Signature sequel feature
Buggies
Persistent rideable insect companions can fight, gather, haul, build, traverse and specialise. Five Buggy types are live on the current branch.
Explore Buggies ↓Grounded 2 · Features
What Grounded 2 lets you do now — and what makes the sequel different
Grounded 2 is no longer defined by one headline addition. Buggies change travel, combat and logistics; Brookhollow Park keeps opening into new kinds of space; underwater exploration has become a full progression layer; bases reward both utility and expression; co-op can persist across sessions; and Playgrounds lets players build experiences outside the survival campaign.
Reviewed state: live version 0.5.1 · Into the Abyss / 0.5 is the latest major content update · feature evidence rechecked 25 September 2026.
01 / Feature map
A survival game whose strongest features increasingly overlap
The useful way to understand Grounded 2 is not as a checklist of isolated mechanics. Its defining features repeatedly change the same player problems: how you cross the park, what you can bring home, where you can survive, how you prepare for a fight and how a group turns dangerous territory into familiar territory.
Expanded world
Brookhollow Park
A municipal park turned into a multi-layer survival space spanning public landmarks, anthills, hidden Ominent infrastructure, gardens and deep water.
Explore the park ↓Major 0.5 expansion
Aquatic survival layer
Swimming 2.0, diving progression, underwater combat, harvesting, bases and an amphibious Buggy make the Pond a substantial play layer rather than a side activity.
Go underwater ↓Persistent home
Building & Coziness
BUILD.M, utility infrastructure, Coziness rewards and underwater construction let bases become workshops, transport hubs and homes.
Explore building ↓Flexible character growth
Layered progression
Brainpower, Milk Molars, tools, equipment, mutations, Buggies and region-specific unlocks progress in parallel rather than through one character level.
Explore progression ↓Shared survival
Four-player co-op
Online co-op, cross-platform play and Shared Worlds support a persistent group survival experience across Xbox, PC and PlayStation.
Explore co-op ↓Player creation
Playgrounds
Logic tools, custom encounters, community sharing and Buggy Racing let players build experiences that can diverge sharply from Survival Mode.
Explore creator tools ↓Reactive pressure
Systemic encounters
Stranger heat, O.R.C. retaliation, repeatable MIX.R activity and O.R.C. Beacons add repeatable player-driven pressure beyond fixed story encounters.
See reactive systems ↓Features describes the experience
This page focuses on what the player can do and why it matters.
Gameplay & Systems owns the machinery
Detailed system relationships, progression chains and mechanical boundaries live on the specialist systems page.
Roadmap owns the future
Planned features appear here only to stop future intent being mistaken for current functionality.
0.5.1Current live version
FiveCurrent named Buggy types
Up to fourPlayers in online co-op
Early AccessFeature set is still changing
02 / Buggies
Buggies are the sequel's clearest design statement
Grounded 2 turns insects into persistent partners that can sit inside several parts of the survival loop at once. A Buggy can be transport, storage, gathering help, combat support, a traversal key and something the player actively develops over time.
Why they matter
They change the cost of living far from home
In the original on-foot survival loop, distance creates friction: resources need carrying, hostile creatures interrupt travel, building materials need moving and a long route home can dominate the expedition. Grounded 2's Buggies attack several of those problems together. The Red Soldier Ant can gather and haul, different companions support different fights, and the Toe Biter extends the entire companion idea into water. [S38] [S13] [S06]
That is why “mount” is too narrow a description. The launch design explicitly supports fighting while mounted and dismounting so the Buggy continues as a companion, while later updates add shared Buggy progression, mutations and tier-upgrade infrastructure. [S38] [S40]
All-rounder / logistics
Red Soldier Ant
Fights, gathers, carries inventory and can support building. Launch material also gives it useful route interactions around ant spaces and obstacles. [S38]
Combat / control
Orb Weaver
A faster combat-focused Buggy built around web/control behaviour; later updates also give it a gliding movement capability. [S38] [S40]
Tank / sustain
Ladybug
A durable support Buggy with healing, ram and water-based utility, giving the roster a defensive identity rather than another speed upgrade. [S20]
Ant-family specialist
Black Soldier Ant
A later ant-family option with its own combat and utility identity; the progression system is designed so an earlier ant does not automatically become obsolete. [S21] [S42]
Amphibious
Toe Biter
Works on land and in water, carrying the companion system directly into the Into the Abyss exploration loop. [S06]
Progression
Your first favourite can stay relevant
Moldy Milk Molars provide shared Buggy progression, Buggy mutations add specialisation, and the Buffin' Barrel can raise a Buggy to a higher tier. Obsidian has explicitly framed the system as a way to keep earlier companions useful as the park expands. [S40] [S42]
Logistics
Inventory is part of the companion fantasy
Buggy inventory, Hotpouch access, hauling and hot-deposit support mean a companion can shorten the repeated base-to-resource shuttle rather than merely shorten travel time. [S34] [S13]
Current/future boundary:
The current roster is Red Soldier Ant, Orb Weaver, Ladybug, Black Soldier Ant and Toe Biter. The Potato Beetle Buggy is on the Fall roadmap and is not part of the live roster yet. Other community-requested or datamined Buggy ideas are not current features. [S04]
For the mechanical progression layers, mutation model and exact system relationships, continue to Gameplay & Systems → Buggies.
