Microsoft has detailed the second Xbox Game Pass update for July 2026, led by Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28 and Beast of Reincarnation on August 4. Both games will join the service on their release dates, while Shift at Midnight will also arrive as a day-one title on July 22.
This connects with Xbox Game Pass Adds Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2, Palworld 1.0, and The Planet Crafter in July Lineup.
The full schedule comes from the official Xbox Wire announcement, which also confirms that eight games will leave Game Pass on July 31. The update follows the month's first wave and extends the calendar into early August.
Halo: Campaign Evolved is the headline addition. The Unreal Engine 5 remake rebuilds the original Halo campaign with updated visuals, redesigned cinematics and revised controls. It supports solo play and four-player online cooperative play, and it is due on cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC for Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass members.
Beast of Reincarnation arrives one week later on cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Developed by Game Freak, the action RPG follows Emma and her dog Koo through a post-apocalyptic Japan. Its inclusion gives the second wave another major day-one launch rather than limiting the update to older catalog releases.
Every Game Joining This Wave
The Planet Crafter is available from July 21 on cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC. The survival game focuses on terraforming a hostile planet and supports online cooperative play without enemy combat. Shift at Midnight follows on July 22 with three-player cooperative investigations built around randomly generated shifts.
Hell is Us joins Game Pass Premium on July 23 for cloud, Xbox Series X|S and PC. Its semi-open world avoids conventional quest markers, asking players to navigate and investigate with limited direction. Halo: Campaign Evolved then arrives on July 28 before Beast of Reincarnation closes the announced wave on August 4.
The update also adds a recurring Zenless Zone Zero benefit on July 29. Game Pass Ultimate members can claim Polychromes, Dennies and other in-game items after each major version update. That is a membership perk rather than a new catalog entry, but it remains part of Microsoft's July announcement.
Eight Games Leave On July 31
Back to the Dawn, Celeste, Crusader Kings III, Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord, My Friendly Neighborhood, Rain World, Sniper Elite: Resistance and Whiskerwood are all scheduled to leave the service on July 31. Members can use their subscription discount to buy the games before removal if they want to retain access.
The departure list covers several genres and includes some of the service's better-known long-term games. Celeste and Rain World are notable indie removals, while Crusader Kings III and Mount & Blade II: Bannerlord represent substantial strategy and role-playing commitments. Players already partway through them now have a short window before access ends.
For subscribers, the practical order is straightforward: check the July 31 removals first, then decide which new releases fit the remaining month. Halo: Campaign Evolved carries the largest franchise name, but the combination of three day-one games gives this wave more variety than a single headline addition would suggest.
