PS Plus July 2026: three games, one massive shooter
Sony revealed the PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for July on July 1, and all three unlocked for members on Tuesday, July 7. You have until Monday, August 3 to add them to your library, after which the lineup rotates out. As always, once you claim a game it stays yours for as long as your subscription is active.
Here is the full July 2026 PS Plus Monthly Games lineup:
- Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (Cross-Gen Bundle) — PS5 and PS4
- For the King II — PS5 and PS4
- CrossCode — PS5 and PS4
For the King II is the follow-up to the cult tabletop-inspired strategy RPG. Queen Rosomon has turned on her own people, and you gather a party to fight back through the world of Fahrul. You can play solo or team up for four-player co-op, mixing turn-based combat with dice-roll tension and roguelite runs. It is one of those games that eats entire weekends once co-op partners get hooked.
CrossCode rounds things out with a very different vibe. This retro-inspired 2D action RPG pairs 16-bit-style visuals with fast, physics-driven combat and genuinely clever puzzle design, all wrapped in a science-fiction story set inside a fictional MMO. It reviewed extremely well and is a perfect palate-cleanser between the bigger titles.
Several outlets have pegged the combined value of July's three games at around $115, though it is worth stressing that figure comes from those outlets rather than an official Sony tally on the PlayStation Blog. Either way, a full-price Call of Duty alone makes this one of the stronger Essential-tier months of the year.
One important reminder: these Monthly Games are separate from the Game Catalog additions that Extra and Premium members also receive. If you are on a higher tier, keep an eye on Sony's mid-month Game Catalog drop for even more titles. To claim July's trio, just make sure you are subscribed before August 3 and add each one from the PlayStation Store or the PS Plus hub on your console.
Xbox Game Pass July 2026: a packed, day-one-heavy month
Xbox is not letting Sony have all the attention. Game Pass is running one of its busiest stretches of the year, with new games arriving almost daily through the middle of the month and a heavy hitter landing at the end. Because Microsoft now splits Game Pass across tiers, availability varies by title, so always confirm your plan covers a specific game before you plan your weekend around it.
Here is the rundown of what is coming (and what already arrived) in July 2026:
- Buckshot Roulette — surprise addition on July 8 (Ultimate, Premium and PC)
- Gears of War: Reloaded — July 9 (newly added to the Premium tier; already on Ultimate and PC Game Pass)
- Tamashika — July 9
- Palworld 1.0 — July 10 (full 1.0 release)
- Ascend to ZERO — July 13 (day one)
- PBA Pro Bowling 2026 — July 14
- Quarantine Zone: The Last Check — July 15
- Mavrix by Matt Jones — July 16
- FixForce — July 17
- Fogpiercer — July 17
- The Planet Crafter — July 21
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 — July 21
- Tears of Metal (PC) — July 22
- Halo: Campaign Evolved — July 28 (day one)
- Mistfall Hunter — July 29
Gears of War: Reloaded, the remaster of the original Gears of War, widens its Game Pass reach on July 9 by joining the Premium tier, having already been available on Ultimate and PC Game Pass since its 2025 launch — handy for anyone catching up before Gears of War: E-Day. The skateboarding crowd, meanwhile, gets the beloved Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 remaster on July 21.
The month's biggest headline lands late: Halo: Campaign Evolved arrives day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on July 28. Developed by Halo Studios, it is a ground-up Unreal Engine 5 remake of the original Halo: Combat Evolved, timed to the franchise's 25th anniversary (the first game launched in 2001). It drops the original competitive multiplayer to focus on a rebuilt campaign, though it keeps four-player online co-op and two-player split-screen, and it adds a new three-mission arc called Operation: METEORITE — set a year before the first game, starring the Master Chief and Sgt. Johnson, and carrying the fight into space. Closing out July on July 29 is Mistfall Hunter, a dark-fantasy extraction shooter.
Between Palworld's 1.0 launch, a Halo remake, and a steady drip of smaller indies and roguelikes like Fogpiercer and the base-building favorite The Planet Crafter, Xbox has arguably the deeper raw lineup this month, while PlayStation counters with the sheer name-brand pull of Call of Duty.
Since several of these — Palworld, Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, Halo: Campaign Evolved, The Planet Crafter — are also on PC Game Pass, PC players may want to check whether their rig is up to the task first. You can run a quick spec check with Can I Run It before you commit to a download.
Don't forget: ten games are leaving Game Pass
The flip side of a busy month is a busy exit door. Ten titles are scheduled to leave Xbox Game Pass on July 15, 2026, so if any are on your backlog, finish them (or buy them at the member discount) before then:
- Dungeons of Hinterberg
- EA Sports FC 24
- Golf With Your Friends
- Minami Lane
- PowerWash Simulator
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition
- Splitgate: Arena Reloaded
- Stellaris
- Super Fantasy Kingdom
- Techtonica
The bottom line
If you only own one console, July 2026 treats you well either way. PS Plus delivers a rare marquee Call of Duty alongside two excellent indies, all claimable through August 3. Xbox Game Pass counters with volume and variety, headlined by Palworld's 1.0 launch and a day-one Halo remake on July 28. Just remember to claim your PS Plus games before the window closes, and clear your Game Pass backlog before July 15's departures hit.
FAQ
What are the free PS Plus games for July 2026?
The PlayStation Plus Monthly Games for July 2026 are Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III (Cross-Gen Bundle), For the King II, and CrossCode. All three are available on PS5 and PS4, and members can claim them from July 7 through August 3, 2026.
How much are the July 2026 PS Plus games worth?
Several outlets have reported the combined value of July's three games at roughly $115, largely driven by the full-price Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III bundle. That figure comes from third-party reporting rather than an official Sony total, but it makes July a strong month for the Essential tier.
What is coming to Xbox Game Pass in July 2026?
Confirmed July additions include Buckshot Roulette (July 8), Gears of War: Reloaded (July 9), Palworld 1.0 (July 10), Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (July 21), The Planet Crafter (July 21), day-one Halo: Campaign Evolved (July 28), and Mistfall Hunter (July 29), among others. Availability varies by tier, so confirm your plan covers a given title.
Which games are leaving Xbox Game Pass in July 2026?
Ten games leave on July 15, 2026: Dungeons of Hinterberg, EA Sports FC 24, Golf With Your Friends, Minami Lane, PowerWash Simulator, Shadow of the Tomb Raider: Definitive Edition, Splitgate: Arena Reloaded, Stellaris, Super Fantasy Kingdom, and Techtonica. Finish them or grab the member discount before the deadline.
