There are weeks on Xbox where the new games list is thin, and you scroll through it in 30 seconds. Xbox is getting 44 new games between July 13 and July 17, 2026, with seven releases also joining Xbox Game Pass during the week. The genre spread is wide (roguelikes, co-op horror, train simulators, bowling, extraction platformers), which means there’s something real here for most play styles.
Here’s how to spend your time.
Best Xbox Game Pass Additions This Week
Ascend to ZERO – July 13 (Day One) | Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass
Ascend to ZERO is a time-bending roguelike where you have the power to manipulate time and fight your way to the top. Play as unique avatars, wield powerful weapons and items, and experience fast-paced progression as your build evolves with every run. The day-one Game Pass launch is the key detail; this is a new release landing directly in subscribers’ libraries without any wait. GameSpot describes it as Hades-like, which gives a reasonable frame of reference for the pace and structure. Available on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld, and PC.
Fogpiercer – July 17 | Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass (PC only)
As a deadly fog descends upon the world, the future of humanity rests in your hands! Assemble your train to determine your starting deck, plot your path through the bandit-infested world, and prepare for high-octane turn-based tactical battles where powerful synergies, clever positioning, and carefully planned chain-reactions determine your fate. A roguelike deckbuilder with a moving train as your base is an intriguing structural concept; the deck-building and train management combination has produced some of the genre’s most inventive entries—PC only for now.
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check – July 15 | Now expanding to Game Pass Premium
Quarantine Zone: The Last Check puts players in charge of screening survivors during an outbreak. Players must identify potential threats, manage limited resources, and make decisions that affect the settlement. This was already available on Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass; it’s now expanding to Game Pass Premium as well, which is worth noting if that’s your subscription tier.
FixForce – July 17 | Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
A co-op extraction platformer. No extended description in the official Xbox Wire writeup, but the co-op extraction label places it in a genre that’s been generating consistent interest since the extraction shooter format expanded into adjacent genres. Worth a look if you have a group of three or four to play with.
Mavrix by Matt Jones – July 16 | Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
A sporty multiplayer game. Available on Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, Handheld and PC, the Handheld platform support is a notable inclusion, confirming this works well as a portable Game Pass title if you’re playing on a supported handheld device.
PBA Pro Bowling 2026 – July 14 | Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass
The annual PBA bowling sim update. If you play bowling games and a surprisingly large number of Game Pass subscribers do, based on monthly active user data Microsoft has shared in the past, this is the most polished version of the franchise to date.
The Non-Game Pass Releases Worth Noting
With 44 total games arriving this week, the full list covers everything from Lovecraftian horror to train conductor simulators. A few stand out from the non-Game Pass releases:
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu is a Lovecraftian adventure set in a dangerous jungle, combining exploration, treasure hunting, psychological horror, and supernatural threats. DayOne describes it as the headliner of the week alongside Ascend to ZERO, noting it’s framed as co-op horror. Lovecraftian games live or die on atmosphere and writing quality; this one will need reviews to confirm whether the jungle setting earns its horror credentials.
Denshattack! is a fast-paced action game set in a dystopian version of Japan, where players control a train, perform tricks and grind across rails. The neon-soaked, trick-based train action concept is unusual enough to be worth a look at the right price point.
SUPER DEV QUEST puts a young game developer pulled into his own creation, combining platforming, wall jumps, and coin collection across colorful levels. Straightforward premise, but the execution in this genre is everything; if the controls feel right, that’s enough.
Complete Xbox Game Pass Schedule (July 13–17)
| Game | Date | Platforms | Game Pass Tier |
| Ascend to ZERO | July 13 | Cloud, Series X|S, Handheld, PC | Ultimate, PC Game Pass |
| PBA Pro Bowling 2026 | July 14 | Cloud, Series X|S, PC | Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass |
| Quarantine Zone: The Last Check | July 15 | Cloud, Series X|S, PC | Now + Premium |
| Mavrix by Matt Jones | July 16 | Cloud, Series X|S, Handheld, PC | Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass |
| FixForce | July 17 | Cloud, Series X|S, PC | Ultimate, Premium, PC Game Pass |
| Fogpiercer | July 17 | PC only | Ultimate, PC Game Pass |
16 Games Leaving Xbox Game Pass Soon
Microsoft has confirmed that 16 games will leave Xbox Game Pass next week. The specific titles have not been listed in this week’s Next Week on Xbox post; Microsoft typically publishes the leaving games list separately mid-week. Check the Game Pass app’s “Leaving Soon” section to see what’s being removed, and add anything you want to your library before the deadline. Games removed from Game Pass can still be played if you own them, but Game Pass access ends on the removal date.
What to Watch Next
The Planet Crafter and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 join Game Pass on July 21; both of those are substantial additions that will extend the July value considerably. Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2 in particular is the definitive version of one of the most beloved sports game collections ever made, and its Game Pass addition is one of the month’s headline inclusions.
