Three games are heading your way on July 7, and your PlayStation Plus subscription is the only thing you need to claim them. Sony has confirmed the Essential lineup for July 2026, and it covers a solid spread of genres: a blockbuster shooter, a co-op roguelite, and a beloved indie action-RPG.
All three titles are available on both PS5 and PS4, and you have until August 3 to add them to your library. Quick reminder: if you haven't grabbed June's PS Plus offerings yet, that window closes on July 7, so sort that out first.
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Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 Cross-Gen Bundle
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 (2023) is probably the most divisive entry in the PS Plus lineup this month. The game shipped as a direct continuation of 2022's Modern Warfare II, picking up immediately after its events with Captain Price and Task Force 141 chasing down ultranationalist war criminal Vladimir Makarov across a series of globe-trotting missions.
Here's the thing: the campaign was criticized pretty heavily on launch for feeling underdeveloped, with several missions leaning on open-combat sandbox formats that divided fans. But the multiplayer brought back a massive roster of classic maps from the original MW3, and the Zombies mode offered a new open-world format. As a free pickup, it's a worthwhile grab if you want to spend time in the multiplayer or work through the Zombies content with friends.
The Cross-Gen Bundle means you get both the PS4 and PS5 versions in one claim.
For the King 2 brings co-op roguelite chaos
If you've got friends to play with, For the King 2 is the sleeper pick of this month's batch. The game drops players into the land of Fahrul with a mission to take down a tyrannical queen, either solo or in co-op with up to 3 others.
The structure pulls heavily from tabletop RPG design: turn-based combat, randomized maps, and permadeath that keeps every run feeling fresh. The Dark Carnival mode is where things get particularly intense, pitting your group against an escalating dungeon crawl that tests how far you can push before the difficulty overwhelms you. For a co-op night with friends, it's a strong option.
CrossCode is the real gem here
Let's be direct: CrossCode is the standout of July's lineup, and if you haven't played it yet, this is the push you needed.
Developed by Radical Fish Games, CrossCode wraps a sci-fi MMO narrative around 16-bit-style visuals and action-RPG mechanics that punch well above the game's indie budget. The combat is fast and skill-based, the puzzle design is genuinely clever, and the RPG progression gives you enough build variety to stay invested across a lengthy campaign. It's the kind of game that shows up on "best indie RPGs" lists for a reason.
Radical Fish recently launched their follow-up, Alabaster Dawn, in Steam Early Access, which makes this a good moment to catch up on CrossCode before that game potentially expands to consoles. Check out our gaming guides for tips on getting the most out of both titles.
What this means for PS Plus subscribers
July's lineup offers something for nearly every type of PS Plus member. MW3 handles the blockbuster quota, For the King 2 covers the co-op crowd, and CrossCode gives solo players a meaty RPG to sink time into. None of these are day-one releases, but that's the point of PS Plus Essential: it's a catalog builder, not a launch-day service.
All three games go live on July 7 and remain claimable through August 3. While you're in a PlayStation state of mind, it's worth checking out our guide on GTA 6 PS5 exclusive features to see what else your PS5 hardware is capable of this year. And if you've been playing Saros, there are also free PSN avatars up for grabs through limited-time regional codes worth grabbing before they expire.
