We'll Crown the Best Title of the Console Generation: Semi-Finals
The past two days have been incredibly eventful. On 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 hardware cycle. We presented eight PS5 games 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 nail-biting finishes in the initial matchups, particularly yesterday’s razor-thin votes. Now, it's time to crown the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games ahead of the championship on Thursday.
PlayStation 5 Contenders
For PlayStation 5, we have the giant-slayer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise considering that it won top honors at the previous year's gaming accolades, but its victory over God of War Ragnarök seems like a major shock. 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 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 fated to become a miniature appearance in the upcoming Astro Bot title?
The Xbox Series X Side
For Xbox Series X has been even juicier. Emerging victorious from a diverse lineup of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a big victory for the open-world driving game so far, proving that a niche category title deserves to be on the same pedestal as classic platformers and story-driven epics. 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, defeating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an well-known franchise that's closely tied to the Xbox brand? If anyone can pull that off, 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 ultimate trophy in the championship round!
Voting Schedule
Round of 16: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. ESTRound of 8: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. EST - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern- Semi-final round: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Final round: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Champion crowned: Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. EST
Head-to-Head Battles
PlayStation 5 Bracket
Astro Bot versus Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Xbox Series X Bracket
Forza Horizon 5 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
