The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt Remastered has taken the top spot as 2026's highest-rated video game on Metacritic, overtaking Big Walk. The remaster launched today as a free upgrade for owners of the original 2015 game, across all platforms.
Metacritic Score and Reviews
At the time of writing, the remaster holds an average Metacritic score of 94 out of 100, based on eight reviews, all of which are overwhelmingly positive. The score could drop if further reviews are added, though it would remain largely unaffected if reviews stay consistent.
Big Walk, which had taken the top spot in August from Mina The Hollower and Forza Horizon 6, has since dropped to second place. Its previous score of 94 has dwindled to 91 due to additional reviews, placing it in a tie with Trails In The Sky 2nd Chapter and Doom: The Dark Ages | Revelations.
Context and Comparisons
The Witcher 3 was also one of the highest-rated games of 2015, coming second only to Metal Gear Solid 5: The Phantom Pain. Developer CD Projekt is likely pleased with this achievement, though some argue that a remaster should not be considered a wholly original game for the year's rankings.
Metacritic's methodology allows for 2025's Sektori to be joint first with The Witcher 3 Remastered, thanks to its Switch 2 port this year. A similar situation occurred in 2025 when the Switch 2 port of The Legend Of Zelda: Tears Of The Kingdom became top-rated alongside Hades 2.
Future Releases and Top 10
GTA 6 and a remake of The Legend Of Zelda: Ocarina Of Time are still to come, which could affect the rankings. Discounting ports, re-releases, and DLC, 2026's top-rated games on Metacritic are: Big Walk, Trails In The Sky 2nd Chapter, Forza Horizon 6, Well Dweller, Valheim, Mina The Hollower, Schrodinger's Call, Pokémon Pokopia, Fire Emblem: Fortune's Weave, and Resident Evil Requiem.
