Sony has confirmed the PS Plus Essential lineup for July 2026, headlined by a major AAA shooter. All three titles - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III, For the King II, and CrossCode - are available to PlayStation Plus members from July 7 until August 3, covering both PS5 and PS4. The games go live at the same time globally, with the PS Store updating around noon local time, meaning Japan, Asia, Australia, and New Zealand get access first.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is a 2023 first-person shooter developed by Sledgehammer Games and published by Activision. It is the twentieth main installment of the Call of Duty series and the third entry in the rebooted Modern Warfare sub-series. The game was released on November 10, 2023, for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
The PS Plus version includes a campaign that continues the events of Modern Warfare II, following Captain Price and Task Force 141 as they pursue Vladimir Makarov, alongside modernised versions of the 16 multiplayer maps from Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 (2009) and the franchise's largest Zombies experience to date - an open-world PvE mode supporting multiple squads.
Upon release, Modern Warfare III received mixed reviews, with criticism directed at its campaign. The game was originally conceived as an expansion for Modern Warfare II, before being morphed into a full sequel - developed in just 16 months. For subscribers who skipped it at launch, this is an easy way to sample the multiplayer and Zombies content without paying full price.
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PS Plus members picking this up for the first time can compare it to the current going rate - Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III is available to buy outright from AU$33.48 via the price comparison table above.
For the King II
For the King II is a tactical RPG developed by IronOak Games and published by Curve Games, and is the sequel to For the King (2018). It features turn-based combat with roguelite elements - including a procedurally generated map and permadeath - with combat taking place on a grid supporting up to four party members.
The game launched on Windows in November 2023, with ports for PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S following on December 12, 2024. That console debut is less than two years old, making it fresher than its "nearly a decade old" billing in some coverage - though the original For the King dates to 2018.
CrossCode
CrossCode is a 2018 action role-playing game developed by Radical Fish Games and published by Deck13. Players control Lea, a character inside a fictional MMORPG called CrossWorlds, employing both ranged and melee attacks to solve puzzles and defeat enemies across differing elemental modes.
The game received "generally favorable reviews" according to Metacritic, with OpenCritic assessing "mighty" approval - recommended by 87% of critics. It is the oldest game in this month's trio by some distance, but its critical reputation means PS subscribers unfamiliar with it are getting good value.
The Full July 2026 Lineup at a Glance
| Game | Genre | Developer | Original Release | Platforms |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Call of Duty: MWIII | FPS | Sledgehammer Games | Nov 2023 | PS5, PS4 |
| For the King II | Tactical RPG | IronOak Games | Nov 2023 (PC) / Dec 2024 (PS) | PS5, PS4 |
| CrossCode | Action RPG | Radical Fish Games | Sep 2018 (PC) / Jul 2020 (console) | PS5, PS4 |
Editorial Take
July's lineup is led by one of the biggest franchises in gaming - even if Modern Warfare III's mixed reception means it is not the strongest entry to headline a PS Plus month. The real discoveries here may be For the King II's four-player co-op roguelite and CrossCode's critically acclaimed retro action-RPG loop. For deal-hunters who never pulled the trigger on MWIII at launch, July 7 is the simplest way in.