03 / World & exploration
Brookhollow Park is designed to become different kinds of survival space
The sequel's world expansion is not only about a larger footprint. Surface landmarks, garden interiors, anthills, hidden Ominent facilities and the Pond/Abyss branch ask for different forms of preparation, movement and equipment.
A readable park at miniature scale
Entrances, snackbar structures, a statue, ceremony grounds, garden areas, a picnic table and the Pond give the player large visual anchors while becoming enormous spaces at insect scale. [S12]
The Garden changed the surface world
Toxic Tangle added Garden Patch spaces such as Croquet Court, Veggie Garden, Greenhouse and Pumpkin Patch, alongside new creatures, the Ladybug Buggy and Tang corruption affecting parts of the environment and creature ecology. [S20]
Sinkhole Anthill went down, not just out
Beat the Heat showed that a major expansion can create depth inside the existing park footprint through a substantial anthill environment rather than only extending the edge of the map. [S21]
The Pond became a full progression region
Into the Abyss adds Skunk Pond, The Abyss and surrounding Bayou/Mountains content, with equipment, enemies, building and traversal specifically built around water. [S06] [S45]
Ominent runs through the park
Public park spaces overlap with research facilities, checkpoints, archives, outposts and other hidden infrastructure, so exploration repeatedly moves between ordinary landmarks and the scientific project beneath them. World reference
Exploration is rewarded beyond the critical path
Hidden Milk Molars, Critter CAPZ, research resources, data and side encounters give players reasons to leave the direct objective route. [S39]
World-scale context: at announcement, Obsidian said the initial playable Grounded 2 area was already close to the scale of the original Grounded backyard. Early Access has since added major Garden, anthill and underwater spaces on top of that starting footprint. [S12]
For regional identities, Ominent facilities and location relationships, use World & Locations →.
04 / Underwater feature stack
Swim differentlySwimming 2.0 adds more agile movement, including directional Burst.
→
Prepare to go deeperDiving Suit progression and Optical Discs govern deeper access.
→
Fight underwaterLock-on, Harpoon Gun and aquatic explosives support dedicated combat.
→
Harvest & buildOmni-Clipper, Bubble structures and underwater bases turn dives into longer expeditions.
Movement
Swimming 2.0 is more than a speed buff
Directional Burst gives underwater movement its own evasive/traversal rhythm, while underwater lock-on acknowledges that combat needs different camera and targeting support in three-dimensional space. [S39]
Access
Diving progression keeps depth meaningful
Optical Discs unlock Diving Suit progression, so deeper regions are not merely open water reached by holding the swim button longer. Equipment becomes part of the exploration gate. [S06] [S39]
Combat
Aquatic weapons support a dedicated encounter layer
The Harpoon Gun, underwater mines/Croakwurst Bomb and underwater lock-on give combat an aquatic toolset rather than forcing every land weapon interaction into the Pond unchanged. [S39]
Harvesting
The Omni-Clipper makes underwater resources part of progression
The Omni-Tool gains an underwater harvesting branch, allowing the environment to feed new recipes and capability instead of being scenery around combat encounters. [S06]
Habitation
You can build beneath the surface
Bubble Floors create breathable spaces and Bubble Diffusers provide an underwater air-source system. Aquatic building pieces let a base become an expedition outpost inside the water layer. [S39]
Companion continuity
The Toe Biter keeps Buggies relevant in water
The amphibious Toe Biter means the signature sequel feature does not stop at the shoreline. It works on land and in water and has its own mutation options. [S06] [S39]
Environment
The Abyss has its own movement and encounter character
Low-gravity combat/platforming and deep-water spaces make the Abyss mechanically distinct from simply swimming through the upper Pond. [S39]
Creatures
Aquatic ecology broadens the bestiary
Toe Biters, Diving Bell Spiders, water creatures, the Koi and later 0.5 creature/robot additions give the underwater branch its own threat and discovery profile. The Features page treats them as experience texture rather than a full bestiary. [S06] [S39]
Substantial does not mean finished: the current Year Two roadmap still lists The Abyss — Expanded under undated Future Plans. The 0.5 aquatic stack is live now, but Obsidian is explicitly signalling more Abyss work beyond the current build. [S04]
For exact progression chains and system dependencies, see Gameplay & Systems → Progression.
