Xbox and Obsidian Announce Early Access Roadmap for Grounded 2

Sure, let’s dive into this madness and give it a whirl.

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Alright, so here’s the deal: Grounded 2 is finally out. It’s that bizarre bug-survival thing from Obsidian, y’know? The same folks who gave us, what, Avowed and they’re cooking up The Outer Worlds 2 too. Madness. Anyway, you’re diving into all this bug business on Xbox Series X|S, PC, Steam – whatever floats your tech boat, yeah? And if you’re rollin’ with Xbox Game Pass, it’s all there. They’ve slapped a $29.99 price tag on it. Or, if you’re feelin’ fancy, there’s a glam $39.99 Founder’s Edition with extra bling – some art book and tunes, ’cause why not?

Jump in and it hits you – this isn’t the backyard you remember. Nah, it’s a big ol’ chunk of Brookhollow Park now, like a fifth of this huge map. You’ve got bugs you can ride, like actual Buggy rides, and I’m talkin’ ant soldiers and those creepy orb weavers. And more stuff to craft with than you’ll ever get round to. It’s like, take all you knew about Grounded, throw glitter on it, and voila, it’s bigger and buggier.

But wait, there’s more! Apparently, Obsidian’s got plans – yep, a whole roadmap, like a treasure map but for gameplay updates. They’re dribbling out these updates season by season. So, Fall ’25, Winter ’25, Summer ’26 – they’re dishing out fresh chaos on schedule. Oh, and there’s this AXL boss? It’s a tarantula, I think. Nasty little (or not-so-little) critter. Quick note to self: don’t get smushed.

Coming your way are new gears and quality-of-life tweaks. However—and here’s the kicker—they’re teasing us with content drops like breadcrumbs, complete with Steam Deck fun and all.

Then roll on next summer, right? It’s goin’ all swimmable and stuff. Like, who sees a backyard and goes, “Ya know what this needs? Watery bases.” But hey, here we are, with aquatic adventures on the way. Also, some secret bits Obsidian’s keeping hush about, but we know they’re more park spots. Scandalous.

And what do the folks think? Critics, they’re loving it. Some fancy chatter from Zachary Boddy about ambitiousness and all that. Sam Tolbert, bless him, can barely contain his excitement. Players though? Bit of a mixed bag there on Steam – flying high on player count but tumbling on reviews. Only 67% of folks happy, grumbling about bugs (not the kind you ride).

So here’s a thought: if you’re an Xbox Game Pass bandwagoner, dive in risk-free. Otherwise, maybe hold off until it’s polished and shines. Just a suggestion. Not that you asked.

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Phew, there it is, in all its haphazard glory.