Of all the game developers in the world, which one do you consider to be the absolute best and why?

And as a bonus, what would you say is their best game and why?

I would say Nintendo, because of innovation. They have this approach to the integrated hardware/software experiences that really defined gaming for so long.

The D-pad, Shoulder buttons, 2/4 Splitscreen, 3D control stick, rumble, waggle controls and then make games that use these features in an optimal way giving new gaming experiences.

It's really hard to pinpoint Nintendo's best game. My personal favorite one is Super Mario Allstars (I know this is cheating a bit), because it's the best versions of iconic games.

More objectively I could argue Ocarina of Time. It has the highest MetaCritic score of all time for a reason. It was something truly magical when it released back in 1998. Nobody thought something like this was possible at the time, but it was.

Nintendo... I mean Mario, Zelda, Metroid, DK, Fire Emblem, Pikmin, Luigi's Mansion, etc, etc. Not only are they number 1, but it also isn't close. One of the reasons I don't much care for their hardware, I'm still buying because their software is top notch.

My favorite.... lord, so hard to make a pick. Probably Mario Galaxy. It is the only game I would rate as perfect. I would change nothing about that game.

It's always challenging to answer this question, due to variations in developer size, and the fact that it's sometimes difficult to distinguish individual design teams within larger studios. I think we need multiple developer tiers, for example small, medium, large, jumbo, etc.

That being said, it's Nintendo EPD, formerly Nintendo EAD, formerly Nintendo R&D4. This game development dynasty has produced (and continues to produce) so many masterpieces that's it's just absurd at this point. Its best game: Breath of the Wild.

In second place, I'd put Capcom's Consumer Games R&D Division, with a special focus on Development Division 1. Overall, I think Capcom is the only modern entity that can compete with Nintendo in terms of software quantity & quality.

Nintendo for sure, and my personal best game from them would Mario 64.

All-time or currently? All-time it's Squaresoft for me, their run from the early 90s to the early 2000s is exceptional, and produced many of the best games of all time. Final Fantasy IV through X, Chrono Trigger and Cross, Xenogears, and plenty of others. Currently, it's FromSoftware. They are the only developer whose games I could almost buy blind at this point and still always expect to enjoy my time with them.

It's Nintendo. They're not my fave, but their detail and craftsmanship have no rival. My fave is Xenoblade, but if we go in-house, then it's Super Mario World. The best Mario game. While no game is perfect, Super Mario World is as close as it gets.

My fave is 90s SEGA, but no one is more consistently great than Nintendo over the decades.

For me its both Squaresoft and Nintendo when it comes to OAT ranking. However, currently FromSoft is my personal pick for best.

For me, it is a tie between Nintendo EPD, Valve (even though they rarely make games anymore), From Software, Monolith Soft, Naughty Dog, and Retro Studios. Probably would pick Nintendo EPD if I have to pick one. 

This question would’ve been a lot more interesting had Nintendo been excluded lol. I only really play Nintendo, so it’s clear what my pick is going to be, but if I were to look for another developer? I’d go with Naughty Dog. TLoU, Uncharted, Crash Bandicoot— that is an all-star lineup right there! They never miss (with the exception of TLoU:P2 IMO).