05 / Survival & information
The survival loop still asks you to prepare — but gives you better ways to understand the work
Food, water, shelter, resources and crafting remain foundational. Grounded 2's more distinctive change is how many tools now reduce the friction of finding, tracking, carrying and understanding what you need next.
Survival pressure
Food, water and preparation still matter
Long trips cost supplies. Cooking, consumables, shelter and resource planning remain part of the rhythm, so improved logistics do not remove the survival economy; they let the player spend more attention on where to go and what to bring. [S13]
PEEP.R 2K
Observation becomes a practical planning tool
PEEP.R 2K supports first- and third-person use, zoom, a dynamic compass, Chopping List visibility and resource tracking through the Resource Finder. The player can turn “I need this material” into a searchable objective instead of relying purely on memory. [S19]
Research
Resource analysis feeds Brainpower
Discovering and analysing materials contributes to recipe progression. Into the Abyss explicitly adds Brainpower-exclusive recipe rewards, keeping research relevant beyond the opening hours. [S39]
Recipe knowledge
The Recipe Menu travels with you
Into the Abyss replaces the older crafting-menu presentation with a Recipe Menu that lets players inspect ingredients and required tools away from a workstation. That means a discovery can be turned into a gathering plan before returning home. [S39]
Logistics
Buggies reduce the cost of hauling
Inventory, mounted gathering, Hotpouch and hauling support let expeditions return more value and make larger or more distant building projects less dependent on repeated manual trips. [S13] [S34]
Discovery rewards
Not every collectible does the same job
Molar progression expanded in 0.5.1. The patch adds upgrades across Mega Milk, Milk and Moldy Milk Molars and expands the available tiers for Milk and Moldy Milk Molars. [S51]
Regular Milk Molars, Moldy Milk Molars, Optical Discs and Critter CAPZ all reward exploration, but they feed different parts of the experience: player progression, Buggy progression, aquatic access and collection/discovery respectively. [S39] [S40]
Why this matters:
Grounded 2 still makes the player gather resources, but increasingly separates difficulty from busywork. Information tools, portable recipe knowledge and Buggy logistics reduce repeated searching and carrying without making preparation irrelevant.
06 / Traversal & transport
The park now supports several overlapping travel networks
There is no single universal fast-travel answer. Buggies, fixed Ominent infrastructure, player-built routes and environment-specific swimming solve different movement problems.
| Travel feature | What the player gets | Why it feels different |
|---|---|---|
| Buggies | Freeform movement combined with combat, carrying and species-specific utility. | The vehicle is also a companion and progression target. [S38] |
| Pneumatic Transit System | Fast travel through activated Ominent infrastructure. | A fixed network that becomes more valuable as the park expands. Into the Abyss widens its reach. [S39] |
| Ziplines | Player-built repeatable routes between chosen points. | The player turns base placement and geography into personal infrastructure. [S06] |
| ZIP.R | Bidirectional zipline travel. | Reduces the one-way limitation of a gravity-led zipline network. [S39] |
| Swimming 2.0 | Responsive underwater travel, including Burst movement. | A separate movement language for the aquatic world rather than slower walking in water. [S39] |
Routes can be player-authored
Ziplines reward building in strategic places and make an established base part of the travel network rather than just a storage location.
Routes can be companion-dependent
Developer material gives different Buggies different traversal or environmental advantages, so companion choice can change how a route is approached. [S38]
07 / Building & home
Base building has grown into a feature set of its own
Construction is not just a defensive shell around beds and storage. BUILD.M changes the workflow, Coziness rewards furnishing, utilities support progression and Buggies, and Into the Abyss allows genuine underwater habitation.
