We’re well and truly into the British summer now, and all those who say that the UK doesn’t typically get hot summers may soon have to eat their words if this year is anything to go by.
Still, if you’re not the kind of person who likes to spend hours outdoors soaking up the sun, we’ve got good news for you: July is packed with great games you can check out.
Without further ado, then, let’s run down all of the best games you’ll be able to pick up across all of the major systems in July 2026!
Rhythm Paradise Groove (Switch – July 2nd)
The Rhythm Paradise games, also known as Rhythm Heaven depending on where you are in the world, are delightful little collections of musical minigames, and there’s a new one on the way this month.
Rhythm Paradise Groove isn’t pledging to reinvent the wheel, but when the wheel is this smooth and well-made, it’s difficult to justify doing so anyway. The previous Rhythm Paradise games are great, and this one looks like it will be as well.
Expect lots of wonderful ways to express your musicality, complete with offbeat (no pun intended) characters and animations that are pretty much guaranteed to lodge a smile on your face for the whole runtime.
Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok (PC, PlayStation, Switch 2 – July 9th)
Cards on the table: we’re not entirely sure exactly what Granblue Fantasy: Relink – Endless Ragnarok is. On the one hand, its Steam page clearly states it’s a DLC, but on the other, it bills itself as an “upgrade”.
Whatever it is, you can look forward to all-new adventures complete with new enemies and bosses to take on, as well as a new Summon mechanic that promises to change the flow of the game completely.
Endless Ragnarok will also support crossplay across platforms, and it’ll mark the arrival of the game on the Switch 2 as well, giving you a chance to enjoy it on the go (well, outside of the Steam Deck, that is).
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag Resynced (PC, PS5, Xbox Series – July 9th)
Edward Kenway returns! The game that pretty much everyone refers to as the best Assassin’s Creed game (your mileage may vary, but we don’t make the rules) is coming back in remade form this July.
Black Flag Resynced promises to pack all of the piratical plundering the original game offered, plus new visuals, improved gameplay, and even new story content to sink your gold teeth into.
Here’s hoping that the game runs smoothly on launch as well, because Ubisoft games have something of a reputation for taking some time to settle into their particular grooves. It’d be lovely if this one could be an exception to that rule.
Echoes of Aincrad (PC, PS5, Xbox Series – July 10th)
Don’t call it a Sword Art Online game. While this action RPG certainly is a tie-in for one of the most popular anime and manga franchises of all time, it seems that publisher Bandai Namco is trying to downplay that particular connection.
Honestly, it makes sense; if you want as many neophytes to discover your game as possible, then slapping an established title on it can sometimes make the game feel like homework (although it will draw in fans of that property, of course).
In any case, what we’ve seen so far of Echoes of Aincrad certainly doesn’t make it seem that way, so hopefully, this anime spinoff – er, completely original title – can deliver when it lands.
Palworld (PC, PS5, Xbox – July 10th)
Also landing on July 10th is the 1.0 version of Palworld, the edgy open-world survival game that essentially lets you kill, eat, and enslave little Pokemon-inspired critters. Have you ever wanted to put Pokemon to work in a smelting factory? Here’s your chance!
Okay, perhaps we’re being a touch unfair to the depth on display here. Palworld is a very impressive feat from a technical and gameplay standpoint; it just makes us feel a little bit icky.
Still, if you’re looking for a more adult-oriented (not like that) Pokemon-style adventure, then Palworld will certainly fit the bill. Just don’t expect something cuddly and child-friendly, at least not from the main game.
Splatoon Raiders (Switch 2 – July 23rd)
Traditionally speaking, Splatoon is a single-player franchise, but thanks to this July’s Switch 2-exclusive Splatoon Raiders, that’s no longer the case. Loners rejoice!
Splatoon Raiders takes the horde-based gameplay of Splatoon 3’s Salmon Run game mode and expands it, so you can expect waves of Salmonids to dispatch, plus lots of gear to unlock and use in your runs and more.
We say “loners rejoice”, but this one does actually support co-op play, so if you want to grab a friend and enjoy some madcap antics, this one’s very much for you.
Halo: Campaign Evolved (PC, PS5, Xbox Series – July 28th)
Xbox has been having a funny old time of it lately, what with hardware sales dipping to their lowest level ever and studios being closed seemingly left, right, and centre.
Halo: Campaign Evolved might not do much to reverse Xbox’s fortunes, but it’ll serve as a nice little nostalgic reminder of why we ever liked this series in the first place, which should be fun.
As the title suggests, it’s a reimagined version of Master Chief’s inaugural adventure, although the multiplayer won’t be coming along for the Warthog ride; this is a strictly campaign-based affair.
Xenoblade Chronicles 2 (Switch 2 – July 30th)
Okay, so we’re cheating a little with this one; after all, Xenoblade Chronicles 2 came out all the way back in 2017, so this is hardly a new game.
However, it’s getting a new Switch 2 coat of paint in July, which means that the original – which didn’t exactly run like a dream on Nintendo’s underpowered original Switch – should be a lot smoother this time around.
If you missed out on Rex and Pyra’s adventures in jaw-droppingly vast and monster-filled open-world environments last time around, here’s your chance to catch up.
