Let's Crown the Greatest Game of the Gaming Era: Semi-Finals

The past two days have been incredibly eventful. This past Monday, we marked the five-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a competition to determine the top exclusive title of this hardware cycle. You were given 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. We've witnessed some nail-biting finishes in the initial matchups, especially the extremely tight polls from the previous day. At this point, it's moment to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games before Thursday’s final battle.

The PS5 Side

On the PS5 side, we have the giant-slayer, Astro Bot. Perhaps it's expected given that it took home the top prize 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 need to defeat the most valuable player of the PlayStation 5 era: Insomniac Games. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the semi-finals, leaping past 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?

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 already, proving that a niche category title deserves to be on the equal footing as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its final obstacle on the way to the championship is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has proven to be a fan favorite, beating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an established IP that's closely tied to Xbox itself? If anyone can pull that off, it's likely Indiana Jones.

Cast your votes to determine the top PlayStation and Xbox titles of this era, and return on the next day to see who will be competing for the ultimate trophy in the finals!

Voting Schedule

• First Round: Monday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST - November 11, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Quarter-finals: Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 11 a.m. EST - 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: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - Friday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. EST
• Champion crowned: Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. EST

Head-to-Head Battles

PS5 Division

Astro Bot versus Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Xbox Series X Division

Forza Horizon 5 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Cast Your Votes