Construction
BUILD.M makes placement more deliberate
The 0.2 update introduced the grid-led BUILD.M workflow and continued building-placement improvements, giving construction a clearer planning interface than the earlier radial-first approach. [S34]
Home progression
Coziness makes decoration useful
Furnishing a base can unlock perks, meaning decoration contributes to progression rather than existing only for screenshots. The 0.5 branch also includes a dynamic lo-fi base-music layer that changes with Coziness. [S19] [S39]
Buggy support
The base services companions as well as players
Hatchery/nest concepts, the Buggy Buff Hut and Buffin' Barrel make a developed home part of the Buggy loop rather than a parallel system that companions ignore. [S40]
Underwater building
Bubble infrastructure creates submerged outposts
Bubble Floors and Bubble Diffusers make breathable underwater construction possible, while aquatic building pieces let players stage longer exploration from inside the Pond environment. [S39]
Specialised stations
Some workspaces belong to particular feature loops
Into the Abyss adds specialised facilities such as the Forbidden Workbench for Stranger-related items and the Glitter Bar for SCA.B 2K/Omni-Tool cosmetic customisation. [S39]
Expression
More materials and furniture widen the creative side
Successive updates have continued adding building materials, furniture and defensive options, reflecting Obsidian's stated decision to accelerate building work after community feedback. [S20] [S21]
Not live: Base Moving remains an undated Future Plans item on the current roadmap. Grounded 2 currently supports increasingly sophisticated persistent construction, not a general relocate-your-base feature. [S04]
08 / Combat & encounters
Combat is flexible enough to support roles without locking the player into a class
Grounded 2 uses familiar archetype language, but actual playstyle comes from equipment, weapons, mutations, Buggies and the encounter itself. The result is a survival-combat layer that can change considerably without asking the player to restart as a different class.
Warrior, Ranger, Mage and Rogue are build language
Developer material presents these as recognisable ways to talk about combinations, not permanent character classes. Swapping equipment and mutations can change the role. [S38]
Buggies can participate in the fight
0.5.1 improves Buggy combat participation. Obsidian increased Buggy perception so they can join fights more easily with the player/Teen. The patch also fixes Buggy inventory loss, nest-destruction disablement, Toe Biter Sweep damage and summoning restrictions. [S51]
Players can fight while riding, then dismount and let the Buggy operate as a companion. Companion choice therefore affects battle as well as travel. [S38]
Large encounters punctuate progression
AXL, King Dozer, Snake Colossus and current O.G.R.R. encounters show a range from named park bosses to enhanced variants and giant environmental threats. [S34] [S20] [S21]
The Pond has its own weapons and targeting support
Underwater lock-on, Harpoon Gun and aquatic explosive tools make the deep-water combat layer deliberately different from land encounters. [S39]
Active, passive and Buggy mutations can coexist
Player mutations reinforce a loadout while companion mutations specialise Buggies. The systems are distinct even though both use the mutation concept. [S20] [S39]
O.R.C. and O.G.R.R. add different twists
Controlled O.R.C. creatures and genetically enhanced O.G.R.R. variants are different feature families. Both make familiar creature types behave as more than basic wildlife encounters. [S21] [S39]
Balance is still moving. Patch 0.5.0.5 reduced Mosquito/Tiger Mosquito pressure and softened the O.G.R.R. Toe Biter Leviathan; Patch 0.5.1 is now the current live build and adds a later progression/Buggy/fix pass. [S01]
For combat layers, boss-gated progression and detailed mutation relationships, see Gameplay & Systems → Combat.
09 / Progression & discovery
There is no single number that represents how developed your survivor is
Grounded 2 distributes progress across research, player upgrades, equipment, tools, Buggies, movement networks and region-specific access. That makes discovery matter because different finds improve different parts of the player's capability.
