I won’t lie to you, I initially looked at July’s game releases and drew a blank trying to name any bigish new games I’m looking forward to. It’s definitely quiet this month, but take the lull as a chance to catch up. New game releases for 2026 ramp up again in the final stretch of the year—so much so that I’m already trying to carve out vacation days in my schedule.
And this month is far from a total bust. Two big remakes, Assassin’s Creed Black Flag: Resynced and Halo: Campaign Evolved, are joined by a bunch of co-op indie horror games that are right up my alley.
It’s good timing: We’re trying something a little new with our monthly release date calendar in July, highlighting a handful of personal picks before getting to the general highlights—so you know where this is going. I hope you love terrorizing your friends with new co-op horror finds as much as I do.
July 2026 games: PC Gamer staff picks
July belongs to co-op horror loversJuly belongs to co-op horror loversAndrea Shearon
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I don’t know who or what started the ‘friend slop’ trend, but I’m owning it as a term of endearment and kicking off PC Gamer’s first round of monthly staff picks with games you can play with your Discord pals. Absurd co-op horror games make for some of my favorite digital campfires to gather around, giving me yet another outlet for uniting my faraway friends to laugh and scream together one more night. That’s why my picks for July go to the genre, and why I’ve got Storebound, Happy’s Humble Burgatory, Carnival Hunt, and Shift at Midnight all wishlisted. I’ll be there on day one—reluctant, terrified friends in tow.
July 16
Cursed Cooking Mama
Happy’s Burgatory
Steam | 4-player co-op
There’s definitely a recurring theme here of running a business into the ground with your friends. In Happy’s Humble Burgatory, your crew will grind out burger orders as fast as you can make them before the restaurant’s blood-thirsty mascot begins her hunt. I’ve heard Grimace does this at McDonald’s.
July 16
After hours puzzler
Storebound 1.0
Steam | 3-player co-op
I was the kid always turning the local Sears into a panicked search for a missing child, but it turns out I’d just gone to sleep in a clothing rack. Storebound looks kind of like that—except my mom isn’t coming to save me, it’s full of puzzles, and there’s a demon in the shoe department.
July 23
Asymmetric rabbit hunt
Carnival Hunt
Steam | 5 players
I may not play Tag much as an adult, but my fondness for asymmetrical chases fill the void recess left behind. In Carnival Hunt, one person is a monstrous puppeteer while the remaining players are a bunch of innocent bunny puppets. My advice? Put your friends between you and the threat.
July ??
Killer customer service
Shift at Midnight
Steam | 3-player co-op
Shift at Midnight finally lets me live out my childhood dream of running a questionable-looking gas station with two of my closest friends. It’s kind of like Quarantine Zone, but with customers: shoot the body-snatched guys, then it’s business as usual with the normal ones.
July 2026 big game highlights
July 9
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag: Resynced
Steam | Singleplayer
Black Flag Resynced is the first big remake for the month, revisiting the pirate Assassin’s Creed once again for Edward Kenway’s story. It’s “faithfully enhanced” with quality of life tweaks, new visuals, and bonus content.
July 9
Steam | 4-player co-op
Yearly university football rivalries return with College Football 27. EA’s next sporting event includes new customization options for your Road to Glory player, revamped Dynasty features, and cartoonish mascot matchups. Go Dawgs.
July 10
Steam | 4-player co-op
Palworld enters 1.0 with a mountain of patch notes, so I’m assuming it’s a beefy update. The survival crafting Pokemon-like will add new story beats, fancy wing packs, and (of course) new pals to catch.
July 28
Steam | 4-player co-op
Master Chief’s first clash with the Covenant and Flood gets its second makeover, but it’s more than just a set of HD textures. Halo: Campaign Evolved is a complete remake that even comes with a few extra missions to boot.
July 2026 gaming events and sales
(Image credit: Digital Extremes / Square Enix)
- Tennocon celebrates Warframe and its community online and in-person this July 10 – 11
- Final Fantasy 14 Fan Fest continues its Evercold expansion tour in Germany on July 25 – 26
- Steam sales keep the month going with more summer deals and themed weeks:
- June 25 – July 9: Steam Summer Sale
- July 13 – July 16: Social Deduction Fest
- July 20 – July 27: Train Fest
July 2026 game updates and DLC
July 4
U.S. National Parks update
Flight Simulator 2024
Flight Simulator 2024 (Steam) celebrates the holiday with its US National Parks world update.
