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The past two days have been incredibly eventful. This past Monday, we celebrated the five-year anniversary 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 PlayStation 5 titles and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to compete against each other, culminating in a championship round where the leading contender from each platform would battle it out. There have been some incredibly close calls in the initial matchups, particularly yesterday’s razor-thin votes. At this point, it's time to crown the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games ahead of Thursday’s final battle.

The PS5 Side

On the PS5 side, we have the giant-slayer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise given that it took home the top prize at last year’s Game Awards, but its victory over God of War Ragnarök seems like a major shock. However, to reach the championship, it'll have to go through the most valuable player 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 title from the same studio!) to land in the final four. Can Spidey topple a beloved PlayStation icon, or is he destined to become a miniature appearance in the next Astro Bot game?

Xbox Series X Contenders

The Xbox Series X side has been more exciting. Emerging victorious from a more eclectic field of competitors is Forza Horizon 5. It's a big victory for the open-world driving game already, proving that a niche category title earns to be on the same pedestal as traditional jump-and-run games and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock on the way to the championship is a major challenge, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a fan favorite, defeating critical darlings like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Can it beat a much bigger game from an well-known franchise that's synonymous with Xbox itself? If anyone can pull that off, it's probably Indy.

Place your ballots to decide 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: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. EST - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Semi-final round: Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. ET - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Championship: 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

PlayStation 5 Bracket

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