Let's Name the Best Game of the Gaming Era: Semi-Finals
These last 48 hours have been nothing short of dramatic. On Monday, we marked the five-year anniversary of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a tournament to decide the best first-party game of this hardware cycle. We presented eight PlayStation 5 titles and eight Xbox Series X exclusives to compete against each other, culminating in a championship round where the leading contender from each platform would go head-to-head. There have been some nail-biting finishes in the first two rounds, especially the extremely tight polls from the previous day. Now, it's moment to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games before Thursday’s final battle.
PlayStation 5 Contenders
On the PS5 side, we have the giant-slayer, Astro Bot. Maybe it should be no surprise considering that it won top honors at last year’s Game Awards, but its win against 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 PlayStation 5 era: 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 secure a spot in the semi-finals. Can Spidey topple a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he destined to become a chibi cameo in the upcoming Astro Bot title?
The Xbox Series X Side
For Xbox Series X has been more exciting. Emerging victorious from a more eclectic field of competitors is Forza Horizon 5. It's a big victory for the open-world driving game already, demonstrating that a more specialized genre game earns to be on the same pedestal as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock en route to the finals 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. Can it beat a larger-scale title 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 decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games 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: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. ESTRound of 8: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern- Semi-final round: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - Thursday, Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. EST
- Championship: November 13, 11:00 AM Eastern - Friday, Nov. 14 at 9 a.m. EST
- Winner announced: November 14, 11:00 AM Eastern
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
