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The past two days have been nothing short of dramatic. This past Monday, we celebrated the half-decade milestone of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a competition to determine the best first-party game of this console generation. We presented eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to face off against each other, all heading towards a championship round where the top game from each platform would battle it out. We've witnessed some nail-biting finishes in the initial matchups, particularly yesterday’s razor-thin votes. Now, it's moment to decide the leading PlayStation and Xbox titles ahead of the championship on Thursday.

PlayStation 5 Contenders

For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise given that it took home the top prize at last year’s Game Awards, but its win against God of War Ragnarök seems like a major shock. But to get to the finals, it'll have to go through the MVP of the PS5 generation: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 enjoyed an easy journey to the semi-finals, defeating Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game!) to secure a spot in the final four. Will Spider-Man defeat a beloved PlayStation icon, or is he destined to become a miniature appearance in the next Astro Bot game?

Xbox Series X Contenders

For Xbox Series X has been more exciting. Emerging victorious from a more eclectic field of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a significant win for the open-world driving game so far, proving that a more specialized genre game earns to be on the equal footing as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its final obstacle en route to the finals is a major challenge, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a crowd favorite, defeating critical darlings like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an well-known franchise that's synonymous with the Xbox brand? Should anyone manage this feat, it's likely Indiana Jones.

Place your ballots to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and come back tomorrow to see who will be competing for the ultimate trophy in the finals!

Polling Timeline

• First Round: Monday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST - November 11, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Round of 8: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. EST - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST
• Final Four: Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. ET - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Championship: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Champion crowned: November 14, 11:00 AM Eastern

Matchups

PS5 Division

Astro Bot versus Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Xbox Series X Division

Forza Horizon 5 versus Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Cast Your Votes