XBOX Game Pass players have a packed week ahead, with a mix of survival, horror, retro shooters, and cozy puzzlers dropping between July 20 and 24 on XBOX Series X|S, XBOX One, PC, and Game Pass. This line‑up, highlighted in the latest “Next Week on XBOX” feature, shows Microsoft doubling down on variety rather than chasing a single blockbuster launch.
Weekly Next Week on XBOX drop: what’s coming
Microsoft’s latest “Next Week on XBOX: New Games for July 20 to 24” roundup on XBOX Wire lays out a full slate of new titles hitting XBOX consoles, PC, and Game Pass next week. The feature, penned by XBOX Wire editor Will Fulton, covers everything from anime-inspired fighting games to retro shooters and narrative horror, with release dates subject to change as usual.
In the post, XBOX Wire breaks down each game with quick descriptions, pricing, and links to store pages, making it easy to wishlist or pre-order directly from your console or browser. For XBOX fans in the US and beyond, this weekly column has quietly become one of the best ways to keep track of what’s landing on Game Pass and the Microsoft Store without digging through separate announcement posts.
Avatar Legends: anime fighting on XBOX
Headlining the list for many anime and fighting-game fans is Avatar Legends: The Fighting Game, arriving July 23 with both a full Digital Deluxe Edition and a more budget-friendly Preorder Bundle. Built around hand‑drawn 2D animation that aims to stay faithful to the Avatar universe, the game lets players step into the shoes of 12 playable characters drawn from across the series.
Modes include Offline and Online Versus, Story, Arcade, Training, Spectator, and even an Art Gallery for fans who appreciate the visual side of the franchise. It’s optimized for XBOX Se Series X|S and supports XBOX Play Anywhere, so you can bounce between console and PC while keeping your progress synced.
The Planet Crafter: chill co‑op terraforming
If you’d rather build than brawl, The Planet Crafter hits XBOX with Game Pass support and XBOX Series X|S optimization on July 21. Developed by Miju Games, this survival‑meets‑building title drops you onto a hostile, barren world with one mission: transform it into a lush, habitable paradise for humans.
You can play solo or with up to eight friends in online co‑op, gathering resources, constructing bases, deploying machines to heat the planet, and gradually building an oxygen‑rich atmosphere. Over time, you’re effectively geo‑engineering the entire planet, turning what starts as a harsh sci‑fi grind into a surprisingly chill sandbox once your ecosystem stabilizes.
Shift At Midnight: gas station horror on Game Pass
On July 22, Shift At Midnight brings a strange blend of management sim and horror to Game Pass and XBOX Series X|S. You run a gas station, juggling stock levels, deliveries, cleanliness, and nightly sales quotas to keep your operation profitable.
The twist: some of your customers aren’t human at all, but doppelgangers you’re expected to identify and execute on the spot. Miss one, and they’ll return later in the shift seeking revenge, forcing you to stay sharp while you mop floors and refill shelves. It’s a uniquely grim take on late‑night retail work that leans hard into paranoia and quick judgment calls.
CULTIC: retro FPS with survival‑horror edge
For players craving old‑school shooters, CULTIC lands on XBOX July 23 with a launch discount dropping its price from $19.99 to $17.99 at pre‑order. Published by Atari and 3D Realms, CULTIC is a retro‑style FPS where you literally crawl from your grave to fight through the ranks of a twisted cult using a realistic weapon arsenal.
While the moment‑to‑moment combat focuses on creative, brutal firefights, the game layers in survival‑horror elements to keep tension high. The XBOX version includes the original campaign, the Interlude, the Chapter Two expansion, all Survival maps, and even a Cultmas bonus map for players who want the full package out of the gate.
Forever Skies Deluxe Edition: airship survival 72 hours early
Closing out the week’s bigger-ticket releases, Forever Skies Deluxe Edition arrives July 24 with an interesting pre‑order perk. This first‑person, post‑apocalyptic survival game drops you back onto a ruined Earth ravaged by ecological disaster, asking you to build, fly, and upgrade a high‑tech airship as your mobile base.
You can play solo or in co‑op, scavenging resources, crafting tools, and facing dangers on the planet’s surface while hunting for viruses that might help cure a mysterious illness. Pre‑ordering on XBOX grants exclusive early access 72 hours before launch, giving eager survival buffs a three‑day head start on building their floating fortress.
Terminal Shift: psychological horror in a looping airport
Horror fans get an extra treat on July 24 with Terminal Shift, a psychological horror game set in a deserted airport terminal that’s become a looping nightmare. The XBOX Store listing describes it as a twisted environment where you’re tasked with gathering numbers for an access code to the boarding gates while surviving encounters with a threatening entity.
