"Obsidian's Departure from Xbox One Results in Enhanced Aspect of Grounded 2"
In the summer of 2025, I found myself in L.A. for the blistering hot Summer Game Fest. Employees at Xbox must've sensed my journalistic senses, because they dropped a bomb on me - 2025 is the "year of Obsidian" for them, and guess what? Three games are about to drop from this badass studio! Nothing screams that louder than the upcoming sequel, Grounded 2.
I managed to get my grubby little paws on a sneak peek of this bad boy during the Xbox Games Showcase. And lemme tell ya, I got a good 30 minutes with Chris Parker, one of the brains behind Obsidian Entertainment and the game director on Grounded 2.
The demo opened up with a hearty dose of story. The kids, having been shrunk once again, are now two years older than their last adventure. Their growth was a deliberate choice to let younger players (who probably grew up with Grounded during the pandemic) experience a bit of maturity in the sequel.
So, what's changed? Well, apart from the age, the team also switched to newer Xbox hardware, which Parker claims helped them execute their vision more smoothly.
As grounded as ever in our oversized world, I started off building some spears and busting my way through a tutorial. Not too long after, I found myself in a game save with a solid base, some top-notch weapons, and the most coveted item - a Buggy!
Buggys, read up, are new additions to Grounded 2. These bad boys allow you to hitch a ride on tamed bugs, making exploration a breeze and combat against larger creatures more manageable. The original Grounded got plenty of updates, but the team eventually moved on to new projects, citing platform issues as a major factor.
Obtaining a Buggy ain't gonna be a walk in the park come launch day, though. You'll need to swipe an egg from a Fire Ant or Orb Weaver nest and hightail it back to base, but let's be real - one wrong move, and those critters will hunt you down faster than you can shake a stick.
Parker shared that different Buggys are meant to have different roles, whether it's recruiting workers for the Fire Ant or using the Orb Weaver's roar to stun enemies in combat. Riding on a Fire Ant feels like a wild rollercoaster ride through the grass, making it a helluva lot quicker to conquer the map.
The game's map is set to be as large as the first game at launch, but Parker expects Grounded 2 to balloon to three times the size of its predecessor as updates drop over time.
Of course, a big part of that expansion strategy involves partnering with Eidos Montreal for external development support. It makes it easier for Obsidian to introduce new creatures, Buggys, and areas as time goes on.
Lastly, I asked Parker what kind of feedback the team hopes to hear from players. His reply? "I hope they're having fun!" Aside from that, he's eagerly awaiting feedback on Buggys, particularly whether players appreciate the method and process of obtaining and maintaining them. The devs are also excited to hear what isn't working so they can make Grounded 2 the best it can be.
Grounded 2 is launching in "Game Preview" for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud, and Windows PC, with Early Access coming to Steam on July 29, 2025. If you wanna get ready for the rodeo, check it out on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass!
- The demo of Grounded 2 showcased during the Xbox Games Showcase involved newer Xbox hardware, which the game director, Chris Parker, claimed helped the team execute their vision more smoothly.
- Buggys, new additions to Grounded 2, allow players to hitch a ride on tamed bugs for easier exploration and combat against larger creatures. However, obtaining a Buggy will require players to be careful, as they'll need to swipe an egg from a Fire Ant or Orb Weaver nest and return it safely to their base.
- Grounded 2 is set to launch in "Game Preview" for the Xbox Series X|S, Xbox Cloud, and Windows PC, with Early Access coming to Steam on July 29, 2025. If players want to prepare for the game, they can check it out on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass.
- The team behind Grounded 2, Obsidian Entertainment, is eager to hear feedback from players, particularly about the Buggys and the process of obtaining and maintaining them. The developers hope that players are enjoying the game and having fun, and are also excited to hear about any issues so they can make Grounded 2 the best it can be.
