With all this talk about Xbox’s place in the gaming industry, it’s interesting to see Grounded 2, one of their games, immediately become a smash hit in Early Access. Although there isn’t a huge difference between the sequel and its predecessor, improved visuals and some newer mechanics may have led to its success.
Now that all eyes are on this Honey, I Shrunk the Kids-style survival game, it has me wondering if Grounded 2 is the next major hit for Xbox. More importantly, is this where the publisher’s future lies? Unique multiplayer games are a rarity, and this company has three successful ones.
For those unaware, Grounded 2 is the sequel to Grounded, a survival game that can be played with friends or solo. What separates this series from other games in the genre is its setting. As one of four teenagers, you wake up in a shrunken state and have no memories, with your main goal being survival against various bugs and monsters.
Early Access reviews for the game are positive, though they note how the gameplay hasn’t changed that much. The biggest improvement is being able to tame bugs and ride them for faster traversal, which has received a great response. It gives players the sensation of feeling like Ant-Man, but without his awesome comic book costume or access to Avengers Tower.
What’s really surprising is how much Grounded 2 has already outdone the original game. SteamDB counts have confirmed that this entry already has more concurrent players than the first game’s entire lifespan. That’s very good news for developers Obsidian and Eidos Montreal, even if this game doesn’t do much differently gameplay-wise.
It might not have Helldivers 2 levels of popularity, at least not yet, but this unique survival adventure could be the unexpected hit Xbox needs. Fans tend to go on about the system’s lack of major exclusives and proper identity, but games like Grounded 2 and Sea of Thieves might buck that trend.
The original Grounded is already available on other platforms, as is Sea of Thieves. Due to the success of the former’s sequel, we imagine that Microsoft will want to port it to other systems ASAP. However, with the game only being on PC and Xbox Series systems right now, it might be a good time to keep this as an exclusive for a bit longer.
Grounded 2 is in Early Access, but can be purchased on PC and Xbox Series systems. The game has single-player and multiplayer modes, so both audiences can check it out.
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