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The past two days have been nothing short of dramatic. This past Monday, we marked the half-decade milestone of the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X with a competition 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 platform would go head-to-head. There have been some nail-biting finishes in the initial matchups, particularly the extremely tight polls from the previous day. At this point, it's time to crown the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games ahead of Thursday’s final battle.

PlayStation 5 Contenders

On the PS5 side, we have the Kratos-killer, 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 MVP of the PlayStation 5 era: the acclaimed developer. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 had a smooth path to the final four, leaping past Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another title from the same studio!) to secure a spot in the final four. Will Spider-Man defeat a home-grown Sony mascot, or is he fated to become a chibi cameo in the upcoming Astro Bot title?

Xbox Series X Contenders

The Xbox Series X side has been more exciting. Emerging victorious from a diverse lineup of competitors is Forza Horizon 5. It's a big victory for the open-world driving game so far, demonstrating that a niche category title earns to be on the equal footing as traditional jump-and-run games and cinematic action-adventure games. Its last roadblock en route to the championship 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. Can it beat a much bigger game from an established IP that's synonymous with the Xbox brand? If anyone can pull that off, it's probably Indy.

Place your ballots 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 ultimate trophy in the championship round!

Polling Timeline

• Round of 16: Monday, Nov. 10 at 11 a.m. EST - November 11, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Quarter-finals: November 11, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 12, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Final Four: November 12, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 13, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Championship: Thursday, Nov. 13 at 11 a.m. EST - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Winner announced: 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

Make Your Choice