10 great video games releasing in July 2025 you don't want to miss

2025 isn’t letting up with big gaming releases. July is normally one of the quieter months of the year, but thanks to the Switch 2’s recent launch, that isn’t the case this year, so we’re getting a landmark first-party Nintendo release alongside a bunch of other triple-A offerings and high-profile indie releases.

Here’s a rundown of the biggest games dropping in July this year that you don’t want to miss.

EA Sports College Football 26 – July 10

It wouldn’t be summer without a series of sporting releases, and while this year’s Madden game isn’t coming until August, you can get your football fix in the meantime with EA’s College Football offering for the year. It’s releasing on July 10, but you can get advanced access on July 7 by purchasing the deluxe edition.

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 – July 11

Following up 2023’s critically acclaimed remakes of the first two THPS games, this July sees the release of the remakes for 3+4. THPS 3 in particular is considered one of the greatest games of all time, standing as one of Metacritic’s highest-rated games of all time at 97/100. Whether you’re nostalgic for grinding rails and doing tricks or dropping into the series for the first time, this is sure to be a blast.

Donkey Kong Bananza – July 17

After last month’s Donkey Kong Bananza Direct showed the game to be one of Nintendo’s most wild and weird adventures ever, the hype has never been bigger for this one. This first-party 3D platformer from Nintendo will see DK smashing terrain, beating up baddies, and transforming into hilariously disturbing animal hybrids in what looks to be an incredibly deep adventure.

Shadow Labyrinth – July 17

This metroidvania is attracting attention on concept alone, as it seems to be exploring the strange dark side of…Pac-Man. Exactly what form this will take remains to be seen, but you’ll be fighting your way through the world with the iconic yellow sphere by your side as you investigate a strange power.

Wildgate – July 22

Wildgate is a promising title that combines an action-packed first-person shooter with grand spaceship battles. In this PvP shooter, you can take control of spaceships flying around hazardous arenas, or run-and-gun, flinging yourself across the void of space, running along asteroids, and leaping into your opponent’s ships in fast-paced combat.

Monument Valley 3 – July 22

For something a little less intense, the third installment in the Monument Valley series is releasing this month, and it’s more mind-bending than ever. This game sees you explore the world by solving puzzles based on MC Escher-style levels with warped levels, twisted perspective, and a constantly shifting landscape. Despite that, it’s a surprisingly chill experience if you can put your mind to it.

Wuchang: Fallen Feathers  – July 24

Another one in the soulslike bucket, though this one does have a few unique points that might make it interesting to people outside of Souls fans. Wuchang’s combat encourages you to be a lot more aggressive, focusing on dodging more than parrying for a different dynamic. You can check out our recent Wuchang hands-on preview for more details on this title.

Grounded 2 – July 29

Arachnophobes beware, as it’s time to spend more time as a very tiny person in a large garden with Grounded 2, which is launching in early access at the end of this month. This game’s unique perspective made it a smash hit when the original first hit the scene, but even so, a sequel was a surprising reveal. We’ll have to see what fun new ideas this game brings to the table.

Tales of the Shire: A The Lord of the Rings Game – July 29

And this month’s award for clunkiest title goes to…

That mouthful aside, this is a cozy life-sim where you can live out your best Hobbit life in the Shire. You’ll get to spend many peaceful days there cooking, fishing, exploring, and customizing your perfect little hobbit home. It looks like it will tick all the boxes of fun life-sims, with plenty to do and loads of interesting characters to get to know.

Ninja Gaiden: Ragebound – July 31

Nothing cozy about this game to round out the month, as a brand new 2D entry in the series drops that promises to be just as unforgiving as the series’ reputation suggests – why do you think it’s called “Ragebound”? Graphically, it hits the retro-vibe of HD pixel-art, and hopefully the gameplay will match.