Top 10 Best Games on Xbox Game Pass Right Now (July 2026)

Xbox Game Pass has never been better value than it is right now. Game Pass Ultimate at $22.99/month and PC Game Pass at $13.99/month (after Microsoft's April 21, 2026 price cut) gets you day-one access to the biggest first-party launches — including the highest-rated game of 2026 sitting at #1 on our list. Here's the current top 10 ranked countdown, updated for July 2026, plus what's worth adding to your library and what's coming next.

Quick Reference — Countdown at a Glance

The full countdown, ranked. #1: Forza Horizon 6 (Metacritic 91) · #2: Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 · #3: Hollow Knight: Silksong · #4: Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 · #5: The Outer Worlds 2 · #6: Hades II · #7: Halo: The Master Chief Collection · #8: Avowed · #9: Planet Coaster 2 · #10: It Takes Two (via EA Play).

10. It Takes Two — Hazelight Studios (via EA Play)

The GOTY-winning co-op adventure that hooks non-gamers within the first 20 minutes. Included with Game Pass Ultimate via the EA Play bundle. Perfect for couples or roommates — one screen, two controllers, one of the most creatively varied gameplay journeys of the last five years. Requires a friend who's willing to sit down for 12-15 hours, but that's the entire pitch.

9. Planet Coaster 2 — Frontier Developments

Theme park management, evolved. Water rides return, thermal simulation for realistic ride physics, and a park editor that rewards obsessive players. If you sunk 100+ hours into the original Planet Coaster, expect to do the same here. A quieter Game Pass pick that punches above its weight if the genre clicks for you.

8. Avowed — Obsidian Entertainment (Xbox Game Studios)

Obsidian's return to first-person RPG territory, set in the Pillars of Eternity universe. Not their best work (Fallout: New Vegas or Pentiment still take that crown) but the combat is fluid, the world-building is deep, and the moral choice system respects player agency in a way that most modern RPGs skip. Solid 30-40 hour campaign, worth the Game Pass slot.

7. Halo: The Master Chief Collection — 343 Industries (Xbox Game Studios)

Six Halo campaigns + the full multiplayer suite in one package. If you missed Halo growing up, this is the definitive way to catch up — Combat Evolved, Halo 2, Halo 3, Halo 3: ODST, Halo 4, and Halo: Reach all remastered and running at 4K 120fps on Series X. The multiplayer alone still has an active community six years after launch.

6. Hades II — Supergiant Games

The sequel to one of the best roguelikes ever made, and Supergiant somehow raised the bar. Melinoe as protagonist, expanded weapon variety, deeper build synergies, and the same soundtrack quality that made the original a critical darling. If you played 100 hours of Hades I, you'll play 200 of Hades II. Just released out of Early Access and now included with Game Pass.

5. The Outer Worlds 2 — Obsidian Entertainment (Xbox Game Studios)

Obsidian's second Xbox first-party release this year (Avowed being the first). Bigger budget than the first Outer Worlds, sharper writing, more meaningful choice consequences. Sci-fi space RPG in the vein of Fallout: New Vegas — which makes sense given Obsidian's DNA. 40-hour main story, replayable via faction choices.

4. Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 — Sandfall Interactive (Kepler Interactive)

The surprise hit of 2025 that landed on Game Pass day one. Turn-based JRPG combat blended with real-time parries and dodges, set in a hauntingly beautiful painted-world aesthetic that draws from Belle Époque France. Sandfall is a small independent studio and this is their debut — punching massively above their weight. Metacritic 92, and one of the strongest narrative games of the year.

3. Hollow Knight: Silksong — Team Cherry

After nearly seven years of "when," Silksong finally arrived and delivered on every expectation. Hornet as protagonist, faster and more aggressive combat than the original Hollow Knight, and a Pharloom kingdom that dwarfs Hallownest in scope. Metacritic 94 — Team Cherry took their time and it shows. Available day one on Game Pass, which is genuinely one of the strongest cases for the subscription this year.

2. Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 — Treyarch (Activision)

The last day-one Call of Duty that Game Pass will get before Activision's future launches shift to a delayed timeline. If you're a CoD player and don't currently have Game Pass Ultimate, this is the year to grab it. Multiplayer holds up (traditional Black Ops feel — small maps, fast time-to-kill, no janky movement tech), Warzone remains the free-to-play battle royale it always was, and Zombies mode is the strongest it's been since Black Ops 3. Dropped from #1 in June as FH6 took the top spot, but still the #1 choice for competitive multiplayer fans.

