OpenCritic
OpenCritic is a free video game review aggregation platform that consolidates scores from top gaming critics into a unified, tiered rating system (Mighty Man) for consumers, while licensing its review data to storefronts, analytics firms, and gaming applications.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2015
- HeadquartersCalifornia, United States
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What OpenCritic does
OpenCritic is a video game review aggregation platform founded in 2015 and operated as part of Valnet Inc.'s publishing group. The platform collects, normalizes, and displays critic scores from a curated network of gaming publications, classifying games into four proprietary tiers (Mighty, Strong, Fair, Weak) via the 'Mighty Man' rating system based on percentile rankings. Coverage spans PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch, and other platforms, and includes a release calendar, a Hall of Fame, and user-managed lists (Want to Play, Played, Favorites, Custom Lists). Review submissions are handled through a form-based system reviewed by OpenCritic administrators, and the platform hosts syndicated gaming news from partner outlets including GameRant, Screen Rant, TheGamer, and The Outerhaven Productions.
The platform is free to consumers and operates a product-led growth model with no required sign-up, relying on organic search discovery and the Valnet publishing network for traffic acquisition. Revenue is generated through three streams: affiliate commissions from referred game purchases (anchored by GamesPlanet), a Patreon community-funding program with a $9/month 'Major Supporters' tier, and a commercial API offered to developers and partners (contact via [email protected]). The platform has no disclosed funding rounds, a 1-10 employee headcount, and is owned by Valnet Inc., a Montreal-based diversified publishing conglomerate. B2B distribution extends to Epic Games Store, GOG.com, Humble Bundle, GamesPlanet, Newzoo, and Fantasy Critic, each of which embeds OpenCritic aggregate scores and review content into their own product surfaces.
OpenCritic firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- OpenCritic
- Legal name
- OpenCritic
- Website
- https://opencritic.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2015
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- OpenCritic is a free video game review aggregation platform that consolidates scores from top gaming critics into a unified, tiered rating system (Mighty Man) for consumers, while licensing its review data to storefronts, analytics firms, and gaming applications.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
OpenCritic industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Gaming Review Aggregation
- NAICS
- Media Streaming Distribution Services, Social Networks, and Other Media Networks and Content Providers (516210), Software Publishers (513210)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Publishing Services Providers (Ratings, Compliance, Certification, Release Ops) (MPAFABAL)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Community Safety, Moderation & Trust Tools (UGC moderation, anti-toxicity) (MPAFAIAJ)
Keywords
Where OpenCritic is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- California
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
OpenCritic business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Affiliate Commerce: The platform generates revenue through affiliate links to retail partners (GamesPlanet) where users can purchase games. OpenCritic receives commissions for referred sales.
- Patreon Crowdfunding: Community-supported funding through Patreon, with 'Major Supporters' committing at least $9/month who are publicly acknowledged on the supporters page.
- API Access: Developers and partners can access the OpenCritic API for integration purposes, likely through commercial licensing agreements.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Monthly | Free consumer access |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels3 records
OpenCritic product offering
Product offeringCore offering
OpenCritic operates a free, web-based review aggregation platform for video games that consolidates critic scores from top gaming publications into a unified, searchable database. Its proprietary Mighty Man rating system classifies games into four quality tiers (Mighty, Strong, Fair, Weak) based on percentile rankings, enabling gamers to quickly identify high-quality titles across all major platforms. The company also offers a commercial API for game developers, publishers, and industry partners (such as Epic Games Store, GOG.com, Humble Bundle, GamesPlanet, and Newzoo) to integrate OpenCritic's aggregate critic scores into their own platforms and products.
Product overview
OpenCritic is a unified video game review aggregation platform that consolidates critic reviews from top gaming publications. The platform centers around its core aggregation service enhanced by the proprietary Mighty Man rating system, which classifies games into four tiers (Mighty, Strong, Fair, Weak) based on review scores. Users access games through platform-specific browsing, track releases via the calendar, and manage personal collections through Want to Play, Played, Favorites, and Custom Lists. The platform supports community engagement through its Submit Review feature and Patreon supporters program, while integrating its review data with retail partners including Epic Games Store, Newzoo, GOG.com, Humble Bundle, GamesPlanet, and Fantasy Critic.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- OpenCritic Review Aggregation Platform A centralized web platform that aggregates video game reviews from top critics and gaming publications, providing consumers with consolidated critic scores and review content searchable across all major platforms (PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, PC, Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch). Free to use.
- OpenCritic API A commercial API offered to game developers and publishers that enables integration of OpenCritic's aggregate critic scores and review data into third-party platforms and products. Accessible via business inquiry at [email protected].
- Patreon Supporters Program A community crowdfunding initiative allowing supporters to contribute monthly at various tiers ($9+ for Major Supporters), with public recognition for top contributors on the supporters page.
