Grounded 2 News

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]The countdown to Grounded 2 is over, and we’re gearing up to welcome players back to Brookhollow — only this time, the world is bigger, the bugs are bolder, and the park is ready to play in so saddle up! We’re excited to announce the Minotaurs, Myrmidons, and Mants: Oh My! Founder’s Edition, available for purchase starting at launch.[/p][p][/p][p]This edition is packed with stylish cosmetics to help you stand out while exploring Brookhollow Park. You’ll get the game plus unlock four premium character skins, each with their own custom emotes: the mighty Minotaur, the stoic Myrmidon, the elusive Rogue, and the fearsome Mant. You’ll also get access to “ONYX-PRO, Inside the Game” — a digital artbook and soundtrack that takes you behind the scenes of Grounded 2’s development and will be updated throughout Game Preview/Early Access — and a decorative set of Tool Effigies called the Tools of Yore, perfect for showing off your adventuring spirit at home base.[/p][p]Correction — almost perfect. The Tools of Yore aren’t actually exclusive to the Founder’s Edition. They’re a gift to every player who joins us in Grounded 2, whether you’re playing through Game Pass, purchasing the standard edition, or picking up the Founder’s Edition down the line. It’s a simple “thank –you” from the team, for stepping back into the tiny world with us.[/p][p][/p][p]Players can always start their adventure with the Standard Edition of Grounded 2, or by playing day one with Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. If they decide they want the additional cosmetic items — none of which affect gameplay or progression — and the digital artbook and soundtrack, the Minotaurs, Myrmidons, and Mants: Oh My! Founder’s Edition will be available as a Founder’s Pack upgrade as well.[/p][p]In addition to new cosmetic options and the digital artbook and soundtrack, we’re also continuing our commitment to accessibility. Grounded 2 will launch into Game Preview and Early Access with a wide array of features designed to support different playstyles and player needs. This includes Arachnophobia Safe Mode, colorblind options, subtitle customization, narration through Read to Me, adjustable reticles, control settings, and more. We’re also committed to supporting the same localized languages from the original Grounded, starting with English, French, Castilian Spanish, German, Italian, Latin American Spanish, and Simplified Chinese at Game Preview/Early Access—with more languages to be added over time. These tools and options are just the beginning — we’ll continue building on them with community input throughout development.[/p][p]Grounded 2 launches today, July 29, 2025. The Standard Edition during the Game Preview/Early Access period is $29.99 USD while the Founder’s Edition will be available for $39.99 USD, and the Founder’s Pack upgrade will be available for $10.00 USD. We’re incredibly excited to explore what comes next with you. This world is meant to grow and evolve, and that only happens with your feedback, creativity, and curiosity.[/p][p]So, grab your gear, round up your team, and meet us in the park. And don’t forget to join the conversation in our official Discord — we’ll be there, keeping an eye out for your base builds, bug tales, and all the wild stories that only Grounded 2 can deliver.[/p]

I was somewhat surprised to see Grounded 2 when it was announced at the Xbox Games Showcase 2025, and even more so to be able to go hands-on with it less than a month later. Despite initially liking my time with the first Grounded, the sheer influx of open-world survival games with crafting elements that infested gaming in the late 2010s, like so many ants in a backyard, had me effectively exhausted with the concept.

But like I said in my review of the Switch version of Grounded, it was the right game at the wrong time—its premise was so fresh and fun that despite my weariness with the genre, I was able to really get hooked into it. A second time around, its sequel is again doing everything right in a bigger, weirder and much more approachable way.

Grounded 2 sets its tone pretty immediately as one that’s a bit more tongue-in-cheek than its predecessor. While I never felt like the first game was taking itself too seriously, I couldn’t help but laugh this time... Read more

With the first half of July already in the rearview mirror, Xbox Game Pass has unleashed a second wave of titles onto the service, including Grounded 2 and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers.

That time of the month is here, the time when Xbox Game Pass adds nine new titles to the service and removes a few others to make room. As fans have come to expect from Game Pass updates, new releases onto the service typically come in two waves now. The first wave in July brought fans Little Nightmares II and Crystal Dynamics’ Rise of the Tomb Raider to the service, and the second wave is bringing a few day one releases to give fans something brand new to play.

