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Grounded 2 is a co-op survival adventure with a promising core loop: explore a dangerous park, build and fight together, and raise insect buggies that can carry you, join combat, and help gather resources. It is still in Game Preview/Early Access, so whether to play now comes down to how much you value that evolving experience over a finished campaign. The game launched on PlayStation 5 on August 11, 2026; it is also available in preview on Xbox and Xbox PC, and in Early Access on Steam.
What is Grounded 2 like to play?
The game makes ordinary park features feel like wilderness hazards for miniaturized survivors. Its central loop is familiar to the survival genre: explore, collect resources, craft and build, then take on threats with other players. The official Xbox game page emphasizes character archetypes with different abilities, making teamwork part of both combat and exploration.
Buggies make the loop distinct
Insects called buggies are a major system rather than background scenery. Players can hatch and raise them, ride them, command them in battle, and use them to help gather resources. That gives exploration and combat an additional layer: a buggy can affect how a group travels and handles encounters, not just how it looks.
Is Grounded 2 worth playing in Early Access?
If you enjoy co-op survival games and are comfortable with an unfinished, changing release, there is a reasonable case for starting now. Windows Central’s July 29, 2025 review described the launch build as a substantial start, highlighting story content, a stronger new-player experience, and buggies that meaningfully changed traversal and combat. That assessment applies to the launch version, not necessarily the build available today.
#1 Best Overall
The same review said bugs, performance improvements, accessibility features, content, and story updates remained on the development road. That is the trade-off: the foundation had enough to recommend exploring, but launch-era coverage did not describe a finished game. A player who wants a complete, stable experience should wait; someone who likes seeing a survival game develop and can accept rough edges may prefer to join earlier.
Where can you play, and how do access options differ?
Obsidian’s current platform announcement lists Game Preview on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox PC, and ROG Xbox Ally handhelds, Steam Early Access, and PlayStation 5 availability beginning August 11, 2026. The PS5 release arrived alongside the Into the Abyss update, which Obsidian described as revisiting underwater exploration. See Obsidian’s PS5 announcement for that release context.
| Platform or route | What is established | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Xbox Series X|S and Xbox PC | Game Preview availability; Xbox Play Anywhere supports one digital purchase across Xbox and Xbox PC, according to the Obsidian FAQ (last updated July 29, 2025). | Current purchase price and any active subscription catalog access. |
| Steam on PC | Steam Early Access availability. Steam players must link a Microsoft account for cross-platform capabilities, per the Obsidian FAQ (last updated July 29, 2025). | Current Steam price, system requirements, and account-linking behavior. |
| PlayStation 5 | Available from August 11, 2026, alongside the Into the Abyss update, per Obsidian. | Current regional price and storefront edition details. |
| Game Pass | Xbox Wire included Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass in the July 2025 launch offer; the support FAQ says Game Pass Core and Game Pass Standard do not include the game. | These subscription details are from launch-era sources, so verify the current catalog and eligible tier before subscribing for this game. |
Prices are particularly easy to misstate: Xbox Wire listed the Standard Edition at $29.99 USD, Founder’s Edition at $39.99 USD, and Founder’s Pack upgrade at $10.00 USD during the July 2025 launch period. Those are historical launch prices, not verified current prices. The Founder’s bonuses were four cosmetic character skins with custom emotes, plus a digital artbook and soundtrack; the cosmetics do not affect gameplay or progression.
How does co-op work?
Online multiplayer and co-op, cross-platform play, and progress saving between PC and Xbox are confirmed in the Obsidian FAQ, last updated July 29, 2025. Steam players need to link a Microsoft account for cross-platform capabilities. Local and offline multiplayer or co-op are not supported, so this is not a game for couch co-op or a group that needs to play without an internet connection.
Rank #3
- The Best Shooter Experience on Console in 2017 - Daily Star
- An Explosive Return to its Roots - The Telegraph
- Call of Duty returns to its roots with Call of Duty: WWII a breath-taking experience that redefines World War II for a gaming generation
- Experience three different game modes: Campaign, multiplayer and co-operative
- Experience Call of Duty combat, the bonds of camaraderie and the unforgiving nature of war against a global power throwing the world into tyranny
Will your PC run it?
The July 29, 2025 Obsidian FAQ lists the following Windows PC requirements. Because they are from the launch period, recheck the current store listing before treating them as a purchase gate.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- RACE TO CATCH WILD POKÉMON: Go on an exciting Pokémon-catching adventure with family and friends in this Monopoly Pokémon Edition game, featuring locations and characters inspired by the Pokémon universe
- BECOME A POKÉMON TRAINER: In this version of the Monopoly game, Properties are locations to explore for Pokémon, and Poké Balls replace Monopoly money. Playing as a Trainer, race to control and explore locations
- 4 POKÉMON CHARACTER MOVERS: Pick a partner! Choose from 4 adorable plastic Pokémon tokens: Sprigatito, Fuecoco, Quaxly, and Pikachu
- 48 DIFFERENT POKÉMON TO CATCH: Players try to catch 8 different types of Pokémon and add them to their tracker mat. The first Trainer to collect one of each type OR the last one with Poké Balls wins
- EXPLORE WILD LOCATIONS, BATTLE RIVALS: Take control of locations, from forests to cities to gyms. A player who lands on a controlled location can either explore it or battle its owner to try and take over that territory
| Requirement | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows 10/11 | not stated (Obsidian FAQ, July 29, 2025) |
| Processor | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 or Intel i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X or Intel i7-10700K |
| Memory | 16 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics | AMD RX 5700, NVIDIA GTX 1070, or Intel Arc A580 | AMD RX 6800 XT or NVIDIA RTX 3080 |
| DirectX | Version 12 | not stated (Obsidian FAQ, July 29, 2025) |
| Storage | 40 GB | not stated (Obsidian FAQ, July 29, 2025) |
Who should play now, and who should wait?
Play now if…
- You want an online co-op survival adventure and have a group ready to explore together.
- The buggy system—riding, combat support, and resource gathering—sounds like a meaningful addition to the genre’s usual crafting and exploration loop.
- You are comfortable with Game Preview/Early Access and willing to encounter an evolving game rather than a settled final release.
Wait if…
- You prefer a completed story and a more fully developed content set.
- You need local or offline co-op.
- You would rather avoid the bugs and performance or accessibility improvements that launch-period coverage said were still in development.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
