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These last 48 hours have been nothing short of dramatic. This past Monday, we celebrated the half-decade milestone of the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles with a tournament to determine the best first-party game of this hardware cycle. You were given eight PlayStation 5 titles and eight Xbox Series X games to face off against each other, culminating in a final showdown where the top game from each console would go head-to-head. There have been some nail-biting finishes in the first two rounds, especially the extremely tight polls from the previous day. Now, it's time to crown the leading PlayStation and Xbox titles ahead of the championship on Thursday.

The PS5 Side

For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Perhaps it's expected given that it won top honors at the previous year's gaming accolades, but its win against God of War Ragnarök seems like a major shock. However, to reach the championship, it'll have to go through the MVP of the PlayStation 5 era: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 enjoyed an easy journey to the final four, leaping past 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 chibi cameo in the next Astro Bot game?

Xbox Series X Contenders

For Xbox Series X has been even juicier. Emerging victorious 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 deserves to be on the equal footing as traditional jump-and-run games and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock en route to the championship is a major challenge, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a fan favorite, beating critical darlings like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a larger-scale title from an well-known franchise that's closely tied to the Xbox brand? Should anyone manage this feat, it's probably Indy.

Cast your votes to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and come back tomorrow to see which games will face off for the grand prize in the championship round!

Voting Schedule

• First Round: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. EST
• Quarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST
• Semi-final round: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - Thursday, Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. EST
• Championship: November 13, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Champion crowned: November 14, 11:00 AM Eastern

Head-to-Head Battles

PlayStation 5 Bracket

Astro Bot vs. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Xbox Series X Division

Forza Horizon 5 versus Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Cast Your Votes