| Progression feature | Player-facing purpose | What it changes |
|---|---|---|
| Brainpower | Research/recipe progression. | Analysing discoveries can unlock more things to craft; 0.5 adds Brainpower-exclusive recipes. [S39] |
| Regular Milk Molars | Player progression found through exploration. | A separate teen-upgrade track from companion progression. [S38] |
| Moldy Milk Molars | Shared Buggy progression. | Improves the companion system rather than the teen directly. [S40] |
| Tier 4 Omni-Axe | Current recipe changed in 0.5.1. | Infused Ooze was removed and the recipe changed. The official note does not state the complete replacement recipe, so the older 0.5.0.5 Leviathan requirement is not presented as the confirmed current route. [S51] |
| Omni-Tool | Expandable harvesting capability. | Branches such as Omni-Axe and Omni-Clipper decide which materials/environmental resources can be worked. [S06] [S01] |
| Equipment & mutations | Build and environmental specialisation. | Changes combat role and, with gear like the Diving Suit, where the player can survive. [S06] |
| Optical Discs | Aquatic progression keys. | Feed the Diving Suit/deeper-Pond progression chain. [S06] |
| Critter CAPZ | Exploration/collection rewards. | Creates a discovery layer separate from power progression. [S39] |
| Raw Science | Spendable progression resource. | Still has practical uses in the current build; 0.5, for example, uses a one-time Raw Science cost when extending the Pneumatic Transit System network. [S39] |
| Transport infrastructure | World mastery. | Activated PTS routes and player-built ziplines make previously expensive journeys routine. [S39] |
The practical effect:
Progress is often visible as a change in what the park allows you to do: harvest a resource you could not cut before, stay underwater longer, move cargo farther, survive a harder encounter or turn a distant route into an everyday commute.
10 / Reactive world
Some danger now reacts to what the player has been doing
Into the Abyss formalises a repeatable Mysterious Stranger/O.R.C. pressure loop. It is a specific systemic feature; it does not mean the entire park runs on one global simulation.
InterfereActions against O.R.C.s, caches or network devices can raise Stranger attention.
→
EscalateWarnings signal rising heat.
→
RetaliateHigh heat can produce an O.R.C. wave.
→
ManipulateMIX.R activity can reduce attention; O.R.C. Beacons can summon controlled-creature waves deliberately.
Repeatable challenge
MIX.R activity is more than a one-off defence
Into the Abyss makes MIX.R challenges repeatable and gives them a role inside the Stranger-attention economy, so the same feature can be used for combat activity and pressure management. [S39]
Player-triggered danger
O.R.C. Beacon lets you call the fight
The Beacon converts O.R.C.-related resources into a deliberate wave encounter. It is distinct from the Stranger-linked transmission devices that contribute to the heat system. [S39]
11 / Co-op & persistence
Grounded 2 is built for a group to share the same survival project
Up to four players can play online together, and the cross-platform layer is designed around more than matchmaking: Shared Worlds, account-linked features and cross-progression support make it possible for the same group to keep returning to a persistent park.
Four-player co-op
Solo or online with up to three other players
Grounded 2 supports up to four players total. Survival, building, exploration and combat can all be shared rather than being separated into a dedicated multiplayer mode. [S35]
Crossplay
Xbox, PC and PlayStation can play together
Obsidian's current support guidance documents cross-platform multiplayer across the current ecosystems. The cross-platform functions use a linked Microsoft/Xbox account, with the relevant console online subscription still required. [S07]
Shared Worlds
Shared Worlds are the supported persistent-world model
Current Grounded 2 support confirms Shared Worlds across the documented cross-platform account layer. Obsidian's original first-party definition describes invited friends continuing a cloud-hosted Shared World while its owner is offline; current Grounded 2 support does not separately restate every persistence edge case. [S07] [S41]
Cross-progression
Cross-progression is supported, but transfer details are not fully documented
Game Director Chris Parker says cross-progression is supported across PC, Xbox and PlayStation. Current support documentation does not spell out every save-transfer edge case, so that should not be read as a promise that every local save file can be moved manually between every platform. [S15] [S07]
Xbox ecosystem
Xbox Play Anywhere supports Xbox ↔ PC cross-saves
For the Xbox ecosystem specifically, first-party launch/support material explicitly documents Play Anywhere and full cross-saves between Xbox console and Xbox PC. [S11]
Boundary
Online co-op is not couch co-op or a dedicated-server product
Local/offline split-screen co-op is not supported in Obsidian’s published FAQ. Shared Worlds are also not the same thing as an independently hosted dedicated-server product. [S36]
12 / Playgrounds & custom play
Grounded 2 can become a toolkit rather than only a survival campaign
Playgrounds exposes construction and logic tools for authored experiences, while Custom Game 1.0 changes rules around a game. They are related forms of customisation, but they solve different problems.
