Metacritic has shared its 2022 game publisher rankings. This year’s list has some shakeups, with Sony taking the top spot and companies like Paradox, Focus Entertainment, and Annapurna climbing up.

Sony has high hopes for the PlayStation 5’s sales potential. But right now, the company gives rather conservative forecasts, especially when compared to its previous console’s lifetime figures.

The debate surrounding Microsoft’s proposed acquisition of Activision Blizzard continues to heat up. This time, the focus has been on comments that SIE president Jim Ryan reportedly made before the EU regulator.

Microsoft and Sony have responded to the provisional findings of the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority. The main stumbling blocks are the potential exclusivity of Call of Duty and the impact of the Activision Blizzard deal on consoles and subscription services.

The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has ruled on Sony’s motion to ban Microsoft from searching its internal documents related to the Activision Blizzard deal. The Japanese publisher will now have to mostly comply with the subpoena.

The PC version of Returnal came out last week. Here are its launch numbers compared to other first-party titles from Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Sony has shared a financial report for the third quarter ended December 31, 2022. The company’s gaming division saw its revenue and profit increase thanks to strong sales of games and PlayStation 5.

Sony has been trying to convince antitrust regulators that the Activision Blizzard acquisition would make Microsoft a dominant force in game subscription services. However, Sony Interactive Entertainment CEO Jim Ryan has reportedly told employees that the company doesn’t view Game Pass as a potential threat to PS Plus.

Sony previously blocked Game Pass on PlayStation. However, Microsoft also seems to oppose bringing PS Plus to Xbox.

The latest installment in the God of War series launched to huge commercial success. Ragnarök has already become the fastest-selling first-party game in PlayStation history.

Sony has finally addressed the problem with shovelware games. The company will ban developer accounts and delist products that copy assets and are designed only for easy trophy hunting.

Microsoft still needs to get approval from more than 10 regulators across the globe to close the acquisition of Activision Blizzard. The company is now also trying to reach an agreement with PlayStation regarding the future of Call of Duty.

Sony has issued a report for the second quarter ended September 30, 2022. Although the company’s gaming revenue continued to grow, its profit significantly declined due to increased costs and other factors.

It seems that Microsoft regrets missing out on Genshin Impact, so now it wants to make up for lost opportunities. The company is reportedly scouting for Chinese games to strengthen its positions in the console race against Sony.

In the first nine months of 2022, 976 deals were announced or closed across the games industry globally. Here are some key takeaways from Drake Star’s latest report, including the top 15 largest M&A deals this year.

Sony is now looking for more opportunities for its expansion outside the console market. PlayStation Studios head Hermen Hulst said the company wants to increase its investment in PC, mobile, and live service titles.

Sony’s strategy to bring its first-party games to PC is paying off. Here is how the ports of Marvel’s Spider-Man, God of War, and other titles boost sales of PlayStation exclusives.

Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils-Aimé has commented on the latest M&A activity in the games industry. He thinks that the acquisition sprees we see from giants like Microsoft and Sony will lead to prominent devs leaving these corporations.

When it comes to game sales, Sony remained one of the biggest customers of Activision Blizzard for years. Microsoft, however, has been trailing behind not only PlayStation, but Google and Apple as well.