Best PS5, PS4 Developer of 2023

Our Game of the Year coverage continues with the Best PS5, PS4 Open World Game of 2023, of which a top four has been put together by the Push Square editorial team. Here we’ll crown the best studio of the year and recognise teams that have gone above and beyond for their titles, from releasing lots of games within the 12-month period to those supporting them after launch.

Bronze Trophy: CD Projekt RED (Cyberpunk 2077)

And with that, the redemption arc is complete. Having released Cyberpunk 2077 in a disastrous state three years ago, CD Projekt RED has managed to finish the turnaround with the launch of the huge 2.0 update for the base game and then a significant expansion in Phantom Liberty. Since the Polish developer has been working to fix errors it made to begin with — and the fact the team also featured in last year’s deliberations for this same category — we’ve decided to remain reserved with its positioning. Still, CD Projekt RED finally got Cyberpunk 2077 where it needed to be, and that’s worth praising.

Silver Trophy: Geometric Interactive (Cocoon)

Launching your first-ever game must be a very difficult task, but what happens when it turns out to be one of the best games in the indie scene for years? While some of its employees got their start at Limbo, Inside studio Playdead, the Danish outfit Geometric Interactive managed exactly that in Cocoon: a stellar puzzle title that must go down as one of the best independent debut games ever. Designed around a core mechanic of carrying worlds on your back and being able to dive into them to solve brain teasers and create open paths elsewhere, it’s a triumph more people need to play.

Capcom has been consistently excellent for a very long time now, but in 2023, it feels like its output has gone through the roof. Resident Evil 4 and Street Fighter 6 are both Game of the Year contenders, Nintendo DS classic Ghost Trick: Phantom Detective was brought back, and the likeable Exoprimal proved better than expected. Then, the Japanese developer updated our 2021 Game of the Year Resident Evil Village with PSVR2 support, and did the same for Resident Evil 4 late in the day. Across a 12-month period, that’s an incredible amount of releases and support. Capcom has been a fantastic developer for a long time now, but in 2023, it’s hit a new peak.

Platinum Trophy: Larian Studios (Baldur’s Gate 3)

At the start of this year, imagine being told The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom would be comfortably beaten to Game of the Year and a number of other categories at The Game Awards. You would have been laughed out of the building, but fast-forward 12 months and that’s exactly what’s happened: a computer RPG by the name of Baldur’s Gate 3 is the name on everyone’s lips as they look to crown 2023’s best.

For that, Belgian developer Larian Studios will forever be remembered. The PS5 version was released in September, and since then, it feels like either a substantial update or bug-catching hotfix has arrived every other day. Not only has the team released an RPG all-timer, but it’s also committed to improving it for months — perhaps even years — afterwards. It was already generating a big buzz with Divinity: Original Sin II, but now Larian Studios has hit the big time; Baldur’s Gate 3 will be studied for a generation and fellow developers will aspire to even come close to matching its quality.

Honourable Mentions: Hoyoverse, Insomniac Games, and RGG Studio.

What was your favourite PS5, PS4 developer of 2023? Place a vote in our poll and then explain your personal pick in the comments below. For further Game of the Year coverage, click the link.