Creation
Build spaces with creator-focused tools
Playgrounds supports dedicated creation maps and tools such as the Handy Gnat, letting creators place and organise structures in ways designed for authored experiences rather than ordinary Survival progression. [S43]
Logic
Triggers and randomisation make spaces reactive
Trigger Volumes, Random Chance tools and linked gizmos allow events to happen because a player enters an area or because a logic condition resolves, moving Playgrounds beyond decorative sandbox building. [S17]
Encounters
Creators can author creature and wave behaviour
Creature Spawners, pathing tools and 0.5's dedicated MIX.R Creature Spawner/Wave Manager allow structured combat challenges rather than relying only on whatever creatures naturally inhabit the map. [S17] [S39]
Structured modes
Buggy Racing proves the tools can support a different genre
Buggy Racing supports purpose-built race layouts with checkpoints and rule-driven competition for one to four players. It demonstrates the creator layer can produce activities rather than only custom survival spaces. [S18]
Community distribution
Creations are meant to be discovered and shared
Playgrounds supports community upload/download and voting through the documented online account layer, giving the creator loop a distribution surface beyond the creator's own device. [S17] [S07]
Custom Game 1.0
Rule configuration is separate from authored maps
Custom Game 1.0 is the current custom-settings package introduced with 0.5. Its “1.0” label belongs to the feature and must not be confused with Grounded 2's future product version 1.0. [S39]
Important boundary: a creature, object or behaviour available in Playgrounds does not automatically prove it exists naturally in current Survival Mode. Creator-mode availability and survival-world availability are separate questions.
13 / Accessibility & platform features
Accessibility is part of the baseline — but not every launch option has been freshly re-documented
Grounded 2 launched with a broad accessibility set. Current 0.5-era support material continues to reference some of those options directly, while others are best described as launch-confirmed rather than pretending every menu item has been independently revalidated on the latest patch.
Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia Safe Mode remains part of the experience
The mode reduces spider-like visual characteristics through adjustable presentation rather than simply removing every spider encounter. It is launch-confirmed and still appears in current 0.5-era support/issue material. [S11] [S46]
Presentation
Subtitles are current; colour and narration options are launch-confirmed
Customisable subtitles remain represented in current 0.5-era support material. Colourblind options and Read to Me narration are confirmed in the launch accessibility baseline, but current 0.5-era material does not separately re-list every one of those settings. [S11] [S46]
Input & aiming
Reticle and control options were part of the launch baseline
Adjustable reticle and control settings were explicitly included at launch. Because Early Access menus can evolve, the in-game settings on the current platform remain the final check for the exact option set. [S11]
PS5 controller features
DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers are already supported
Game Director Chris Parker says PS5 support already includes DualSense haptic feedback and adaptive triggers, with further refinement intended during Early Access. [S15]
Water-accessibility boundary
No dedicated Thalassophobia mode is established
No first-party source currently establishes a Thalassophobia-specific mode for the underwater content. Community requests for one are not the same as an announced feature.
Current platform feature snapshot
Game Preview; online and cross-platform features supported.
Xbox on PC uses Game Preview; Steam uses Early Access. Both sit inside the current cross-platform multiplayer footprint.
Early Access since Into the Abyss on 11 August 2026; DualSense haptics and adaptive triggers are developer-confirmed current features. [S15]
Official functional support was added with 0.4.1; that should not be conflated with the separate historical “Steam Deck Verified” roadmap wording. [S18]
PC technology: the December Feature Update moved the game to Unreal Engine 5.6.1 and added/updated PC upscaling support including DLSS and FSR. These are technical platform features rather than core survival mechanics. [S19]
Two Early Access platform boundaries: unlockable achievements/trophies are not live yet; Parker says they are planned for 1.0. Grounded 2 is also not yet established as PS5 Pro Enhanced; that is another stated 1.0 target rather than a current feature. [S15]
14 / Feature catalogue
A structured index of the major delivered features
This catalogue is intentionally broader than the narrative sections above but stops short of becoming a recipe database, bestiary or mechanical stat guide. Most entries are directly supported on the current branch; where the latest available first-party material only confirms a launch accessibility option, the status says Launch-confirmed instead of implying fresh 0.5 revalidation.