July 7
Revelations expansion
Doom: The Dark Ages
Doom: The Dark Ages (Steam) will freeze hell over with the Ripatorium 3.0 update and a new campaign in its Revelations expansion.
July 8
Endless Ragnarok
Granblue Fantasy: Relink
Granblue Fantasy: Relink (Steam) adds new bosses, co-op quests, summons, and game modes with its Endless Ragnarok DLC.
July 8
Return of the Thieves Guild
The Elder Scrolls Online
The Elder Scrolls Online (Steam) kicks off its new seasonal format with its big Return of the Thieves Guild update.
July 13
The Alters (Steam) keeps Jan Scientist grounded as he leads a new team of specialists to survive on the alien planet in the Last Variable DLC.
July 16
Star Wars Pack
PowerWash Simulator 2
PowerWash Simulator 2 (Steam) hoses down iconic galactic fighters and towering AT-ATs with its new Star Wars Pack.
July 21
Marathon (Steam) starts its mid-season update with the Vault Breaker PVE mode, Cradle Evolution system, and new quality of life changes.
July 21
Willow Street rework
Phasmophobia
Phasmophobia (Steam) remodels one of its most iconic haunted houses with the Willow Street rework.
July 25
Patch 7.55
Final Fantasy 14
Final Fantasy 14 (Site) continues its Trail to the Heavens updates with new Forked Tower raids, Hildibrand Adventures, and relic upgrades in Patch 7.55.
The July 2026 games calendar
The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian (July 20) (Image credit: Schisma Games)
Everything happening in July 2026
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Date
Game
Header Cell – Column 2
July 4
Flight Simulator 2024 (Steam) National parks update
💫 UPDATE
July 7
Doom: The Dark Ages (Steam) Revelations expansion
💫 UPDATE
July 7
Moonlight Peaks (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 8
Neverness to Everness (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 8
Granblue Fantasy: Relink (Steam) Endless Ragnarok DLC
💫 UPDATE
July 8
The Elder Scrolls Online (Steam) Season 1
💫 UPDATE
July 9
Assassin’s Creed Black Flag: Resynced (Steam)
⭐ HIGHLIGHT
July 9
College Football 27 (Steam)
⭐ HIGHLIGHT
July 9
Steam Summer Sale ends
💸 SALE
July 10
Palworld 1.0 (Steam)
⭐ HIGHLIGHT
July 10
Echoes of Aincrad (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 10
Tennocon begins
📌 EVENT
July 13
The Alters (Steam) Last Variable DLC
💫 UPDATE
July 13
Ascend to Zero (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 13
Steam’s Social Deduction Fest begins
💸 SALE
July 14
D-topia (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 15
Cozy Grove: Camp Spirit (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 15
Denshattack! (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 15
The Mound: Omen of Cthulhu (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 16
Heave Ho 2 (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 16
Funnel Runners (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 16
Moss: The Forgotten Relic (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 16
PowerWash Simulator 2 (Steam) Star Wars Pack
💫 UPDATE
July 16
Storebound 1.0 (Steam)
👻 STAFF PICK
July 16
Happy’s Humble Burgatory (Steam)
👻 STAFF PICK
July 16
Wreck Runners (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 16
The Guild – Europa 1410 (Steam)
🚧 EARLY ACCESS
July 17
Desktop Explorer (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 20
The Life and Suffering of Prince Jerian (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 20
Steam’s Train Fest begins
💸 SALE
July 21
Cobalt Miner (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 21
Fading Echo (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 21
Marathon (Steam) Mid-season begins
💫 UPDATE
July 21
Phasmophobia (Steam) Willow Street rework
💫 UPDATE
July 22
DragonSword: Awakening (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 22
Tears of Metal (Steam)
🚧 EARLY ACCESS
July 23
Carnival Hunt (Steam)
👻 STAFF PICK
July 23
Avatar Legends (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 23
Tormentum 2 (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 25
Final Fantasy 14 (Site) Patch 7.55
💫 UPDATE
July 25
Final Fantasy 14 Fan Festival begins
📌 EVENT
July 27
Security 51 (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 28
EverQuest Legends (Site)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 28
Halo: Campaign Evolved (Steam)
⭐ HIGHLIGHT
July 29
Below, Rusted Gods (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 29
Blue Reflection Quartet (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 29
Mistfall Hunter (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 31
Corsair Cove (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July 31
Lootbound (Steam)
🆕 NEW RELEASE
July ??
Shift at Midnight (Steam)
👻 STAFF PICK
