The end of June and beginning of July marks the mid-point of the year, a time for the game industry to step back and see how far it's come while still hoping to excite fans about how much is waiting for them just over the horizon. 2019 has already seen a multitude of new video game releases destined to become talking points, including the stellar Outer Wilds, Super Mario Maker 2, and Metro: Exodus, and even more high-profile titles are set to launch later in the year, such as the much-anticipated Death Stranding and Doom: Eternal. With so much content being released on such a steady basis, it can become difficult to keep track of what's coming out just around the corner.
While the summer is not normally known for a high volume of AAA releases, there are still plenty of upcoming games to look forward to, many of them from new developers or coming to new consoles for the first time. It's not just full games, either - July 2019 also sees the release of multiple large-scale DLC packs and expansions to existing properties. There is no better time, as the days grow longer and hotter, to sit in a nice air-conditioned room and dive in to a new game.
One of the greatest things a player can have is a wide range of choice in available products, and July 2019 promises a variety of new releases to choose from. Below is a compiled list of every game releasing this month, as well as a short description in case you are unfamiliar with the property.
ALL GAMES RELEASING IN JULY 2019
- Apex Legends Season 2 (Releasing on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on July 2nd) - Fans of Apex Legends delight – Season 2 has brought new weapon balancing, a new character named Wattson, and all-new map characteristics to King’s Landing. Once nothing but background set dressing, the giant creatures that players could spot off in the distance back in Season 1 are now fully functional, roaming leviathans that travel around the game area crushing buildings and causing quite the distraction. A series of bug fixes has also been implemented.
- Final Fantasy 14 Online: Shadowbringers (Releasing on PC and PS4 on July 2nd) - The next installment in the long-running MMO, Shadowbringers advances the story past the liberation of Ala Mhigo and promises a multi-realm journey of light embracing darkness. New jobs, including Tank and Dancer, have been added for new and returning players to choose from, along with new races like Hrothgar and Viera. The level cap has also been increased, now topping out at 80.
- Red Faction: Guerrilla Re-Mars-tered Edition (Releasing on Switch on July 2nd) - Nearly a decade after the game’s original release, Red Faction: Guerrilla is now coming to the Nintendo Switch. While early reports indicate that the Switch version offers a small amount of framerate hiccups during the largest demolition explosions, the updated graphics and portable nature make this a great choice for anyone who has missed out on Red Faction’s iconic destruction in the past.
- Just Cause 4: Los Demonios DLC (Releasing on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on July 3rd) - The Just Cause series is no stranger to rampant destruction either, and this second expansion pack for Just Cause 4 offers the strangest type of mayhem we’ve seen from the series yet – demonic invasions. With new enemies, new weapons, new locations, and something called a “Demon Egg Supply Drop”, Los Demonios seems like the perfect way to keep this series fresh.
- Stranger Things 3: The Game (Releasing on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on July 4th) - Coming out on the same day Season 3 of Stranger Things drops on Netflix, this game of the same name sees 1-2 players choosing one of the twelve characters from the television show and battling through both familiar and new scenes in an isometric, retro-style co-op beat ‘em up that, upon first glance, is very reminiscent of Michael Jackson’s Moonwalker.
- What Remains of Edith Finch (Releasing on Switch on July 4th) - Originally released in 2017, What Remains of Edith Finch is a story-driven adventure game with a unique visual style that sees players jumping into the memories of various family members in order to determine what happened to them. A winner of multiple awards, including a BAFTA for Best Game, What Remains of Edith Finch is definitely worth checking out if you haven’t yet had the pleasure.
- Wonder Blade (Releasing on PC on July 4th) - Wonder Blade is a side-scrolling hack-and-slash game by Puppet Depot Game Studio. Originally on iOS, the game’s story revolves around a knight who is on a quest to save a princess. This game is also releasing on Android at the same time it comes out on PC.
- Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle (Releasing on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on July 5th) - More of an expansion pack than a sequel, Attack on Titan 2: Final Battle brings content and storylines from Season 3 of the hit TV show and manga to the game, as well as the new ‘Territory’ mode which presents a completely non-canonical way to play the game where players attempt to retake areas controlled by Titans. Featuring a completely re-hauled Story Mode and the ability to battle against human opponents for the first time in the series, this is a must-have for any Attack on Titan fan.