1. Forza Horizon 6 — Playground Games (Xbox Game Studios)

The highest-rated game of 2026 (Metacritic 91) and the crown jewel of Game Pass right now. Set in Japan, spanning Tokyo City, Nangan, Ohtani, Ito, Hokubu, Takashiro, Shimanoyama, and Minamino regions with 800+ cars at launch. Series 2 Horizon Decades is currently LIVE (since June 18) with 10 reward cars including the Audi R8 V10 GT RWD Car Pass drop — see our FH6 Series 2 LIVE Day-One Breakdown. Xbox Play Anywhere means one Game Pass sub gets you both Xbox and PC versions with shared progression. If you had to pick ONE game to justify a Game Pass subscription in 2026, it's this one.

What's Also Worth Adding to Your Library

Three additions worth your time even if they didn't make the top 10 — Subnautica 2 (Unknown Worlds' underwater survival sequel, sold 2 million copies in 12 hours at launch — Early Access on Game Pass, see our Ocean Explorer breakdown). DOOM: The Dark Ages (Bethesda's medieval-hell reimagining of DOOM — brutal, precise, and beautifully art-directed). Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (Square Enix's continuation of the Remake project — long, dense, mechanically polished JRPG that lands on Game Pass in Q3 2026).

On the Watching List for Q3-Q4 2026

Two games with genuine top-10 potential if they land well. Fable (Playground Games' Xbox reboot of the classic RPG series, still rumored for late 2026 — likely to confirm at gamescom August 20-24). Beast of Reincarnation (Game Freak's dark souls-inspired action RPG, releasing this month — early impressions are positive; if Metacritic clears 85, expect it to enter the top 10 by August). Neither is confirmed as day-one Game Pass yet, but Playground = confirmed and Game Freak's arrangement with Microsoft is heavily rumored.

Which Game Pass Tier Should You Buy?

Game Pass Ultimate ($22.99/month) — The all-in-one. Console, PC, EA Play bundle, Cloud Gaming, day-one first-party launches. If you play on Xbox at all, this is the tier. Bonus — one sub covers Xbox + PC via Xbox Play Anywhere on games that support it (FH6 does).

PC Game Pass ($13.99/month) — PC-only. Includes EA Play, day-one first-party launches on PC. Cheaper than Ultimate if you don't own an Xbox and don't need Cloud Gaming.

Game Pass Core ($9.99/month) — Console only, online multiplayer + rotating curated library (~40 games). This is what "Xbox Live Gold" became. Not the tier we'd recommend for anyone reading this list — Ultimate is the value pick.

Get Game Pass Cheaper

We sell Xbox Game Pass Ultimate codes at ghostkeys.shop below the Microsoft Store MSRP — instant key delivery, redeemable to any Xbox account. FH6 keys and Xbox Series X|S game keys also stocked below Xbox Store / Steam / PS Store MSRP. Xbox Play Anywhere means one key covers Xbox + PC on supported games with shared progression.

The Bottom Line

Xbox Game Pass in July 2026 is the strongest value proposition in gaming subscriptions. The #1 game (FH6) alone justifies the subscription — Metacritic 91, 800+ cars, Japan map, Series 2 LIVE. The #2 (Black Ops 7) covers competitive multiplayer. #3 (Silksong) covers Metroidvania. #4-6 cover JRPG, sci-fi RPG, and roguelike. #7-10 handle Halo, first-person RPG, sim, and co-op. Six games alone would justify a year of Ultimate — the other four are gravy.

Got questions about which tier to buy, whether Xbox Play Anywhere works on a specific game, or how to redeem a ghostkeys.shop code? Hit our live chat — we'll walk you through it.

Related Reads

• GhostKeys Store — Buy Xbox Game Pass Ultimate + Xbox Keys Below MSRP — instant delivery, all editions cheaper than Microsoft Store
• FH6 Series 2 LIVE — Day-One Breakdown — the #1 Game Pass game, Series 2 Horizon Decades currently live
• Subnautica 2 — Ocean Explorer on Game Pass — 2 million copies in 12 hours at launch, Early Access on Game Pass
• Best Xbox Cloud Gaming Games — 1,000+ Titles — what to stream via Cloud Gaming (Ultimate tier only)
• FH6 All 15 Barn Find Locations — every free car hidden in the Japan map (the #1 game's flagship guide)
• FH6 AFK Credit Farm — Series 2 Patch Impact — credit farming strategy for the #1 Game Pass game