Subscribers have been getting their money’s worth from Xbox Game Pass, especially where day one releases are concerned. This month, Grounded 2 and Wuchang: Fallen Feathers lead the charge halfway through July, to close out one of the hottest months of the year with even hotter releases. CGMagazine’s preview of Grounded 2... Read more

I’ll be honest, I never jumped on the Grounded bandwagon when it first released nearly 5 years ago. I was under the impression it was a kids’ game, and after the first “shit” came out of Hoop’s mouth in Grounded 2 I knew I was sorely mistaken. The Xbox Games Showcase dropped a ton of announcements during the Summer Game Fest weekend, but Grounded 2 has a passionate community behind it, and I was excited to dive in.

I took the tutorial route since I wasn’t familiar with the gameplay yet. We had four characters to choose from: Max, Willow, Pete, or Hoops. After making the obvious choice, I grabbed Hoops and we started our adventure. Hoops wakes up having been shrunk again and not really knowing what is going on. The tutorial plays out like an employee training session for the company Ominent, and after an event I won’t spoil, you are off on a mission in the massive new area of Brookhollow Park.

I was pleasantly surprised by the visual fidelity of Grounded 2. The world is lush... Read more

[p]You built your forts, braved the wolf spiders, and uncovered the backyard’s secrets—not just as players, but as co-creators who helped shape Grounded every step of the way. Now, two years later, the teens are back—and so are we, ready to build something even bigger with you. The journey continues beyond the fence, into the wild suburban frontier of Brookhollow Park. [/p][h3]Welcome to Brookhollow Park[/h3][p]Set in 1992 and dripping with nostalgic charm, Brookhollow Park is where the next chapter unfolds. The starting zone alone is nearly as big as the entire backyard from the first game. You’ll still be crafting, surviving, and teaming up in first- or third-person co-op—but the stakes, scale, and secrets have all grown.[/p][p]Built by the teams at Obsidian and Eidos Montréal, Grounded 2 continues what we started: a weird, wonderful world where ordinary things become extraordinary. The four original teens are back (a little older, a little tougher), and the park is packed with new biomes, strange creatures, and familiar brands like Punch-O and Minotaurs & Myrmidons—with a few new ones that may just tie deeper into the mystery.[/p][h3]About Those Buggies[/h3][p]You asked. We listened. And now, they’re here. Buggies aren’t just mounts—they’re your build partners, your battle allies, and your emergency getaway rides. Call in a Red Ant to haul resources for your next megabase or charge into combat atop an Orb Weaver that stuns enemies mid-fight. Each Buggy has its own unique perks and playstyle, designed to shake up how you move through the park.[/p][p]We’ve wanted this as much as you have, and the Grounded 2 team spent a lot of time getting it right. From traversal to combat to just plain bug vibes, your Buggy will be an essential part of surviving what’s next.[/p][h3]What’s New (and What’s Back, Better)[/h3]

• [p]The Omni-Tool: One tool to rule them all. Axe, hammer, shovel, wrench—streamlined into one smart solution to free up your backpack and simplify your builds.[/p]
• [p]Expanded Story: While we won’t spill everything at launch, the mystery kicks off right away. You’ll have enough to start theorizing, digging, and decoding from day one—and yes, we’ll be reading your wildest ideas again.[/p]
• [p]Evolved Combat: Dodging, smarter enemies, and new group dynamics make every encounter more tactical and intense.[/p]
• [p]New Bugs + Biomes: Say hello to the cockroach (who says hi back by blocking your attacks) and explore areas like toppled ice cream carts, snack shacks, and forgotten corners of the park.[/p]
• [p]Community at the Core: Just like before, we’re in Game Preview to build this with you. A public roadmap drops on day one, and your feedback will guide how the park grows from here.[/p]

[h3]Let’s Do This Again—But Bigger[/h3][p]Grounded was a backyard experiment—one we built together with the Steam community. Grounded 2 is the next evolution: same teamwork, same chaos, but on a much grander scale. Early Access begins July 29, and we’re once again inviting you to help shape what comes next.[/p][p]Get shrunk again—older, bolder, and ready to ride. Grounded 2 enters Early Access on Steam July 29 for $29.99 USD. Wishlist now and be ready when the park opens.[/p]