A Game Pass Addition Worth Genuinely Celebrating
In a month where Xbox Game Pass has faced scrutiny over the quality of its additions amid the broader Microsoft Gaming restructuring, one announcement has cut through the noise. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 — the 2020 remaster collection that reminded an entire generation why these games were legendary — joins Xbox Game Pass on July 21, 2026. For Game Pass subscribers, this is genuinely one of the best additions to the service in months.
What Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 Actually Is
Released in 2020 by Vicarious Visions — the studio later absorbed into Blizzard Entertainment — Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is a ground-up rebuild of the first two games in the series, rebuilt in Unreal Engine 4 with modernized controls, stunning environmental detail, and the complete soundtrack from both originals. It received a 90 on Metacritic and is widely considered one of the best remasters ever made — a rare case of a modern studio understanding exactly what made a classic work and updating every technical element while preserving the soul completely intact.
Why This Matters for Game Pass Right Now
With Microsoft Gaming announcing 3,200 layoffs and four studio departures this week, the morale around Xbox's ecosystem has taken a significant hit. Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 landing on Game Pass on July 21 does not fix those structural problems, but it is the kind of high-quality, universally beloved addition that reminds subscribers why they signed up in the first place. Combined with Palworld 1.0 on July 10 and Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28, Game Pass's July lineup is stronger than it initially appeared despite the corporate turbulence surrounding it.
The Rest of July Game Pass — A Surprisingly Solid Month
Beyond Tony Hawk, July's Game Pass additions include Palworld 1.0 on July 10, Wuthering Waves — the popular open-world action RPG — on July 10, time-bending roguelike Ascend to Zero on July 13, the co-op extraction platformer FixForce on July 17, planet-building sim The Planet Crafter on July 21, and the flagship addition Halo: Campaign Evolved on July 28. Buckshot Roulette, the viral indie Russian roulette game, was also quietly added as a surprise addition. For a month that looked light on paper, the actual lineup has shaped up reasonably well.
What This Means for Indian Game Pass Subscribers
Indian Game Pass subscribers getting Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 at no additional cost on July 21 is excellent value. The game originally sold for ₹2,499 on Indian storefronts and remains a premium-priced title. Combined with Palworld 1.0 and the rest of July's lineup, Indian subscribers with Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass have a genuinely strong month of content available before the fall release rush begins. If you have been considering whether Game Pass is worth renewing given the Xbox restructuring news, July's lineup — anchored by Tony Hawk — gives you a reasonable argument for staying subscribed through at least August.
My Take
Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 1+2 is the kind of game that makes you remember gaming is supposed to be fun. No open world to navigate, no hundred-hour commitment, no seasonal battle pass — just tightly designed levels, a legendary soundtrack, and the pure satisfaction of chaining tricks together in a way that feels genuinely earned. It is the perfect palette cleanser for a month where the gaming industry has felt heavy with layoffs and restructuring news. July 21 cannot come soon enough.
