How We Rank Games: Our Methodology Explained

Why Methodology Matters

Anyone can make a "best games" list based on personal opinion. We wanted to build something more rigorous: a ranking system that combines hard data with editorial judgement, updated regularly, and transparent in its methods. This article explains exactly how we arrive at our rankings so you can evaluate them with full context.

Our Data Sources

We pull data from multiple public and proprietary sources to build a comprehensive picture of each game's popularity and quality:

Download Counts: We track download data from the Apple App Store, Google Play, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. For console-exclusive titles, we use publicly reported sales figures from publishers and industry analysts.

Active Player Data: Monthly active user counts from Steam Charts, Xbox network reports, PlayStation network data, and publisher announcements. For mobile games, we reference third-party analytics platforms that estimate daily and monthly active users.

Critical Reception: Metacritic and OpenCritic aggregate scores provide a standardised measure of professional critical opinion. We use these as one input among many, not as the sole determinant of quality.

Community Ratings: Player ratings from Steam, the App Store, Google Play, and community platforms like RAWG and IGDB give us grassroots sentiment data that often differs from professional reviews.

Search and Social Trends: Global search volume data, social media mentions, Twitch viewership, and YouTube engagement help us gauge cultural relevance and trending momentum.

The Scoring Framework

Each game receives a composite score based on weighted factors:

Popularity (40%) — Active player counts, download numbers, and concurrent player peaks. This is the single largest factor because our rankings aim to reflect what the world is actually playing.

Quality (25%) — Metacritic score, community ratings, and our editorial assessment. A game can be wildly popular but poorly made; this factor ensures quality is represented.

Momentum (15%) — Month-over-month growth in players, downloads, and search interest. Rising games receive a boost; declining games see a penalty. This keeps our rankings current.

Longevity (10%) — How long the game has maintained a significant player base. Games that sustain engagement over years score higher than flash-in-the-pan hits.

Accessibility (10%) — Platform availability, free-to-play status, and device requirements. Games available on more platforms and with lower barriers to entry receive a modest boost.

Country-Specific Rankings

Gaming preferences vary enormously by region. Free Fire dominates in Brazil but barely registers in Japan. League of Legends is king in South Korea but less prominent in the United States. Our country rankings use the same framework but weight regional data: local download numbers, regional player counts, and country-specific search trends replace global aggregates.

Editorial Judgement

Data alone cannot capture everything. Our editorial team plays the games we rank and applies qualitative assessment where data falls short. This includes evaluating monetisation fairness, community health, developer responsiveness, and the overall player experience. Editorial judgement never overrides data entirely, but it can adjust a game's position by a few ranks when the numbers do not tell the full story.

Update Frequency

Our global rankings are reviewed and updated monthly. Country rankings update on a rolling basis. Blog content and game detail pages are refreshed as new information becomes available. Major events — game launches, shutdowns, controversy — trigger immediate review.

What We Do Not Do

We do not accept payment for rankings. No game publisher can buy a higher position. We do not receive review copies or early access in exchange for favourable placement. Our affiliate relationships (store links) do not influence rankings. Advertising on our site is handled separately from editorial decisions. If we ever make a mistake, we correct it publicly.

Feedback Welcome

We believe in continuous improvement. If you spot an error, disagree with a ranking, or have a suggestion for how we can be more transparent, please reach out via our contact page. Every piece of feedback helps us build a more trustworthy resource for the gaming community.