At 3 a.m. in a Glasgow flat, 16-year-old Liam jolts awake not to an alarm, but a notification. “Hogwarts Legacy is now on Game Pass,” it reads. He scrambles for his controller, heart pounding. For months, he’d saved lunch money for the £50 game. Now, with a £10.99
monthly subscription, he’s walking through the Great Hall before sunrise wand in hand, owl on shoulder, dreams intact.This is the magic of Microsoft’s latest Game Pass drop: not just new games, but second chances, shared adventures, and childhood fantasies made real all without breaking the bank.
A Library, Not Just a Store
In one of its boldest moves yet, Microsoft has added over 45 new titles to Xbox Game Pass across console, PC, and Cloud including day-one releases, beloved classics, and a surprise vault of Ubisoft gems. Headliners like Hogwarts Legacy, Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, Far Cry 6, and Watch Dogs: Legion join deep cuts like Child of Light, Rayman Legends, and The Crew 2.
Even more striking: Microsoft confirmed a multi-year deal with Ubisoft to bring 15+ back-catalog titles to Game Pass over the next 12 months starting now. “We want players to explore entire universes, not just single games,” said Xbox head Phil Spencer in a brief statement.
For students, parents, and gig workers stretched thin by the cost-of-living crisis, this isn’t just convenient it’s transformative. “I can’t afford £60 games,” says Maria, a nursing student in Lisbon. “But for the price of two coffees a month, I’m exploring ancient Egypt and casting Patronus charms. That’s hope.”
More Than Blockbusters A Lifeline for Discovery
The list also shines a light on indie brilliance:
- Cocoon (the mind-bending puzzle gem from Limbo’s lead designer)
- Viewfinder (a photography-based reality-warping adventure)
- Dome Keeper (a tense mix of mining and tower defense)
- Chants of Sennaar (a linguistics-driven narrative puzzle game)
These aren’t filler. They’re curated experiences games that challenge, heal, and surprise. And with Cloud streaming, even those without consoles can play Hogwarts Legacy on a phone or old laptop.
The Human Cost of Access
Yet the joy is tinged with urgency. Microsoft confirmed that Red Dead Redemption 2 and Resident Evil 4 Remake will leave Game Pass next month. The message is clear: play now, or pay later.
For players like Liam, that impermanence adds poignancy. “I know Hogwarts won’t be here forever,” he says, watching the sun rise over Hogsmeade. “So I’m savoring every spell. Every secret. Like it’s borrowed time.”
And in a way, it is. Game Pass has become more than a subscription it’s a shared cultural moment, a digital campfire where millions gather to experience stories together, knowing the fire might go out tomorrow.
Your Library Awaits
So whether you’re dueling Death Eaters, scaling Norse fjords as Eivor, or solving ancient language puzzles in a tower of babel today is a good day to press Start.
Because in a world where entertainment keeps getting pricier, Game Pass remains a rare promise:
Great stories shouldn’t be locked behind gold-plated gates.
They belong to everyone.
Full Highlights from the July 2024 Game Pass Drop:
- Hogwarts Legacy
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla
- Far Cry 6
- Watch Dogs: Legion
- The Crew 2
- Child of Light
- Rayman Legends
- Cocoon
- Viewfinder
- Dome Keeper
- Chants of Sennaar
- Immortals Fenyx Rising
- Steep
- Rocksmith+ (PC)
- Metal: Hellsinger
(Full list available on Xbox.com. Titles added July 16–18, 2024.)
Xbox Game Pass July 2024, Hogwarts Legacy on Game Pass, Ubisoft games Game Pass, affordable gaming subscription, indie games on Game Pass
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