We'll Name the Greatest Title of the Gaming Era: Semi-Finals
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 competition to determine the top exclusive title of this console generation. We presented eight PlayStation 5 titles and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to face off against each other, all heading towards a championship round where the top game from each platform would battle it out. We've witnessed some nail-biting finishes in the first two rounds, particularly yesterday’s razor-thin votes. At this point, it's moment to decide the leading PlayStation and Xbox titles ahead of the championship on Thursday.
PlayStation 5 Contenders
On the PS5 side, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise given that it took home the top prize at last year’s Game Awards, 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 most valuable player of the PS5 generation: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the semi-finals, defeating Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game!) to land in the semi-finals. Will Spider-Man defeat a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he fated to become a chibi cameo in the next Astro Bot game?
Xbox Series X Contenders
For Xbox Series X has been more exciting. Emerging victorious from a more eclectic field of competitors is Forza Horizon 5. It's a significant win for the racing adventure title 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 final obstacle en route to the finals is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has proven to be a crowd favorite, beating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Can it beat a much bigger game from an established IP that's closely tied to the Xbox brand? If anyone can pull that off, it's probably Indy.
Cast your votes to determine the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and come back tomorrow to see who will be competing for the ultimate trophy in the championship round!
Polling Timeline
First Round: Monday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST - November 11, 9:00 AM EasternQuarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST- Final Four: Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. ET - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Final round: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Champion crowned: 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 versus Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
