The latest Xbox Game Pass library update brought Hell is Us, which is now available on three tiers of the service. Its arrival marks the 12th addition to Xbox Game Pass in July 2026, with three more titles scheduled to join before the end of the month.
Developed by French studio Rogue Factor and published by (also France-based) Nacon, Hell is Us is a 2025 action adventure focused on exploration, offering a semi-open world with no conventional guidance like quest markers, compass, or maps. It tasks players with exploring a ruined world devastated by a mysterious calamity that unleashed a range of hostile creatures, all the while unraveling a story that revolves around human violence and emotion. Although the combat in Hell is Us has some passing similarities to a soulslike (e.g., a stamina meter and a focus on dodging), the overall system is more accessible and ultimately follows its own approach.
Hell is Us Joins Xbox Game Pass Ahead of First Anniversary
Hell is Us joined Xbox Game Pass on July 23, some six weeks ahead of its first anniversary. It is available on every non-Essential tier, namely XGP Ultimate, Premium, and PC Game Pass. Its addition to Microsoft’s subscription library also shows that publisher Nacon remains operational five months after filing for insolvency in early 2026. Since then, the company has entered court-supervised restructuring and kept releasing games, as well as seeking additional revenue from its existing catalog while preparing a full-fledged debt-recovery plan.
In terms of critical acclaim, Hell is Us marks a notable addition to the Xbox Game Pass catalog. It holds a “Strong” rating on OpenCritic, based on 128 reviews with an average score of 78. It also has “Very Positive” user reviews on Steam and a 4.4-star rating on the Xbox Store. Critics praised Hell is Us for its high production values, intoxicating atmosphere, and compelling exploration, among other qualities. Most criticism focused on the combat, which reviewers often described as repetitive.
Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Titles (Confirmed Release Dates Only)
|
Date |
Game |
Game Pass Tier(s) |
Platform(s) |
Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Jul 23 |
Hell is Us |
Ultimate, Premium, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
|
|
Jul 28 |
Halo: Campaign Evolved |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Jul 30 |
Mistfall Hunter |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Jul 31 |
Corsair Cove |
Ultimate, PC |
PC |
|
|
Aug 4 |
Beast of Reincarnation |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Aug 4 |
Heretic + Hexen |
Premium |
Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC |
Available on higher tiers since Aug 2025. |
|
Aug 14 |
Grave Seasons |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Aug 27 |
Resonance: A Plague Tale Legacy |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Sep 29 |
Minecraft Dungeons 2 |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Oct 6 |
Gears of War: E-Day |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Oct 8 |
Forever Ago |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Oct 13 |
Valor Mortis |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release; originally slated for Sep 25 before delay. |
|
Feb 18 |
Persona 4 Revival |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
|
Feb 23 |
Fable |
Ultimate, PC |
Cloud, PC, Series X/S |
Day-one release. |
Three more titles are scheduled to join Xbox Game Pass before the end of the month, beginning with Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28. Another day-one release in Mistfall Hunter is then due to debut on July 30, followed by PC-exclusive Corsair Cove on the final day of the month.
July 31 is also when Xbox Game Pass is set to lose some of its highest-rated games, including Crusader Kings 3. The platform’s next major release is scheduled for August 4, when Beast of Reincarnation, a new game from Pokemon developer Game Freak, is set to debut.
- Released
-
September 4, 2025
- ESRB
-
Mature 17+ // Blood, Intense Violence, Partial Nudity, Sexual Themes, Strong Language, Use of Drugs
- Developer(s)
-
Rogue Factor
