Xbox announced what it termed the “most significant restructure” in the company’s history on Monday, confirming that 3,200 employees will be laid off by July 2027. In the corresponding memo, Xbox CEO Asha Sharma candidly admitted that Xbox Game Pass growth has faltered, missing internal targets. Recent data suggests the service currently holds 30 million subscribers—a regression from the 34 million reported in February 2024 and significantly trailing the 77 million milestone initially projected for July 2026.
<p>Compounding these difficulties is the timing of the latest Game Pass content refresh. The company confirmed on Tuesday the <a href="https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/07/07/xbox-game-pass-july-2026-wave-1/" rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" target="_blank">wave of titles arriving and departing</a> during the first half of July. Unfortunately, subscribers are set to lose 10 games on July 15, including one of the most compelling dungeon crawlers currently available.</p>
<p><em>Dungeons of Hinterberg</em>, which debuted on the platform in July 2024, is a highlight of the departing list. The game masterfully blends classic dungeon-crawling mechanics with social simulation elements, tasking players with conquering perilous ruins by day and forging personal connections by night. It features an remarkably relatable protagonist, Luisa, who abandons her burnout-fueled professional life for a vacation that, rather than involving seaside relaxation, pits her against supernatural monsters in a uniquely satisfying combat system.</p>
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<p><em>Dungeons of Hinterberg</em> is only one of several departures slated for July 15. The following titles will also be leaving the service:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>Dungeons of Hinterberg</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>EA Sports FC 24</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>Stellaris</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>Golf With Your Friends</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>Minami Lane</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>Powerwash Simulator</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>Splitgate: Arena Reloaded</em> (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
<li><em>Super Fantasy Kingdom</em> (Game Preview) (PC)</li>
<li><em>Techtonica</em> (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC)</li>
</ul>
<p>In an effort to balance these removals, Xbox is introducing a new batch of games. Whether high-profile additions like <em>Gears of War: Reloaded</em> in the Premium tier are sufficient to reverse the current subscriber decline remains an open question. Here is the full list of titles coming to the service throughout mid-July:</p>
<ul>
<li><em>Winds of Arcana: Ruination</em> (Cloud, Console, Handheld, PC) — Available now</li>
<li><em>Gears of War: Reloaded</em> (Cloud, Series X, Handheld, PC) — July 9</li>
<li><em>Tamashika</em> (Cloud, Series X, Handheld, PC) — July 9</li>
<li><em>Ascend to Zero</em> (Cloud, Series X, Handheld, PC) — July 13</li>
<li><em>PBA Pro Bowling 2026</em> (Cloud, Series X, PC) — July 14</li>
<li><em>Quarantine Zone: The Last Check</em> (Cloud, Series X, PC) — July 15</li>
<li><em>Mavrix by Matt Jones</em> (Cloud, Series X, Handheld, PC) — July 16</li>
<li><em>FixForce</em> (Cloud, Series X, PC) — July 17</li>
<li><em>Fogpiercer</em> (PC) — July 17</li>
<li><em>The Planet Crafter</em> (Cloud, Series X, PC) — July 21</li>
<li><em>Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 1 + 2</em> (Cloud, Console, PC) — July 21</li>
</ul>
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</div>Source: Polygon
