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These last 48 hours have been nothing short of dramatic. On Monday, we celebrated the five-year anniversary of the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles with a competition to decide the best first-party game of this hardware cycle. We presented eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to compete against each other, all heading towards a final showdown where the top game from each console would battle it out. There have been some nail-biting finishes in the initial matchups, especially the extremely tight polls from the previous day. Now, it's time to crown the leading PlayStation and Xbox titles before Thursday’s final battle.

The PS5 Side

For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise given that it won top honors at the previous year's gaming accolades, but its victory over God of War Ragnarök feels like a true upset. However, to reach the championship, it'll need to defeat the MVP 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. Will Spider-Man defeat a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he fated to become a miniature appearance in the upcoming Astro Bot title?

The Xbox Series X Side

The Xbox Series X side has been more exciting. Coming out on top from a more eclectic field of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a big victory for the open-world driving game already, demonstrating that a niche category title earns to be on the equal footing as classic platformers and story-driven epics. Its final obstacle en route to the finals is a major challenge, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has proven to be a fan favorite, defeating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an established IP that's closely tied to Xbox itself? Should anyone manage this feat, it's likely Indiana Jones.

Place your ballots to determine the top PlayStation and Xbox titles of this generation, and come back tomorrow to see who will be competing for the ultimate trophy in the championship round!

Polling Timeline

• Round of 16: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. EST
• Quarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern
• 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
• Champion crowned: Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. EST

Head-to-Head Battles

PS5 Division

Astro Bot vs. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Xbox Series X Division

Forza Horizon 5 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Cast Your Votes