- Sea of Solitude (Releasing on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on July 5th) - In Sea of Solitude, players control Kay, a young woman struggling with her inner demons, as she explores the ruins on a flooded city both on foot and in a boat. The game promises fantastical monsters, third-person platforming, and an answer to what it truly means to be human.
- They Are Billions (Releasing on Xbox One on July 5th and PS4 on July 9th) - They Are Billions is a real-time strategy game that is half steampunk city-builder and half tower-defense. Players build their cities and defenses as best they can before the titular billions – gigantic hordes of zombies – make it to their settlement. Originally a Steam Early Access game, They Are Billions now features new gameplay modes, including a full campaign and one-off Swarm Attack and Hero missions.
- Bear With Me: The Complete Collection and Bear With Me: The Lost Robots (Releasing on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on July 9th) - Bear With Me is a noir point-and-click adventure series by Modus Games in which players take on the role of a bear detective. Originally released episodically, the Complete Collection will allow new players to purchase all four episodes for $14.99, or simply get the brand new The Lost Robots episode for $4.99.
- Senran Kagura Peach Ball (Releasing on Switch on July 9th) - No longer a Japanese exclusive, this M-rated pinball game features gigantic scantily-clad cat girls perched on top of the tables and a surprising number of fans who are excited to see it in its uncensored version. Not for children.
- SolSeraph (Releasing on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on July 10th) - From the team that created Rock of Ages and ZeoClash, SolSeraph is part side-scrolling 2D action title and part isometric tower defense. Players will defend their cities from monsters and then be able to travel to the enemies’ lair themselves to finish the job.
- Space Dance (Releasing on PC on July 10th) - A retro-style twin-stick shooter with vector graphics, Space Dance’s unique mechanic is that enemies appear on screen in time with the background music. As you attack, you are also given the ability to link enemy ships together, creating a smaller safe zone for you to travel in but awarding a higher score combo when multiple connected enemies are destroyed.
- Blazing Chrome (Releasing for PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on July 11th) - A classic run-and-gun inspired by the likes of Contra and Metal Slug, Blazing Chrome promises fully-loaded action and exciting spectacle fights. The art style is immediately evocative of their inspirations, and, yes, it does have 2-player co-op.
- Professor Lupo and his Horrible Pets (Releasing for PC and Switch on July 11th) - A puzzle-action game somewhat reminiscent of the Tomb Raider Go and Hitman Go series, Professor Lupo and his Horrible Pets sees the player as the title character’s intern, an extremely unlucky character who must constantly find a way to not be eaten by the monstrous creatures his boss has accidentally let loose. Features over 100 puzzle levels and a strong narrative focus.
- Dragon Quest Builders 2 (Releasing on PS4 and Switch on July 12th) - Part-Minecraft, part-RPG, Dragon Quest Builders 2 will support up to 4 players as they explore, craft, and build, turning a once ravaged world into the paradise of their dreams. Even better, players will be able to import their save data from Dragon Quest Builders 1, allowing for the creation of special Legendary equipment.
- God Eater 3 (Releasing on Switch on July 12th) - Originally released back in February for PS4 and PC, God Eater 3 is a hack-and-slash action RPG where players are tasked with killing Arigami, gigantic beasts that plague the post-apocalyptic world. Combat mechanics fall somewhere between the rapidness of Devil May Cry and the more focused style of Monster Hunter: World.
- The Sims 4: Island Living Expansion (Releasing on PS4 and Xbox One on July 16th) - It's time to treat the Sims to a vacation on a tropical paradise in this Island Living Expansion Pack. Featuring new jobs like Conservationist, Lifeguard, and Fisherman, as well as island party activities, off-the-grid living, and new clothes, this pack contains everything a player could want for a Caribbean-themed adventure.
- Summer Catchers (Releasing on PC on July 16th) - Take control of Chu, a young girl born in the snowy north, and guide her on a road trip through a pixelated world of magical creatures and distant lands full of mystery in the hopes of fulfilling her lifelong dream of finally seeing summer.
