Obsidian Expands Universe with Grounded 2 Due to Space Constraints in Original

In the highly anticipated sequel *Grounded 2*, Obsidian Entertainment is taking the beloved concept of shrinking down to bug-size and expanding it in ways fans never thought possible. One of the most exciting new features—long requested by the community and now finally realized—is the ability to mount and ride insects like trusty steeds. Dubbed “Buggies” by the developers, these rideable bugs aren’t just a fun novelty; they represent a fundamental shift in how players will explore the game’s world, traverse environments, and engage with gameplay.

And this feature alone was a major driving force behind making *Grounded 2* as a standalone sequel rather than an update to the original. As executive producer Marcus Morgan explains, the first game, while successful and complete in its narrative arc, was built on technical limitations that made such ambitious additions impossible. “We started *Grounded 1* on the original Xbox One,” Morgan says. “We were running out of room—literally—there wasn’t enough physical space on the hardware to add more content without introducing hard loading zones, which would break the immersion of a seamless, continuous backyard world.”

That limitation made it clear: if Obsidian wanted to go bigger, they needed a fresh foundation. The move to Unreal Engine 5 provided the necessary power and flexibility, enabling larger environments, enhanced physics, and dynamic systems that support mounted traversal. But it wasn’t just about technology—it was about design. “We had prototyped creature mounts in *Grounded 1*, but the world wasn’t built for that kind of movement,” Morgan notes. “Changing traversal speed affects everything: spacing between points of interest, overland navigation, interior layouts, environmental hazards. To do it right, we needed to design a whole new world from the ground up.”

That world is not only larger but also more interconnected, built with co-op exploration and shared progression at its core. And Obsidian isn’t building it alone. For the first time in its history, the studio is co-developing a title with another team—Eidos Montreal, the acclaimed developers behind *Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy*. What started as a request to Xbox for development support turned into a natural partnership when Eidos, who happened to have a passionate internal fanbase for *Grounded*, stepped forward. So much so that Eidos played a key role in shaping *Grounded 2*’s story premise and antagonists—a testament to the collaborative spirit Morgan describes as “co-development in the truest sense.”

As for platform availability, *Grounded 2* will launch in early access on Xbox and PC, with no current plans for PlayStation, Nintendo Switch, or Switch 2 at launch—though Morgan leaves the door open. “I’m so proud that *Grounded 1* reached so many platforms,” he says. “Our tagline is ‘ride together, survive together.’ This game is about playing with friends, no matter where they play. Our goal is always to reach as many players as possible. We’ll start here, and see where it goes.”

Looking ahead, the team envisions a multi-year early access journey, similar to the path taken with the original—iterative updates, community feedback, and continuous expansion. “*Grounded 2* is designed to be far more expandable than the first,” Morgan emphasizes. “We’re committed to evolving the game based on player response, as long as our tech and backend systems support it. There are no hard caps—we’ll let the community guide us.”