief's End, Shadow of the Colossus, and Astro Bot: Rescue Mission. Even the highly regarded Marvel's Spider-Man falls short of Sony's purported Metascore target. However, it's encouraging to hear that Sony doesn't base production bonuses solely on Metascores, but instead on whether a game meets its sales targets. Additionally, Sony allows its studios to request more production time if needed, showing a commitment to quality over rushing to meet deadlines.

Considering the information presented, Grassetti's explanation seems plausible. However, the idea of a major publisher striving for high Metascore ratings may seem outdated in today's industry. Nevertheless, if this is indeed the case, Marvel's Spider-Man 2, featuring the eagerly awaited Symbiote gameplay, will be the next game to tackle this challenge when it releases on October 20 for the PS5.