We'll Crown the Greatest Game of the Gaming Era: Final Four
The past two days have been incredibly eventful. This past Monday, we marked the half-decade milestone of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a competition to determine the best first-party game of this console generation. You were given eight PS5 games and eight Xbox Series X games to face off against each other, all heading towards a championship round where the top game from each platform would battle it out. There have been some incredibly close calls in the initial matchups, especially yesterday’s razor-thin votes. At this point, it's time to crown the leading PlayStation and Xbox titles 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 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 PS5 generation: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 enjoyed an easy journey to the final four, defeating Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another Insomniac game!) to secure a spot in the semi-finals. Will Spider-Man defeat a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he destined to become a miniature appearance in the upcoming Astro Bot title?
The Xbox Series X Side
The Xbox Series X side has been even juicier. 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 more specialized genre game deserves to be on the same pedestal as classic platformers and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock en route to the finals is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has shown itself as a crowd favorite, defeating acclaimed titles like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a much bigger game from an established IP that's closely tied to the Xbox brand? Should anyone manage this feat, it's likely Indiana Jones.
Cast your votes to determine the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and return on the next day to see which games will face off for the grand prize in the championship round!
Polling Timeline
First Round: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 11, 9:00 AM EasternQuarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 9 a.m. EST- Final Four: Wednesday, Nov. 12 at 11 a.m. ET - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Final round: November 13, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
- Champion crowned: 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 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle