{"id":11452,"date":"2026-07-07T16:18:44","date_gmt":"2026-07-07T13:18:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/?p=11452"},"modified":"2026-07-07T19:25:19","modified_gmt":"2026-07-07T15:55:19","slug":"xbox-makes-first-game-pass-lineup-announcement-following-layoffs-and-ceo-asha-sharmas-admission-that-microsofts-gaming-strategy-failed-to-work-out","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/2026\/07\/07\/xbox-makes-first-game-pass-lineup-announcement-following-layoffs-and-ceo-asha-sharmas-admission-that-microsofts-gaming-strategy-failed-to-work-out\/","title":{"rendered":"Xbox Makes First Game Pass Lineup Announcement Following Layoffs \u2014 and CEO Asha Sharma&#8217;s Admission That Microsoft&#8217;s Gaming Strategy Failed to Work Out"},"content":{"rendered":"<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Microsoft has announced the July lineup of games for Game Pass in its first announcement following the layoffs that ripped through the Xbox business yesterday.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">CEO Asha Sharma cut 1,600 staff from Xbox yesterday, with another 1,600 staff to go over the course of the next 12 months. Four studios have left Microsoft as part of the restructure, which Sharma called the \u201cmost significant in Xbox history.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Explaining the cuts, Sharma admitted that Microsoft\u2019s gaming strategy had failed, and a key part of that failure had to do with Game Pass. The Wall Street Journal said that Microsoft had expected Game Pass subscriptions to hit around 77 million this year, but it currently has only about 30 million. As revealed during the FTC vs Microsoft trial of 2023, Microsoft had hoped for 100 million subscribers by 2030, which seems very unlikely at this stage.<\/p>\n<p><span data-cy=\"slideshow-view-trigger\"><\/p>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-preview\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 slideshow-preview\">\n<h3 class=\"title5 jsx-62124236 jsx-1085005187\" data-cy=\"slideshow-preview-title\">The 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time<\/h3>\n<div data-cy=\"slideshow-images-container\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 images-container\"><button type=\"button\" data-cy=\"hero-image\" aria-label=\"Open Slideshow\" class=\"jsx-1711207865 hero-image\">&lt;img alt=&quot;What is an Xbox? Microsoft has spent 25 years trying to answer the question, but for fans, the answer is easy: \u201cXbox\u201d evokes one-eared headsets wired into the memory card slots of massive controllers with breakaway cords. A dashboard with gleaming skeuomorphic blades and avatars adorned in earned accessories. That sound that plays when a hard-earned Achievement finally pops. \u201cXbox\u201d means heavy-duty hardware. Tactile sensations. Friends connecting for the first time. And that\u2019s before we even get to the games.<\/p>\n<p>It may be that the very idea of an Xbox game is coming to an end. Microsoft has undeniably shifted its tactics, with a new focus on multi-platform releases, handheld Xboxes that are actually miniature Windows computers, and the potential that future Xbox consoles may simply be gaming PCs. So now seems as good a time as any to look back at the entire history of Microsoft\u2019s console journey and rank the best Xbox games, with help from our friends at Outside Xbox, the multimillion-subscriber channel that serves up weekly videos about video games and video game-adjacent things<\/p>\n<p>When we say \u201cthe best Xbox games,\u201d we mean the ones that most evoke that weighty sense of \u201cXboxness.\u201d Some are first-party, most are exclusives, and all of them are indelibly tied to the legacy of and fondness for a platform that\u2019s left a massive mark on gaming. These are the 100 Best Xbox Games of All Time. We&#8217;ll be updating this list daily with 25 games at 7am PST\/10am ET\/3pm GMT from Tuesday, 20th January to Friday, 23rd January, until number one is revealed.<\/p>\n<p>&#8221; decoding=&#8221;async&#8221; class=&#8221;progressive-image jsx-2896921488 image aspect-ratio aspect-ratio-16-9 jsx-2605834259 jsx-2338608387 hover-opacity&#8221; loading=&#8221;lazy&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xbox-makes-first-game-pass-lineup-announcement-following-layoffs-and-ceo-asha-sharmas-admission-that-microsofts-gaming-strategy-failed-to-work-out.gif&#8221; data-cy=&#8221;progressive-image&#8221;&gt;<span class=\"button-text jsx-729543028 button button--primary jsx-3381835873 jsx-4266531355 row-pagination-button next contained centered round large\" data-cy=\"paginate next\" title=\"Open Slideshow\"><span class=\"ign-icon right-chevron jsx-2750866048 jsx-2919720488\" role=\"presentation\" aria-hidden=\"true\" data-cy=\"right-chevron\"><\/span><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/span><\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">\u201cOur business today is not healthy,\u201d Sharma said. \u201cWe are operating at margins that are 3-10x lower than comparable platform and publishing businesses. We entered Gen 9 with a smaller install base and a higher cost structure. To grow, we bet on Game Pass, multi-platform, and a broader portfolio of content. While those businesses have created meaningful value, they did not grow at the pace we expected. As that happened, our core business weakened, and we added more teams, more investment, and more time, hoping for a better outcome. And now the industry is facing the most severe hardware crisis in its history. We must reset Xbox.