Xbox Game Pass Adds Scary Day-One Co-Op Detective Game

Some Xbox Game Pass users can start playing Shift at Midnight as part of their subscriptions starting today, July 22. The day-one indie title marks the service’s 11th new release in July 2026, further expanding the Xbox Game Pass co-op catalog.

Originally announced in June 2025, Shift at Midnight is essentially a terrifying twist on TCG Card Shop Simulator. Like the viral 2024 indie hit, it tasks players with running a store, but swaps a modern trading card shop for a rural 1990s gas station. Its moment-to-moment gameplay, however, leans far more toward survival horror than management simulation, with players trying to identify customers who are not human. Failure does not necessarily mean game over, but it makes surviving until dawn much more difficult.

Shift at Midnight Lands on Xbox Game Pass After Multiple Delays

The co-op doppelgänger detective game officially launched on July 22, which is also when it landed on Microsoft’s subscription service. Shift at Midnight was previously planned to reach Xbox Game Pass earlier, but ended up suffering multiple small delays. It is now available to XGP Ultimate and PC Game Pass subscribers, with the Premium-tier library expected to receive it sometime between January and June 2027.

Shift at Midnight continues Xbox Game Pass’s run of day-one “friendslop” releases, offering another example of the fast-growing genre. Although playable solo, the game is designed primarily for teams of three. Players can perform up to five investigative actions on each customer, including asking questions and examining their ID. When everything fails and a dangerous creature escapes, players can place traps, barricade themselves, flee, or hide. The game also includes some combat options, but they are intended as a last resort rather than a reliable strategy against the horrors that hide in the dark.

All Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games with Officially Confirmed Release Dates

With Shift at Midnight officially out, there are two more day-one titles coming to Xbox Game Pass before the end of July 2026: Halo: Campaign Evolved and Mistfall Hunter. The former is due to debut on July 28, while the latter releases two days later. Beyond that, this month’s lineup still has Hell is Us scheduled for July 23 and Corsair Cove for July 31.

One final monthly catalog change remains on the horizon: the July 31 departure wave. It will remove eight games, including some of the service’s highest-rated titles, such as Crusader Kings 3 and Celeste. It will also bring the total monthly removals to 18, making July 2026 the first month in more than a year in which Xbox Game Pass loses more games than it adds.

Systems

Released

May 28, 2026

Developer(s)

Bun Muen

Publisher(s)

Kwalee

Multiplayer

Online Co-Op

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