After Nintendo and EA, completing the top five are: Activision, keepingits #3 spot for the third year running; Ubisoft, which maintained last year'simpressive four-place surge; and Sony Computer Entertainment, which jumpedinto the top five thanks to an increased slate of titles, improving on areview record already higher than most, and maintaining positive relationshipswith its surveyed partners.

Further down the chart, back on the list at #18 after a two-year absenceis Codemasters, whose aggressive expansion and improving review scores helpedthe company secure its spot in the countdown, in the process displacing lastyear's newly-ranked import game publisher Atlus.

The 2008 rankings were calculated by considering number of releases bySKU, average review scores, and estimated publisher revenue from August 2007to July 2008. It also included the results of a survey conducted to gatheropinions on the major video game software publishers.

More than 300 industry professionals from all parts of the game productionprocess were asked to give their opinions -- including comments -- on thereputations of each publisher in the survey. In addition, scores andcommentary were gathered from respondents who had direct experience with thepublishers in the recent past, either as workers or partners, includingmilestone, marketing and pay feedback.

"We're delighted to present the result of our yearly publisher countdownonce again," said Simon Carless, director, Game Developer Research."Nintendo's second chart-topping appearance in a row underscores theextraordinary popularity of the firm's first-party Wii and DS franchises -- wecongratulate them on their achievement."

The full Top 20 Publishers 2008 countdown is available both in the October2008 edition of Game Developer Magazine and, for the first time this year, onindustry-leading sister site http://www.gamasutra.com. In addition, a full Top20 Publishers 2008 report featuring all statistics, ratings and completesurvey feedback -- including specific comments for each publisher -- isavailable at http://www.gamedevresearch.com.

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