\u201d<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Amid questions about the future of Game Pass and its importance to Xbox, Microsoft has announced what subscribers can expect during the first half of this month. There are some big names in here, from Tony Hawk\u2019s Pro Skater 1+ 2 to Palworld 1.0 (Palworld is already in Game Pass, but its 1.0 launch is set for July 10).<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">Available today, July 6, is 2.5D action Metroidvania Winds of Arcana: Ruination (Cloud, Console, Handheld, and PC) across Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass. The only day one title is Ascend to Zero (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC), which hits Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass on July 13.<\/p>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\">There is no mention of any of the cuts or studio exists in Microsoft&#8217;s Xbox Wire post announcing the Game Pass lineup.<\/p>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Xbox Game Pass July 2026 Wave 1 lineup:<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"list jsx-4224303756\" data-cy=\"list\">\n<li>Gears of War: Reloaded (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) \u2013 July 9 Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>Tamashika (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) \u2013 July 9 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>Ascend to Zero (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) \u2013 July 13 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>PBA Pro Bowling 2026 (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) \u2013 July 14 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, and PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>Quarantine Zone: The Last Check (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) \u2013 July 15 Now with Game Pass Premium; joining Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>Mavrix by Matt Jones (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, Handheld, and PC) \u2013 July 16 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>FixForce (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) \u2013 July 17 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>Fogpiercer (PC) \u2013 July 17 Game Pass Ultimate, PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>The Planet Crafter (Cloud, XBOX Series X|S, and PC) \u2013 July 21 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<li>Tony Hawk\u2019s Pro Skater 1 + 2 (Cloud, Console, and PC) \u2013 July 21 Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, PC Game Pass<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2 data-cy=\"title2\" class=\"title2 jsx-1903782357 jsx-3735650234\">Xbox Game Pass titles leaving July 15<\/h2>\n<ul class=\"list jsx-4224303756\" data-cy=\"list\">\n<li>Dungeons of Hinterberg (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>EA Sports Football Club 24 (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>Stellaris (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>Golf With Your Friends (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>Minami Lane (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>Powerwash Simulator (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>Shadow of the Tomb Raider Definitive Edition (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>Splitgate: Arena Reloaded (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<li>Super Fantasy Kingdom (Game Preview) (PC)<\/li>\n<li>Techtonica (Game Preview) (Cloud, Console, and PC)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p data-cy=\"paragraph\" class=\"paragraph jsx-2269604527\"><em>Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.<\/em><\/p>\n<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xbox-makes-first-game-pass-lineup-announcement-following-layoffs-and-ceo-asha-sharmas-admission-that-microsofts-gaming-strategy-failed-to-work-out.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xbox-makes-first-game-pass-lineup-announcement-following-layoffs-and-ceo-asha-sharmas-admission-that-microsofts-gaming-strategy-failed-to-work-out.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"media_block\"><a href=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xbox-makes-first-game-pass-lineup-announcement-following-layoffs-and-ceo-asha-sharmas-admission-that-microsofts-gaming-strategy-failed-to-work-out.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/07\/xbox-makes-first-game-pass-lineup-announcement-following-layoffs-and-ceo-asha-sharmas-admission-that-microsofts-gaming-strategy-failed-to-work-out.jpg\" class=\"media_thumbnail\"><\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":11453,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"Default","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[49],"tags":[50],"class_list":["post-11452","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-49","tag-50"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11452","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=11452"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11452\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":11454,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/11452\/revisions\/11454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/11453"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=11452"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=11452"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/imdbnews.ir\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=11452"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}