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The past two days have been nothing short of dramatic. This past Monday, we marked the five-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a tournament to determine the top exclusive title of this hardware cycle. We presented eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X games to face off against each other, all heading towards a final showdown where the top game from each console would go head-to-head. There have been some incredibly close calls 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 Thursday’s final battle.

PlayStation 5 Contenders

For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise given that it won top honors at last year’s Game Awards, but its victory over God of War Ragnarök feels like a true upset. However, to reach the championship, it'll have to go through the MVP of the PlayStation 5 era: Insomniac Games. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 enjoyed an easy journey 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. Can Spidey topple a beloved PlayStation icon, or is he fated to become a miniature appearance in the next Astro Bot game?

The Xbox Series X Side

For Xbox Series X has been even juicier. Coming out on top 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 more specialized genre game deserves to be on the equal footing as traditional jump-and-run games and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock on the way to the championship is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a crowd favorite, beating critical darlings like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a larger-scale title from an established IP that's closely tied to Xbox itself? 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 return on the next day to see who will be competing for the ultimate trophy in the finals!

Polling Timeline

• First Round: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 11, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Quarter-finals: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. EST - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST
• Final Four: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Final round: November 13, 11:00 AM Eastern - Friday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. EST
• Winner announced: 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 versus Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Cast Your Votes