Grounded 2 (2025): Your Complete Guide to the Backyard Survival Sequel
Grounded 2 is the official sequel to Obsidian Entertainment’s hit survival game, launching July 29, 2025, in Early Access on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox Cloud, and Windows PC (Steam and Xbox App). It goes live day one on Xbox Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass
What Is Grounded 2?
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The game continues the tiny-survival adventure of players miniaturized into an overgrown suburban park called Brookhollow Park—now significantly larger than the original backyard map
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Released in Game Preview/Early Access to gather player feedback and refine gameplay systems before full launch
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Supports single-player and co-op (up to four players)
Launch & Pricing
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Early Access release date: July 29, 2025 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST (5 p.m. UTC), globally synchronized
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Standard Early Access price: $29.99; available free for Game Pass Ultimate/PC Game Pass subscribers
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Founder’s Edition: $39.99—includes cosmetic skins, emotes, artbook, soundtrack. Upgrades available via a $9.99 Founder’s Pack
Gameplay and New Features
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Set two years after the original, allowing characters and players to evolve and mature
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Buggy systemic mounts let players ride insects like ants or orb weaver spiders into combat and exploration—Obsidian’s most requested feature
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Enhanced RPG elements: expanded crafting, base-building tools, deeper progression systems
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Additional biomes such as icy zones and anthills add visual variety and exploration depth
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Developed on Unreal Engine 5 for richer visuals and smoother performance
Accessibility Features
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Launching with Arachnophobia Safe Mode, even applying to rideable spiders by using cartoon-like visuals to reduce scariness .
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Additional accessibility options include: subtitles, narration, colorblind settings, adjustable reticles, and input customizations for broader usability
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Community & Early Impressions
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Critics are impressed: IGN gave an 8/10, praising its ambitious scope, RPG mechanics, and creative depth despite still being a work in progress
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Early feedback points to a few pacing and grind issues—but overall celebrates Brookhollow Park as one of the most striking and playful worlds in survival gaming
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Obsidian and Eidos‑Montréal are building future updates based on player feedback, aiming for the game to eventually triple in size compared to Grounded 1.0
Platform Availability & Future Ports
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Initially exclusive to Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, Xbox Cloud, and Steam.
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Obsidian hints at potential future ports to PS5 and Switch 2, once the game moves beyond Early Access—though nothing confirmed yet and likely not until 2027 or later
Summary Table On Grounded 2
| Feature | Grounded 2 (Early Access) |
|---|---|
| Release Date | July 29, 2025 (10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. BST) |
| Platforms | Xbox Series X |
| Pricing | $29.99 standard; Founder’s Edition $39.99/$9.99 upgrade |
| Game Modes | Single-player, Multiplayer (up to 4) |
| Map Size (initial) | Same as original, expanding to 3× size over time |
| Key Features | Bug mounts (Buggies), expanded RPG systems, new biomes |
| Accessibility | Arachnophobia Mode, narration, subtitling, colorblind |
Final Thoughts On Grounded 2
Grounded 2 delivers a surprisingly ambitious evolution of the original’s charm—combining cooperative survival gameplay with rich new mechanics like bug riding, a larger world, and RPG-style progression. Though in Early Access, it’s already showing immense promise, fueled by nostalgic feel, player feedback, and technical growth under Unreal Engine 5. For fans, this represents the next stage in backyard survival adventure; for new players, an exciting invitation to explore Brookhollow Park in full scale.
Whether you’re reliving childhood mysteries or building bases with friends, Grounded 2 promises to be one of 2025’s standout survival games.
