Xbox Game Pass Adds Its Final Game for July 2025, and It’s a Day-One Title

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As a thrilled fan, I’m excited to share that I can now dive into the world of Grounded 2, as it has just landed on my Xbox Game Pass! This game is now part of both the PC and Ultimate-tier catalogs, making it accessible for me across multiple platforms. This day-one release marks the 17th new title added to Xbox Game Pass in July 2025, wrapping up the month with a bang. Additionally, it’s the 96th new addition since the beginning of this action-packed year!

In simple terms, the upcoming project from cherished role-playing game (RPG) studio Obsidian Entertainment, known as Grounded 2, is an open-world survival game that blends RPG elements, similar to its forerunner.

In just under two months since the unexpected reveal of “Grounded 2“, Obsidian’s latest release is now accessible on the Xbox Series X/S and PC as of July 29. Similar to its predecessor, the sequel initially launched as an early access title, intended to remain in active development for several years, with player input shaping its progression. Although it doesn’t offer a last-gen version, “Grounded 2” can theoretically be played on the Xbox One through Xbox Cloud Gaming, which is a unique advantage for XGP Ultimate subscribers.

New and Upcoming Xbox Game Pass Games

Game Game Pass Tier(s) Platform(s) Date Notes
Grounded 2 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Jul 29 Day-one (Game Preview) release.
Farming Simulator 25 Standard, PC, Ultimate Cloud, Console, PC Aug 1
Gears of War: Reloaded Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Aug 26 Day-one release.
Frostpunk 2 Ultimate Series X/S Sep 18 Available on PC Game Pass since Sep 20, 2024.
Keeper Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Oct 17 Day-one release.
Ninja Gaiden 4 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Oct 21 Day-one release.
The Outer Worlds 2 Ultimate, PC Cloud, PC, Series X/S Oct 29 Day-one release.

Initially, Obsidian Entertainment’s first game titled “Grounded” spent approximately two years in an early access phase. The team based in California hasn’t revealed a detailed timeline for the sequel’s early access, although it seems likely that the project may adhere to a similar schedule. However, Obsidian has made it clear that Grounded 2 will have a less frequent but more substantial update schedule compared to its predecessor. During the early access period of Grounded, the studio initially aimed for monthly updates, but found this pace to be stressful and counterproductive, as it caused frustration among both fans and developers. Consequently, updates during the early access phase of Grounded 2 will be fewer in number, but larger in content volume.

When Will Grounded 2 Launch on Xbox Game Pass Standard?

Initially, the Game Preview edition of Obsidian’s newest game isn’t accessible for Xbox Game Pass Basic members at this time. Following typical trends, it’s anticipated that Grounded 2 will be added to the Basic library around August 2026, with a possible release as early as January of the same year.

For now, Microsoft’s subscription service catalog will be updated on July 31. On that date, Xbox Game Pass will see three games being removed. Farming Simulator 25 is set to join the platform the next day. There’s a possibility that the lineup for August 2025 might also be announced then, although it’s traditionally been done on Tuesdays, so we might instead hear about it on August 5 due to the date falling on a Friday. Looking a bit further ahead, Gears of War: Reloaded, a remaster of the original 2006 GoW game, has already been confirmed for the Wave 2 lineup in August and is scheduled for release on August 26.

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2025-07-29 20:18