Survival, information & discovery
Survival needs
LiveFood, water, preparation, crafting and shelter remain baseline expedition concerns. [S13]
Deeper: Gameplay & Systems
PEEP.R 2K
LiveZoom, observation, compass/marker support, Chopping List and Resource Finder integration. [S19]
Deeper: Gameplay & Systems
Resource Analyzer & Brainpower
LiveDiscovery/research feeds recipe progression, including current Brainpower-exclusive unlocks. [S39]
Deeper: Gameplay & Systems
Recipe Menu
LiveLets players inspect ingredients and required tools while away from a workstation. [S39]
Critter CAPZ
LiveHidden collectible layer spread around Brookhollow Park. [S39]
Milk Molars
LiveExploration-linked player progression, separate from Moldy Milk Molars used for Buggies. [S38]
Deeper: Gameplay & Systems
Raw Science
LiveSpendable progression resource with current uses including extension of the PTS fast-travel network. [S39]
Deeper: Gameplay & Systems
Buggies
Red Soldier Ant Buggy
LiveGeneral-purpose gathering, hauling, building and combat companion. [S38]
Orb Weaver Buggy
LiveCombat/control-focused companion with web identity and later gliding capability. [S38] [S40]
Ladybug Buggy
LiveTank/support companion with healing, ram and water-based utility. [S20]
Black Soldier Ant Buggy
LiveLater ant-family Buggy with its own role rather than an automatic replacement ladder. [S21]
Toe Biter Buggy
LiveAmphibious companion for land and water exploration. [S06]
Buggy progression
LiveMoldy Milk Molars, mutations and tier progression support long-term companion development. [S40]
Buggy Hotpouch
LiveQuick-access inventory functionality added as Buggy logistics matured. [S34]
Buggy Racing
LiveStructured Playgrounds racing for one to four players. [S18]
World, traversal & underwater play
Brookhollow Park
LiveLarge layered survival world expanded through Garden, anthill and aquatic regions. [S12]
Deeper: World & Locations
Tang corruption
LiveToxic Tangle introduced a sour, experiment-linked corruption affecting parts of the environment and creature ecology. [S20]
Story context: Lore
Swimming 2.0
LiveAgile aquatic movement, including directional Burst. [S39]
Diving Suit progression
LiveEquipment-gated deeper-water exploration linked to Optical Discs. [S06]
Omni-Clipper
LiveUnderwater harvesting branch of the Omni-Tool. [S06]
Pneumatic Transit System
LiveFixed Ominent fast-travel infrastructure with a wider current network. [S39]
Ziplines & ZIP.R
LivePlayer-built transport routes with bidirectional ZIP.R support. [S39]
Building & home
BUILD.M
LiveGrid-led construction workflow introduced in 0.2. [S34]
Coziness
LiveDecoration-linked perks plus current dynamic home-music feedback. [S19] [S39]
Underwater bases
LiveBubble Floors, Bubble Diffuser and aquatic structures support submerged habitation. [S39]
Buggy infrastructure
LiveHatching, housing and progression utilities integrate companions into the base loop. [S40]
Forbidden Workbench
LiveSpecial station for additional Mysterious Stranger-related crafting. [S39]
Glitter Bar
LiveCosmetic customisation station for SCA.B 2K and Omni-Tool presentation. [S39]
Combat, progression & systemic encounters
Archetype-guided builds
LiveWarrior/Ranger/Mage/Rogue language describes flexible build directions rather than locked classes. [S38]
Player mutations
LiveActive and passive mutation layers reinforce equipment and playstyle. [S20] [S39]
Mounted & companion combat
LiveFight while mounted or dismount and let the Buggy participate independently. [S38]
Underwater combat
LiveDedicated targeting and aquatic weapon options. [S39]
Stranger heat
LivePlayer actions can escalate Stranger attention into O.R.C. retaliation. [S39]
Repeatable MIX.Rs
LiveRepeatable defence challenges that also interact with Stranger pressure. [S39]
O.R.C. Beacon
LiveLets the player deliberately summon controlled-creature wave encounters. [S39]
Bosses & Colossi
LiveLarge encounters include AXL, King Dozer, Snake Colossus and enhanced current variants. [S34] [S20] [S21]
Multiplayer & persistence
Up to four-player online co-op
LiveShared survival for up to four total players. [S35]
Cross-platform multiplayer
LiveXbox, PC and PlayStation crossplay through the documented account layer. [S07]
Shared Worlds
LiveCloud-shared world model available through current cross-platform support. [S07]
Cross-progression