On PC, Terminal Shift has been described by players as an effective “spot the anomaly”‑style horror experience, mixing eerie lighting with simple mechanics that emphasize tension over jump scares. The XBOX release brings that same premise—wandering an endlessly repeating terminal that’s subtly changing around you—to console players looking for something shorter and more focused than a traditional big‑budget horror campaign.
Indie highlights and deep cuts
Beyond the headliners, this Next Week on XBOX list is stacked with smaller titles that may fly under the radar but could be hidden gems. A few standouts include:
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Milo’s Escape (XBOX Series) – A magical 2D platformer where you guide Milo through mysterious ruins on a nostalgic, challenge‑heavy adventure, optimized for XBOX Series X|S.
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Pit Panic – A fast‑paced roguelike 2D platformer with environmental puzzles, handcrafted levels, and ancient bosses; the game casts you as an archaeologist literally running for their life.
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Blast’N Bounty – A vertical scrolling shoot’em up starring Quad, a frog space bounty hunter bent on revenge against mafia generals, rendered in retro pixel art mixed with low‑poly 3D.
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Tiny Witch – A shop‑management game where you pound, boil, and mix resources to serve perfect magical minions, upgrading your magic shop while trying not to anger a dungeon master.
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Aether Keepers – A defense‑heavy title that turns you into a “Core Nanny,” healing tiny soldiers as demons close in, with full XBOX Series X|S optimization and XBOX Play Anywhere support.
There’s also Club Soko, a nightclub‑set stealth puzzler starring graffiti artist Maude, and Dodo Duckie, where you play a duck using a special cap to switch between 2D and 3D perspectives to solve puzzles and rescue chicken friends. These experiments in design might not grab headlines, but they help keep the XBOX ecosystem feeling diverse and indie‑friendly.
Cozy, competitive, and arcade vibes
Not every release is about terror or survival; some lean into relaxed or competitive gameplay.
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Pure Pool Pro – A sequel to the acclaimed Pure Pool, this one emphasizes hyper‑realistic physics, precise controls, refined AI opponents, and competitive online/local play. It’s aimed at both newcomers and cue‑sport veterans, with new immersive environments designed around serious billiards sessions.
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Roll Mad – A physics‑driven 3D rolling platformer with more than fifty handcrafted stages, where narrow paths, collapsing tiles, and instant‑death traps demand careful planning and precise execution.
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Vikings Pinball – A pinball‑style battle game where you attack Roman Empire camps, pick trajectories to maximize damage, and blow up barrels while collecting coins.
On the cozier end, Meow Moments: Celebrating Frost & Flora offers a hidden‑object adventure framed around cats exploring a frosty winter wonderland and a serene blooming garden. It leans into seasonal contrast and gentle storytelling, ideal for players looking to unwind rather than sweat over mechanics.
Crime sagas, observation horror, and quirky puzzlers
The back half of the week leans heavily into atmospheric storytelling and puzzle‑forward design.
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American Mafia: Empire of Ashes – A cinematic crime saga that follows Leo Vancetti from starving street orphan in 1920s Corleone to the throne of New York’s Five Families. The game spans 35 years and two continents, promising a ruthless tale of brotherhood, betrayal, and the cost of power.
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Anomaly Hunter: Observation Duty – A budget‑friendly horror title (discounted at launch) where you watch live security camera feeds, report anomalies, and gradually realize the facility you monitor is far from normal.
There are also quirkier puzzle‑platformers like Bear Mage Honey Sage, where you craft sticky honey blocks to create platforms in a magical forest, and Neon Depth, which turns your failures into physical marks on the environment that can help you progress. Together, they showcase just how many experimental projects are making their way to XBOX Series X|S this summer.
Co‑op escapes and cave‑delving adventures
Co‑op and exploration fans have a couple of specific titles to watch for on July 24.
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Brave Escape – A 2‑player co‑op platformer where both Colin and Floyd must synchronize their movement through hazard‑filled levels, collecting items and uncovering secrets along the way.
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Cave Looters – A lighthearted western‑flavored platformer starring a cave ranger and his partner hunting for underground treasure, taking on giant bugs, snakes, and rival looters using whips, pistols, and TNT.
Rounding things out, Space Is Crazy delivers chaotic ship‑piloting combat with random upgrades and unlockable pilots, while Terminal Shift—as noted earlier—anchors the horror end of the lineup with its looping airport nightmare. It’s a strong mix for players who like to hop between genres over the course of a week.
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