Companies that use OpenCritic
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
OpenCritic technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration6 records
Feature1 record
OpenCritic partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Epic Games StorecoreEpic Games Store integrates OpenCritic's aggregate scores and reviews into their PC game platform, displaying critic consensus alongside game listings to help users make informed purchasing decisions.
- NewzoocoreNewzoo, an industry analysis firm, integrates OpenCritic aggregate scores and reviews into their gaming market intelligence products, providing their clients with critical reception data alongside sales analytics.
- GOG.comminorGOG.com engages in joint promotion with OpenCritic, featuring the platform's reviews and scores for games available on their DRM-free storefront.
- GamesPlanetcoreGamesPlanet is a PC game retailer that uses OpenCritic aggregate scores and reviews, and also provides affiliate links to their product pages, generating revenue for OpenCritic through referred sales.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
OpenCritic competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- IGN: IGN is a flagship gaming and entertainment publisher producing reviews, previews, and video content across platforms. It is a leading source of critic scores that OpenCritic aggregates, while also competing for direct review-driven consumer traffic.
- GameSpot: GameSpot is a major gaming media outlet that publishes its own reviews and operates a broader gaming news and video property. It overlaps with OpenCritic on critic review content and competes for SEO traffic on individual game queries.
Direct peers
- Metacritic: Metacritic is the most established critic-score aggregation platform for video games, films, TV, and music. It is OpenCritic's closest direct peer in normalized critic scoring for games and competes for both consumer traffic and B2B licensing of review data.
Others
- TrueAchievements: TrueAchievements is a community-driven Xbox achievement and game-tracking platform. It overlaps with OpenCritic on game cataloguing and community engagement within the console ecosystem.
- IMDb: IMDb is the dominant consumer-facing entertainment metadata and review aggregator for film and TV. It is a useful analogous model for OpenCritic's review-aggregation approach but serves a different vertical.
- Steam: Steam is the largest PC game storefront and surfaces user reviews and curated rankings directly on product pages. It is a key competitor for review-driven purchase intent on PC and a potential channel partner for OpenCritic data.
- GameFAQs: GameFAQs is a long-running game guide, FAQ, and user-review platform. It overlaps with OpenCritic on consumer-facing game discovery and community reviews, particularly for catalogue and legacy titles.
Emerging players
- Backloggd: Backloggd is a community-driven video game tracking and review platform that combines user ratings with cataloguing features akin to Letterboxd. It competes with OpenCritic on user-level game discovery and list management, particularly for hobbyist gamers.
- gg.deals: gg.deals is a game price-comparison platform that surfaces historical lows and store offers alongside critic and user scores. It competes with OpenCritic on the affiliate-driven path-to-purchase, pairing price signals with review data.
- MobyGames: MobyGames is a long-running video game database that aggregates credits, critic scores, and metadata across platforms. It overlaps with OpenCritic on comprehensive game cataloguing and critic-score aggregation for enthusiast audiences.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
OpenCritic social profiles
Digital presenceOpenCritic financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
OpenCritic leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
OpenCritic funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
OpenCritic M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about OpenCritic
What does OpenCritic do?
OpenCritic operates a free, web-based review aggregation platform for video games that consolidates critic scores from top gaming publications into a unified, searchable database. Its proprietary Mighty Man rating system classifies games into four quality tiers (Mighty, Strong, Fair, Weak) based on percentile rankings, enabling gamers to quickly identify high-quality titles across all major platforms. The company also offers a commercial API for game developers, publishers, and industry partners (such as Epic Games Store, GOG.com, Humble Bundle, GamesPlanet, and Newzoo) to integrate OpenCritic's aggregate critic scores into their own platforms and products.
Is OpenCritic a public or private company?
OpenCritic is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was OpenCritic founded?
OpenCritic was founded in 2015. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is OpenCritic based?
OpenCritic is headquartered in California, United States, in the North America region.
How does OpenCritic make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Affiliate Commerce is the primary driver. The others are patreon Crowdfunding and API Access.
Who are OpenCritic's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are IGN and GameSpot. Metacritic is listed as a direct peer. Others are TrueAchievements, IMDb, Steam and GameFAQs. Emerging players are Backloggd, gg.deals and MobyGames.
Does OpenCritic have an API?
Yes. OpenCritic offers an API for game developers and publishers. Contact for API information: [email protected]. Specific details about the API type (REST, GraphQL, etc.), authentication methods, rate limits, and versioning are not specified in the available source content.
What industry is OpenCritic in?
OpenCritic's product category is Gaming Review Aggregation. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFABAL, Publishing Services Providers (Ratings, Compliance, Certification, Release Ops), with a secondary code of MPAFAIAJ, Community Safety, Moderation & Trust Tools (UGC moderation, anti-toxicity). Its NAICS code is 516210.