We'll Name the Greatest Title of the Gaming Era: Final Four
The past two days have been nothing short of dramatic. On Monday, we marked the half-decade milestone of the PS5 and Xbox Series X consoles with a competition to determine the best first-party game of this console generation. We presented eight PlayStation 5 titles and eight Xbox Series X games to compete against each other, all heading towards a championship round where the leading contender from each console would battle it out. We've witnessed some incredibly close calls in the initial matchups, especially yesterday’s razor-thin votes. Now, it's time to crown the leading PlayStation and Xbox titles ahead of Thursday’s final battle.
The PS5 Side
For PlayStation 5, we have the Kratos-killer, Astro Bot. Perhaps it's expected considering that it won top honors at last year’s Game Awards, but its victory over God of War Ragnarök seems like a major shock. But to get to the finals, it'll need to defeat the most valuable player of the PS5 generation: Insomniac Games. 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 secure a spot in the final four. 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
The Xbox Series X side has been more exciting. Coming out on top from a diverse lineup of contenders is Forza Horizon 5. It's a significant win for the racing adventure title already, proving that a niche category title deserves to be on the same pedestal as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its final obstacle en route to the championship is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a fan favorite, defeating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Can it beat a much bigger game from an well-known franchise that's synonymous with Xbox itself? If anyone can pull that off, it's likely Indiana Jones.
Cast your votes to decide the top PlayStation and Xbox titles of this era, and come back tomorrow to see who will be competing for the grand prize 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- Semi-final round: 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
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
