Maybe for a new IP. But in the case of Zelda, that game was going to sell regardless of its Metacritic score. And it was already high before Jim Sterling’s review made it drop slightly. So why do they care so much?

the answer is yeah.. low scores tend to be followed by, low sales.. Low sales more than likely mean we wont get a sequel.. see quantum break, recore, no mans sky. The only exception to a game that got low scores but will continue to get sequels is street fighter5 and the sf series,,

Absolutely not.

But do you care if a game that you like gets its Metacritic score lowered?

Sometimes you need a concensus of opinions for a game you know nothing about and don’t have the time to read or watch a review. I’m not about to spend $60 on a game i know nothing about just to form my own opinion.

Obvious answer is obvious.