Why Grounded 2’s Early Access Launch Needed to Feel Like a ‘Complete’ Game

Obsidian and Eidos Montreal just dropped Grounded 2, like, in early access for PC and Xbox Series X. Imagine this: same world as the first one but bigger. And now, you can ride bugs. Who’da thunk?

This time around, it’s a collab, right? Obsidian wanted help, so Eidos (yeah, Deus Ex and Guardians of the Galaxy folks) hopped on board. Makes you wonder if they’re gonna pull something like that Fable reboot. Anyway, they had a chat with Polygon about it. Well, let me explain this haphazardly.

Chris Parker and Justin Vazquez talked about it. Chris said Obsidian’s core crew was there, but Eidos carried most of the load. Justin added it was a back-and-forth effort. They didn’t just hand off Grounded and forget about it—nope, it was a co-op at all levels.

Sequel time! Enter Grounded 2. Why? Because the original Xbox One held them back. And, they believed Grounded ended its story arc. Kids shrunk, survived, embiggened (that’s a word now), went home. So, sequel it is—with new stories and tech upgrades.

Now, they’re taking the best parts of each studio—Eidos’ focus on RPG elements and narrative, Obsidian’s grounding in survival—and leveling up from there. They’re doing that thing where the game’s sorta kid-friendly but not, y’know? Early Disney meets Stranger Things, if you will. Teens are back and older, which apparently feels right, and the story deepens. Scary but not too scary. Fun with a pinch of fright.

Players wanted more features—talking about parks and buggies—and I guess the old tech just wouldn’t cut it. So they dove into that, too. Think The Goonies, throw in RPG mechanics, and voilà! There’s your Grounded 2 inspiration.

A cool thing Justin brought up: It’s not your ordinary linear story like a movie or book. No, this is that do-it-yourself magic. They want players to taste-test the game in early access and leave their mark. Makes sense, right?

Now, both teams seemed equally stoked, equally worried, like two halves hoping to click. Obsidian’s like, “What if we mess up?” while Eidos is coming with AAA flair. But they all geeked out over each other’s work—tattoos were involved, so it’s serious bromance levels here.

They both spill about early access: It’s like games still baking but served early. Help us, play it, and tell us what you think. Literally, they want peeps to dive in and find bugs (not the good riding kinds).

Wasn’t all smooth, but they got that rhythm. Early access means it’s not a rushed end. Not the final sprint, but the opening lap. Money, time, hope—all that jazz.

There you have it. Dive in, if you dare, to Grounded 2’s whimsical horrors in early access. Go on, feel like a tiny, bug-riding God in your backyard. Enjoy!