Alright, so, picture this: there I was, in the heart of L.A., dodging traffic like a pro, trying to find the venue for Summer Game Fest 2025. And no lie, the folks at Xbox were all buzzing about how 2025 is, and I quote, “the year of Obsidian.” I mean, three games drop from them this year. Madness.
Anyway, here’s the kicker—Grounded 2 is coming our way. Now, I was a bit skeptical at first. Why mess with a good thing, right? But then they hit us with the reveal, and boom, I was sold. Got to spend about 30 minutes with the game, chatting with bigwig Chris Parker, who’s been doing this since forever.
Hold up, side note: Is it just me, or do these game showcases always smell like teen spirit and leftover pizza? Not complaining—just a weird observation.
So, back to the game. Opens right at the beginning, where those kids—now slightly older because, as Parker said, pandemic nostalgia or something—realize they’re tiny again. Yep, two years after the first Grounded. Time flies, huh?
Switching gears here, they’ve moved onto this new Xbox hardware. Why? Because it’s shiny and lets them do cool stuff like bring in those Buggys. What are those, you ask? Imagine riding a giant ant around—or a spider if you’re feeling brave. Sounds nuts but also awesome. And guess what? Fans screamed for this. Obsidian said, “Why not?”
Oh, and speaking of the original Grounded, it had its run, updates and all. But tech constraints were pulling it back like one of those lo-fi beats you play while working. Thus, Grounded 2 was born into the world.
Fun fact: To snag a Buggy in the game, you gotta pull off a little egg heist from a nest. Sounds simple? Ha. Wait until the ants get a whiff of you.
Quick detour—have you ever listened to bugs late at night and thought they’d make a great band? No? Just me? Okay, moving on.
Parker’s got big dreams, though. Wants Grounded 2 to be triple the size of its predecessor. Talk about ambition! And they roped in Eidos Montreal for extra muscle, so new bugs, maps—the lot—are on the horizon.
Now, I’m no survival game junkie—I get lost in Minecraft for crying out loud—but I kind of dig Grounded. Maybe ’cause it doesn’t take itself too seriously? I don’t know. I’m just hoping for cooler Buggys. Maybe a tarantula one?
Oh, mark your calendars: July 29, 2025. Xbox, Steam, the whole shebang. And yes, it’s hitting Xbox Game Pass too. Keep on gaming, folks!
