We'll Crown the Best Game of the Gaming Era: Semi-Finals

These last 48 hours have been nothing short of dramatic. This past Monday, we celebrated 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. You were given eight PlayStation 5 titles and eight Xbox Series X games to face off against each other, all heading towards a final showdown where the leading contender from each console would battle it out. We've witnessed some incredibly close calls in the first two rounds, especially yesterday’s razor-thin votes. Now, it's time to crown the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games ahead of Thursday’s final battle.

PlayStation 5 Contenders

For PlayStation 5, we have the giant-slayer, Astro Bot. Perhaps it's expected considering that it took home the top prize at the previous year's gaming accolades, but its win against God of War Ragnarök feels like a true upset. But to get to the finals, it'll have to go through the MVP of the PlayStation 5 era: Insomniac Games. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 enjoyed an easy journey to the final four, defeating Ghost of Yōtei and Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart (another title from the same studio!) 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 next Astro Bot game?

The Xbox Series X Side

For Xbox Series X has been more exciting. Coming out on top 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 more specialized genre game deserves to be on the equal footing as traditional jump-and-run games and story-driven epics. Its final obstacle on the way to the finals is a big one, though. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle has proven to be a fan favorite, beating critical darlings like Pentiment and Hi-Fi Rush. Will it overcome a larger-scale title from an well-known franchise that's synonymous with the Xbox brand? Should anyone manage this feat, it's probably Indy.

Place your ballots to decide the best PS5 and Xbox Series X games of this era, and return on the next day to see who will be competing for the ultimate trophy in the finals!

Polling Timeline

• Round of 16: November 10, 11:00 AM Eastern - Tuesday, Nov. 11 at 9 a.m. EST
• Quarter-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 - Thursday, Nov. 13 at 9 a.m. EST
• Final round: November 13, 11:00 AM Eastern - November 14, 9:00 AM Eastern
• Winner announced: Friday, Nov. 14 at 11 a.m. EST

Head-to-Head Battles

PS5 Division

Astro Bot vs. Marvel’s Spider-Man 2

Xbox Series X Bracket

Forza Horizon 5 vs. Indiana Jones and the Great Circle

Cast Your Votes