Microsoft has a lot of work to bring good cheer back to gamers after its massive restructuring of Xbox laid off 3,200 people, and one of the ways it's doing that is by announcing more games for Xbox Game Pass.
The first half of July 2026's new additions brought Gears of War: Reloaded, so Microsoft decided to follow up by showing that Xbox's other iconic flagship franchise, Halo, will lead the second batch of Xbox Game Pass games with the much-anticipated Halo: Campaign Evolved.
Other notable titles in this line-up include Beast of Reincarnation, an upcoming action-RPG by Game Freak of Pokémon fame, Heretic + Hexen, a classic first-person shooter bundle created by id Software, and Shift at Midnight, a viral indie PC horror game that's coming to Xbox consoles soon.
Here is the full list of Xbox Game Pass titles from July's second batch as stated on Xbox Wire:
Game | Date Available | Available on (Game Pass versions) |
|---|---|---|
The Planet Crafter | July 21, 2026 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass) |
Shift at Midnight | July 22, 2026 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Ultimate, PC Game Pass) |
Hell is Us | July 23, 2026 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Premium, Ultimate and PC Game Pass) |
Halo: Campaign Evolved | July 28, 2026 | Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC (Ultimate and PC Game Pass) |
Mistfall Hunter | July 30, 2026 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC (Ultimate and PC Game Pass) |
Corsair Cove | July 31, 2026 | PC (Ultimate and PC Game Pass) |
Heretic + Hexen | August 4, 2026 | Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC (Premium, Ultimate and PC Game Pass) |
Beast of Reincarnation | August 4, 2026 | Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld and PC (Ultimate and PC Game Pass) |
Games leaving Xbox Game Pass (July 31)
- Back to the Dawn (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Celeste (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Crusader Kings 3 (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- My Friendly Neighborhood (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Rain World (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Sniper Elite Resistance (Cloud, Console, and PC)
- Whiskerwood (PC)
Windows Central's take
The star of the show here is Halo: Campaign Evolved, an upcoming remake of the original Halo's iconic campaign mode that's set to release on July 28, 2026, for Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC.
It will feature updated next-gen graphics, a new mission for the campaign, new levels, new gameplay mechanics and weapons to bring it more in line with newer Halo games, while remaking the original game's cinematics and audio and bringing the original game's voice cast to re-record dialogue.
While Halo: Campaign Evolved will not feature the original Halo's PVP multiplayer modes, it will support four-player online co-op and two-player split-screen local co-op (which is my preferred way to play Halo) with cross-platform play for all platforms and cross-progression for the campaign for all platforms during online co-op.
Halo: Campaign Evolved has been shaping up to be a long-awaited return to form for the series as it goes back to basics while also wowing new players with its exciting combat and next-gen visuals,
At the same time, Halo: Campaign Evolved has also been earning goodwill from players incensed by Sony's crusade to kill physical media by announcing that it will launch on discs and provide a Machinima mode for players to create screenshots or fan movies similar to the classic Red Vs. Blue series.
Will Halo: Campaign Evolved be the ultimate comeback for the Halo franchise? Only time will tell when the game drops on July 28, 2026.
What do you think of Xbox Game Pass' second batch of games for July 2026? Which titles are you most looking forward to from this list?
If you have any thoughts on the matter, please let us know in the comments, on Reddit, or in the poll.
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