Kropp Gaming/ Monthly Roundups/ July 2026
Monthly Roundup

July 2026
The Drop

The ten best games to play this month across PC, PS5, Xbox and Switch, then the standout picks on Game Pass and PlayStation Plus. Halo comes back, Black Flag gets a full rebuild, and Palworld finally goes 1.0.

Top To Play 10 Games
Game Pass Top 5
PlayStation Plus Top 5
Published July 2026
Every Platform · Worth Your Time
Top 10 Games To Play This Month

The ten games I'd carve out an evening for in July, wherever you play. A mix of PC, PS5, Xbox and Switch, in the order I'd get to them. Dates are the confirmed release dates as they stand, and they can still shift.

Halo: Campaign Evolved
No. 1
PC / PS5 / Xbox · 28 July
Halo: Campaign Evolved
The original Halo campaign rebuilt from the ground up, with three brand-new missions and four-player online co-op. On PlayStation for the very first time, and day one on Game Pass.
Also On Game Pass
Black Flag Resynced
No. 2
PS5 / Xbox / PC · 9 July
AC Black Flag Resynced
The 2013 pirate classic rebuilt from scratch, not a remaster. Sail the Caribbean as Edward Kenway with modern visuals and reworked gameplay. Still one of the best in the series.
Action
Palworld
No. 3
PC / PS5 / Xbox · 10 July
Palworld
After more than two years in early access, Palworld leaves for its full 1.0 release with a much bigger world. If you drifted off it, this is the excuse to jump back in. On Game Pass too.
Also On Game Pass
Doom: The Dark Ages Revelations
No. 4
PC / PS5 / Xbox · 7 July
Doom: Revelations
A meaty expansion for The Dark Ages. Hell freezes over, there's a new Chain Spear weapon, and fresh levels and demons to tear through. If the base game grabbed you, this is more of it.
Expansion
Avatar Legends
No. 5
PS5 / Xbox / PC · 23 July
Avatar Legends
A hand-drawn 1v1 fighter set in the Avatar universe, with 12 characters and full crossplay. Easy to pick up for a few rounds, with enough depth if the kids want a go too.
Fighting
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu
No. 6
PS5 / Xbox / PC · 15 July
The Mound
Lovecraftian four-player co-op horror in a cursed jungle. Grab the treasure, keep your head, and don't trust the mates who might turn on you. One for after the house goes quiet.
Horror
Denshattack!
No. 7
PS5 / Xbox / Switch / PC · 15 July
Denshattack!
Flip, trick and grind your train through a colourful Japanese dystopia. Tony Hawk energy with anime in its blood. Perfect for short bursts and chasing a high score. Also on Game Pass.
Also On Game Pass
Splatoon Raiders
No. 8
Switch 2 · 23 July
Splatoon Raiders
The first new Splatoon in four years, and it's a spin-off. A treasure-hunting adventure on the Spirhalite islands, single-player with optional co-op for up to four. Nice and family-friendly.
Switch
Digimon Story: Time Stranger
No. 9
Switch 2 · 10 July
Digimon Time Stranger
A proper turn-based creature-collector that finally steps out of Pokemon's shadow. Journey between the human and Digital worlds with a real focus on the bond between you and your Digimon.
RPG
Outward 2
No. 10
PC · 7 July
Outward 2
The cult open-world survival RPG returns. Not one that holds your hand, but if you like a game that makes you earn it and rewards planning, this is your kind of month opener.
RPG
On Xbox Game Pass This Month
Top 5 Games On Game Pass

Five games landing on Game Pass in July that are worth clearing an evening for. Dates are the confirmed Game Pass arrival dates as they stand, and the top tiers get the day-one drops.

Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3+4
No. 1
Xbox / PC / Cloud · 2 July
THPS 3+4
The remake of two of the best skateboarding games ever made, straight onto Game Pass to kick off the month. Two-minute runs, easy to pause, endlessly replayable. Higher tiers only.
Game Pass
Palworld
No. 2
Xbox / PC · 10 July
Palworld
The full 1.0 release lands on Game Pass day one. A much bigger world than the early-access version, and still one of the easiest games to lose an evening to. Great with a mate online.
Game Pass Day One
Planet Crafter
No. 3
Xbox / PC · 21 July
Planet Crafter
Terraform a dead planet from a bare rock into a living world. A brilliant slow-burn survival-and-build game that's easy to dip into around the kids. Coming to Game Pass this month.
Game Pass
Tears of Metal
No. 4
Xbox / PC · 22 July
Tears of Metal
A roguelite where you lead a Highland warband into the fray. Fast runs, plenty of build variety, the kind of thing you can pick up for one round and put down. Day one on Game Pass.
Game Pass Day One
Halo: Campaign Evolved
No. 5
Xbox / PC · 28 July
Halo: Campaign Evolved
The rebuilt Halo campaign lands day one on Game Pass to close out the month. Solo or four-player co-op, with crossplay and shared progression. The obvious headliner of the July line-up.
Game Pass Day One
More To Come

Microsoft reveals the rest of the month's Game Pass line-up in waves, so a few more titles will land in July that aren't dated yet, Winds of Arcana: Ruination, Ascend To Zero, Fogpiercer and Mistfall Hunter among them. I'll only list what's confirmed, rather than guess. Dates can shift, so treat these as the plan, not a promise.

On PlayStation Plus This Month
Top 5 On PlayStation Plus

Sony was running late confirming the July Essential line-up when I put this together, so I'm not going to list games that aren't locked in. Here's what's actually confirmed for PS Plus this month, and I'll fill the rest in the moment it's official.

Psi-Ops: The Mindgate Conspiracy
Confirmed
PS Plus Premium · Mid-July
Psi-Ops
A cult third-person shooter from the 2000s, all telekinesis and mind control, joining the Premium classics catalogue mid-month. A fun bit of nostalgia if you're on the top tier.
PS Plus Premium
Essential Monthly Games
Live 7 July
PS5 / PS4 · Essential
Essential Trio
The three Essential games all subscribers get free go live for download on 7 July. Sony held the reveal back this month, so I'll drop the confirmed titles in here as soon as they're official.
PS Plus Essential
Extra & Premium Wave
From 21 July
PS5 / PS4 · Extra / Premium
Game Catalog Wave
The next batch of Extra and Premium Game Catalog additions is expected to be revealed around 15 July and go live from the 21st. Sony's now dropping these in weekly waves rather than one hit.
PS Plus Extra
Still Being Finalised

This one's honest: I'd rather run a short, accurate PS Plus list than pad it with three guesses. The Essential games weren't officially confirmed when this went up, so I've listed only what's locked. Check back once Sony posts the full line-up on the PlayStation Blog and I'll round it out to five. Heads up too, 12 titles leave the Extra and Premium catalogue on 21 July, led by Risk of Rain 2 and Tropico 6, so grab anything on your list before then.

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