2026 Has a New Best-Reviewed Game, Defeating Pokémon and Resident Evil
· Vice
Resident Evil Requiem and Pokemon Pokopia have both been dethroned from Metacritic’s 2026 top spot by Xbox’s newest racing masterpiece.
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Forza Horizon 6 is 2026’s highest rated game
screenshot: XboxIt’s always interesting to see which games can be stamped with the highest Metacritic scores each year, and there are often a lot of changes to the number one spot as a given gaming year goes on. Last year, Sandfall Interactive’s very first video game ever, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 held onto the top spot for most of the year up until the roguelike sequel Hades 2 toppled it several months later, scoring a whopping 95.
2026 started off very strong as Resident Evil Requiem and Pokemon Pokopia claimed the top spot early on in the year, both turning in an impressive 89 on Metacritic. Other games have gotten close, like Saros‘ 87 and Capcom’s two other 2026 hits, Monster Hunter Stories 3 and Pragmata, which scored an 86 and 85, respectively, but it’s Resident Evil and Pokemon that both shared the top spot on Metacritic’s 2026 list, that is, until now.
Forza Horizon 6 is the first 2026 game to breach 90 on metacritic
screenshot: xboxWith Forza Horizon 6 dropping next week, review scores for Playground Games’ new driving adventure have begun to trickle out. As of writing, the game has earned a 92 on Metacritic, bumping the aforementioned Resident Evil Requiem and Pokemon Pokopia out of the top spot, and becoming the highest rated game so far in 2026. The same is true on Opencritic, where it’s earned a 91.
Forza Horizon 6‘s 92 doesn’t come as a huge surprise. Xbox’s Forza Horizon series has been one of the most consistently high-scoring franchises in all of video games. None of the six games have ever dipped below an 85 on Metacritic, and the four most recent entries, including Forza Horizon 6, have all scored in the low 90s, which is incredibly impressive considering only a very small handful of new games per year are able to crack 90 on Metacritic.
will Forza Horizon 6 be able to hold on?
screenshot: XboxAs it’s only mid-May, there are still a ton of very promising-looking games set for release throughout the rest of 2026 that pose a serious threat to Forza Horizon 6‘s freshly claimed number one spot. Later this month, IO Interactive’s 007 First Light will come out, which serves as a James Bond origin story. Fans have been skeptical about such an action-set-piece-heavy IP from the developers behind the Hitman series, which has a very heavy focus on slow and methodical stealth gameplay. That said, early impressions that have come out so far are glowing, and it’s easy to see the game achieving quite a high Metacritic score if it lands right on May 27.
The very last day of May will see the release of Mina the Hollower, which, judging by developer Yacht Club Games’ history, has the potential to become 2026’s indie darling. Other games like Beast of Reincarnation from Game Freak, The Blood of Dawnwalker, Phantom Blade Zero, and Marvel’s Wolverine are all very likely to give Forza Horizon 6 a run for its money as well. Perhaps the biggest threat of all, however, is Grand Theft Auto 6, which is currently slated for a November 19 release. If it does actually release this year, it will almost automatically become 2026’s highest rated game with a score that likely approaches 99.
There are sure to be more Forza Horizon 6 reviews coming in that will alter the game’s Metacritic score, so the game may end up settling around a 91 when it’s all said and done. There’s still the confirmed PlayStation 5 version of the game set to release at some point later in the year, so it’ll be interesting to see how it all shakes out. For now, Xbox and Playground Games can enjoy having released the highest reviewed game so far in 2026.
Forza Horizon 6 is coming to Xbox and PC on May 19, and PlayStation later in 2026.
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