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These last 48 hours have been incredibly eventful. This past Monday, we marked the five-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a competition to determine the best first-party game of this hardware cycle. We presented eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X games to face off against each other, all heading towards a final showdown where the leading contender from each platform would go head-to-head. We've witnessed some incredibly close calls in the initial matchups, especially yesterday’s razor-thin votes. At this point, it's moment to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games before the championship on Thursday.

PlayStation 5 Contenders

On the PS5 side, we have the giant-slayer, Astro Bot. Perhaps it's expected considering that it won top honors at last year’s Game Awards, but its victory over God of War Ragnarök feels like a true upset. However, to reach the championship, it'll have to go through the most valuable player of the PlayStation 5 era: Insomniac Games. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the semi-finals, leaping past Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another title from the same studio!) to secure a spot in the semi-finals. Can Spidey topple a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he destined to become a miniature appearance in the upcoming Astro Bot title?

Xbox Series X Contenders

The Xbox Series X side has been even juicier. Emerging victorious from a diverse lineup of competitors is Forza Horizon 5. It's a significant win for the open-world driving game so far, demonstrating that a more specialized genre game deserves to be on the equal footing as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock en route to the finals is a major challenge, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has proven to be a crowd favorite, beating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an established IP that's closely tied to the Xbox brand? Should anyone manage this feat, it's probably Indy.

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

Voting Schedule

• First Round: Monday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST - November 11, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Quarter-finals: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. EST - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST
• Final Four: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - Thursday, Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. EST
• Final round: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - Friday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. EST
• Winner announced: November 14, 11:00 AM Eastern

Head-to-Head Battles

PS5 Division

Astro Bot versus Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Xbox Series X Bracket

Forza Horizon 5 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Make Your Choice