Everything we know about Grounded 2, coming this July

Grounded 2 is merely a month away from its official early access release, which brings a nice opportunity to see what the game has to offer. As the name suggests, the game is the sequel to Grounded. It is an open-world survival game, but with a heavy emphasis on narrative, which is a rare find in the genre.

Since the game is from Obsidian Entertainment, Grounded had a pretty solid story that was expanded upon as players progressed through the game and interacted with NPCs and environmental clues. Grounded 2 follows the same four students from the original title, becoming embroiled in a new, miniature adventure with a much larger scope.

Everything we know about Grounded 2 so far

Grounded 2 is set in another suburban green pasture, but with more claws and fangs (Image via Obsidian Entertainment)

Grounded 2 is an early access title and will take some time to reach the full release state. Surprisingly, the game is following the footsteps of its predecessor, which was also released in an early access format and got the green light after two years of development and player feedback. It’s difficult to determine a concrete date for the eventual full release, given the ever-changing nature of game development. However, Obsidian Entertainment’s track record of providing quality titles should be reassuring that the process will be expedited.

Grounded 2 is quite similar to the original Grounded, with a larger emphasis applied to the scope of its world and story, as well as providing quality-of-life updates. For example, players will be able to access an Omni-tool, which will store every tool a player collects, reducing inventory pressure and simplifying the process of gathering materials and doing chores.

Likewise, the modes of gameplay are the same as the original. Players can complete their adventure on their own or join a team of up to four. Much of the core gameplay isn’t being overhauled. Players will still need to find food, water, and shelter to survive the hazards of Brookhollow Park.

Grounded 2 is expanding the biome roster and incorporating new themes to do so (Image via Obsidian Entertainment)

On the topic of Brookhollow Park, the location is roughly three times larger than the previous game’s explorable zone. The Park will feature fresh biomes and associated challenges, which will make exploration and gameplay more refreshing.

This isn't to say that Grounded 2 isn't bringing anything bespoke to the table. The Buggy system is a new multi-purpose mount system that players can use to traverse the map at a much faster speed. These mounts will have functionalities beyond traversal, as they will fight alongside you and even gather resources.

The early access is slated to arrive for Xbox Series X and PC. As for the other platforms, there have been no confirmations nor any outright refusals to launch on PlayStation 5 or Switch. Given the prequel’s popularity and the new Switch 2’s hype, it would be a detriment for the game to be limited to just two platforms.

The Buggies are set to become your most precious companions, even if you have friends (Image via Obsidian Entertainment)

Xbox Game Studios and Obsidian Entertainment are currently all hands on deck for the upcoming release of the highly anticipated The Outer Worlds 2, which may have diminished the hype surrounding Grounded 2. Conversely, this can prove to be a blessing as feedback from a more dedicated player base can help developers create something truly special.

Grounded 2 Early Access launches on July 29, 2025, on Xbox Series X and PC.

Edited by Sijo Samuel Paul