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These last 48 hours have been incredibly eventful. On Monday, we celebrated the five-year anniversary of the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles 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 compete against each other, all heading towards a final showdown where the leading contender from each console would go head-to-head. There have been some incredibly close calls in the initial matchups, particularly yesterday’s razor-thin votes. Now, it's time to crown the leading PlayStation and Xbox titles ahead of Thursday’s final battle.

PlayStation 5 Contenders

On the PS5 side, we have the Kratos-killer, 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 need to defeat the most valuable player of the PS5 generation: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the final four, 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 home-grown Sony mascot, or is he destined to become a miniature appearance in the upcoming Astro Bot title?

The Xbox Series X Side

The Xbox Series X side has been even juicier. Coming out on top from a diverse lineup of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a significant win for the racing adventure title so far, demonstrating that a niche category title deserves to be on the equal footing as traditional jump-and-run games and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock on the way to the finals is a major challenge, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a fan favorite, defeating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a larger-scale title from an established IP that's closely tied to the Xbox brand? Should anyone manage this feat, it's likely Indiana Jones.

Place your ballots to decide the top PlayStation and Xbox titles of this generation, and return on the next day to see which games will face off for the grand prize in the championship round!

Polling Timeline

• Round of 16: Monday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST - November 11, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Round of 8: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST
• Final Four: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Final round: November 13, 11:00 AM Eastern - Friday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. EST
• 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 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Make Your Choice