New Game Pass Titles for Early July Announced
Following yesterday's significant Xbox announcement, Microsoft has traditionally revealed the games arriving on Game Pass for the first half of July. While the summer season might mean fewer groundbreaking releases, there are still several interesting titles to explore.
The following games will be added to Game Pass soon (games marked with * will not be available on Game Pass Premium at launch; those marked with ** are already included in other subscriptions but are now arriving on Xbox Premium) in the coming days:
- Winds of Arcana: Ruination (Cloud, Console, Handheld Console, and PC) - Available Today
- Gears of War: Reloaded (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, Handheld Console, and PC) - July 9**
- Tamashika (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, Handheld Console, and PC) - July 9
- Ascend to Zero (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, Handheld Console, and PC) - July 13*
- PBA Pro Bowling 2026 (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, and PC) - July 14
- Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, and PC) - July 15**
- Mavrix by Matt Jones (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, Handheld Console, and PC) - July 16
- FixForce (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, and PC) - July 17
- Fogpiercer (PC) - July 17*
- The Planet Crafter (Cloud, Xbox Series S/X, and PC) - July 21
- Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1 + 2 (Cloud, Xbox, and PC) - July 21
As usual, there are also bonus content and free downloadable perks, and the first half of July is no exception, with Locke for League of Legends and "special in-game rewards" for Wuthering Waves. You can find more details on Xbox Wire.
The following titles will be removed from the service on July 15. As always, subscribers can take advantage of a discount on these titles if they wish to keep them:
- Dungeons of Hinterberg (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- EA Sports Football Club 24 (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- Stellaris (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- Golf With Your Friends (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- Minami Lane (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- Powerwash Simulator (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- Splitgate: Arena Reloaded (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
- Super Fantasy Kingdom (PC)
- Techtonica (Game Preview) (Cloud, Xbox, and PC)
Fresh materials — Gaming News

Halo Ring World: A Veteran's Disappointment with the "Ugly" Redesign
Marcus Lehto, a veteran from Bungie and the art director for the original Halo: Combat Evolved, who was instrumental in shaping the iconic Master Chief and the original Ring World, has voiced his dissatisfaction with the current depiction of the Ring World in Halo: Campaign Evolved. He describe

El Niño Drives South American Seabirds Further North Than Usual in Panama
Unusual numbers of seabirds are being observed much further north than their typical range in Panama, South America, as El Niño significantly disrupts their food supply. These birds, including species like the blue-footed booby, normally reside off the coasts of Peru and Chile in cold, nutrient-r

Review of "The Last House": A Thriller That Misses the Mark
Summer is often accompanied by a new streaming horror film. I discovered "The Last House" a few days before its release and, even before watching it, suspected it was a typical concept—one that could either work or fall flat. With skilled direction and a solid script, it had the potential to be

Christopher Judge, the Actor Behind Kratos, Calls for More Respect for Video Game Writers
Christopher Judge, the actor who brought Kratos to life in the 2018 game "God of War" and its 2022 sequel, "God of War: Ragnarök," has expressed a desire for video game writers and developers to receive the recognition and respect they deserve. During an appearance at FanExpo, Judge questioned

Tomb Raider: Catalyst Release Window Narrowed Down
While Lara Croft's return is anticipated next year with the release of Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis on PC, PlayStation 5, Switch 2, and Xbox Series S/X on February 12th, it's clear Ms. Croft has even grander ambitions. A brand-new adventure, Tomb Raider: Catalyst, is also in development.

Halo Archive Lets Fans Relive Their Best Halo Memories, While Campaign Evolved Rekindles Nostalgia
As "Halo: Campaign Evolved" brings players back to where the legendary Xbox franchise began, nostalgia for the series' early, arguably golden years, has surged. But while fans are rediscovering that vast ring, another project offers a chance to revisit something far more personal: your own jou