Rideable insects crawl into ‘Grounded 2’

Grounded introduced players to a backyard setting viewed from a miniature perspective, blending survival and adventure gameplay in a world of oversized dangers. The upcoming sequel builds on this concept, with new features such as the long-requested addition of rideable bugs.

Grounded 2 was announced during Xbox Games Showcase last week. A deep dive on the Xbox YouTube channel, featuring the project leads, reveals new layers being added to the sequel’s experience.

“One of the things we did right off the bat was go to all the community feedback that we had from the first game,” said Chris Parker, game director of Grounded 2, and founder of Obsidian Entertainment.

“The number one feature that the community asked for was ‘let us ride around on insects’ – which we call Buggies.”

Buggies are new insect mounts that support players with traversal, construction, and combat tasks. Each Buggy has distinct abilities that influence gameplay. For example, the Red Ant Buggy assists with building, while the Orb Weaver can stun enemies during combat.

“When we started talking about Grounded 2, the first thing was: what are all the things about Grounded that we just can’t change because the game is so good? If anything, we’re just going to level them up and make it better.”

Grounded 2 features several enhancements as part of its Game Preview launch. One major addition is the Omni-Tool – a multifunctional item that combines the hammer, axe, shovel, and wrench into a single tool. This change is intended to improve quality of life for players by reducing inventory clutter and simplifying survival tasks.

While the full story will not be available at launch, players will have early access to narrative elements that set the stage for the broader plot. Clues and mysteries will be present from the start, allowing players to begin piecing together the overarching story.

The world of Brookhollow Park has been expanded significantly and features the return of in-world brands like Punch-O. New environmental details that contribute to the game’s narrative depth have been added. These elements are designed to enhance immersion and continue the visual storytelling approach from the first game.

Players will face a mix of familiar and new insect foes. One of the new additions is the cockroach, which brings a fresh combat challenge. It uses defensive behaviours, such as blocking attacks. These new bugs add variety and make encounters more complex.

The playable environment has been significantly expanded. Brookhollow Park alone is nearly the size of the entire backyard from the original game. The area introduces a wider range of biomes, structures, and hidden spaces to explore. New locations include snack bars, ice cream carts, and previously unexplored parts of the park.

_{Photo courtesy Steam.}

Combat systems have been overhauled. A new set of mechanics aim to make fights more dynamic. This includes dodging and improved enemy AI. These changes are designed to enhance the intensity and satisfaction of combat across all playstyles.

Marcus Morgan, executive producer of Grounded 2, said: “It’s two years later from Grounded 1. Some shenanigans go on, and we find our cast of teens shrunken again. For our game preview launch, it’s basically act one. It will take you quite a bit more time to get through the main story of this one, but there’s a lot more to come.”

Availability and development

Grounded 2, priced at $29.99, will be available on 29 July 2025 for Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Xbox Cloud, and Steam. It will also be available on day one with Game Pass. The initial release will arrive as a Game Preview and Early Access title.

Parker said: “We’re putting just enough in there so that as people go through Early Access, people can see and understand what we are doing, who the characters are, and also give us feedback on that. And then with 1.0 – that’s where we are really going to come in with thicker deeper story and really add to it and make sure that everything we are really building really works together, and that the community digs it too.”

* Visit the ‘Grounded 2’ website here.