- Tech Corp. (Releasing on PC on July 18th) - An isometric office/business management simulator, Tech Corp. gives players the opportunity to build the largest technology company they possibly can. Starting in the 1990’s and working up to the present day, Tech Corp. appears inspired by other management sims like Game Dev Tycoon, but with far more customization and follow-through.
- Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order (Releasing on Switch on July 19th) - The Guardians of the Galaxy, the X-Men, the Avengers, and more all team up to fight Thanos and his dangerous minions in Marvel Ultimate Alliance 3: The Black Order. New features include a dynamic camera and up to four players on a single screen, whether playing online or local multiplayer.
- Beyond: Two Souls (Releasing on PC on July 22nd) - Developed by Quantic Dream (of Heavy Rain and Detroit: Become Human fame) and originally released in 2013, Beyond: Two Souls stars Ellen Page as Jodie Holmes, a woman with a dark secret in her soul, and Willem Dafoe as Nathan Dawkins, a paranormal researcher.
- KILL la KILL – IF (Releasing on PC on July 25th and PS4 and Switch on July 26th) - Relive the battles of the KILL la KILL anime and find out what happens “IF” characters who never met in the main canon were able to fight each other. Players can utilize guard breaks and evasive attacks to dance around their opponents in this fully-3D cel-shaded anime fighter.
- Songbird Symphony (Releasing on PC, PS4, and Switch on July 25th) - Play as Birb, an orphaned songbird, as he sings and bounces his way across an adorable 2D platforming landscape in order to find out the truth about his parents. A Tokyo Game Show winner for Best Audio, players of Songbird Symphony can expect rhythmic boss battles, challenging puzzles, and an overwhelming amount of cuteness.
- Fire Emblem: Three Houses (Releasing on Switch on July 26th) - The latest adventure in a series that began all the way back in 2003, Fire Emblem: Three Houses tasks players with becoming professors and teaching their students the fundamentals of both academics and battle. While mostly a turned-based, tactical RPG, Three Houses also includes a University where players can freely roam around and interact with their students.
- Wolfenstein: Youngblood (Releasing on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on July 26th) - Perhaps the most anticipated title on this list, Wolfenstein: Youngblood promises to shake things up in the long-running series by opting for a non-linear progression system. In simple terms, this means that in lieu of following a set series of missions and objectives through sometimes tunnel-like levels like in previous games, instead the player will be given the option to take and approach missions in whatever order they choose.
- The Blackout Club (Releasing on PC, PS4, and Xbox One on July 30th) - From Question, the developers of The Magic Circle, comes The Blackout Club, a co-op horror game that pits a small group of wily teenagers against an underground town conspiracy. Originally released in October 2018 as an Early Access title, The Blackout Club supports 1-4 players and features procedurally-generated missions.
- Mutant Year Zero: Seed of Evil Expansion (Releasing on PC, PS4, Switch, and Xbox One on July 30th) - Taking place after the events of Mutant Year Zero: Road to Eden, a new, dangerous enemy appears with a strange power: the ability to control all plant life. Sporting hours of new content, new enemies, and a new playable mutant – Big Khan the Moose – this expansion pack was originally supposed to be a June release but was pushed back a month in order for it to be as polished as possible.
Out of all the titles listed above, it's easy to imagine the ones that inspire the most fervent fan excitement. With Avengers: Endgame still in theaters and the Ultimate Alliance series having a good track record of previous games, The Black Order is poised to be one of the top sellers of the summer. Also high on that list is Wolfenstein: Youngblood, an especially interesting game considering developer MachineGames teamed up with Arkane Studios in order to achieve the quality of open world gameplay they wanted, including the addition of secrets, hidden areas, and side missions. Adding to this is a co-op feature that persists throughout the campaign, another new point for the series, which sees the twin daughters of long-time series protagonist B. J. Blazkowicz following in their father’s footsteps.
There was once a time when the summer months were barren of new video game releases, but with the rise of independent developers and more platforms to play on those days are by and large a thing of the past. July 2019 seems to have a little bit of something for everyone, from anime fighters to walking simulators, and whether you're looking forward to that Demon Egg Drop or Blazin' some Chrome, there's sure to be something interesting coming your way soon.