Live · developer-statedChris Parker confirms PC/Xbox/PlayStation cross-progression; support docs do not yet document every edge case. [S15]
Xbox Play Anywhere
LiveXbox-console ↔ Xbox-PC purchase/save continuity is explicitly supported. [S11]
Creator & custom-play features
Playgrounds Mode
LiveCustom-experience creation and community distribution. [S17]
Handy Gnat
LiveCreator-focused construction tool for precise placement and hard-to-reach positions. [S43]
Logic & trigger tools
LiveTrigger Volumes, Random Chance and Creature Spawners support scripted experiences. [S17]
Custom MIX.R tooling
Live0.5 adds dedicated creature/wave tools for authored MIX.R events. [S39]
Custom Game 1.0
LiveCurrent rule/settings customisation package; unrelated to product version 1.0. [S39]
Accessibility & usability
Arachnophobia Safe Mode
LiveAdjustable reduction of spider-like visual characteristics; launch-confirmed and still represented in current 0.5-era support material. [S11] [S46]
Colourblind options
Launch-confirmedExplicitly included in the launch accessibility baseline; not separately re-listed in the current 0.5-era sources. [S11]
Customisable subtitles
LiveSubtitle presentation can be adjusted; subtitle-related settings remain represented in current 0.5-era support material. [S11] [S46]
Read to Me
Launch-confirmedExplicitly included in the launch accessibility baseline; current 0.5-era sources do not separately re-list it. [S11]
Reticle & control options
Launch-confirmedAdjustable aiming/presentation and input options are confirmed in the launch baseline; exact current menus can evolve during Early Access. [S11]
DualSense haptics & adaptive triggers
Live · developer-statedChris Parker says both are already supported on PS5, with refinement continuing through Early Access. [S15]
Catalogue scope: major delivered player-facing capabilities plus clearly labelled launch-confirmed accessibility options. It deliberately excludes every individual weapon, recipe, creature, building piece, mutation and collectible variant.
15 / Current vs future
Early Access makes “feature” a time-sensitive word
A feature can be live, announced, hidden on a roadmap, previously listed or merely requested by the community. Those states must not be collapsed.
What is current now
- Five live Buggies with current progression/mutation systems.
- Brookhollow Park through Garden, Sinkhole and Into the Abyss-era world expansion.
- Swimming 2.0, Diving Suit progression, Omni-Clipper and underwater bases.
- PEEP.R 2K, Resource Finder, Brainpower and current Recipe Menu.
- BUILD.M, Coziness and current base utilities.
- PTS, Ziplines/ZIP.R and current traversal networks.
- Stranger heat, repeatable MIX.Rs and O.R.C. Beacon.
- Four-player online co-op, crossplay and Shared Worlds.
- Playgrounds, Buggy Racing and Custom Game 1.0.
Confirmed future plans — not current
- Fall: Rotting Wood Pile, SCA.B 2K Flavor Schemes, Potato Beetle Buggy, Termites, New Armors, New Weapons, Yoking Press and two concealed entries.
- Winter: concealed park area, Salty, New Buggies, New Story Boss, New Creatures, further Tier IV Omni-Tool Unlocks, New Building Materials and New Buildings.
- Future Plans: The Abyss — Expanded, more Buggies/mutations/progression, Buggy Customization, more creatures/bosses/Colossi, further gear/Omni-Tool work, Stuffed Bug Improvements, Base Moving, more Playgrounds toolsets and additional language/voice support.
Things this page deliberately does not promote to current features
- The Fall update being called 0.6 — plausible numbering inference, not first-party confirmation.
- New Archetypes or Active Mutations 2.0 as current promises — both appeared on earlier roadmaps but are absent from the current Year Two roadmap; their disposition is unknown.
- A dedicated Thalassophobia mode — not established in current first-party material.
- The current Abyss as the final underwater scope — The Abyss — Expanded remains an explicit undated Future Plans item.
- Achievements/trophies as currently unlockable — Parker says they are planned for 1.0.
- PS5 Pro Enhanced as a current delivered designation — Parker describes it as a 1.0 target.
- Local split-screen co-op or an official dedicated-server product — not current supported features.
- Community/datamined Buggy candidates such as Wolf Spider, Scorpion or Mantis Buggies — not current confirmed Buggies.
16 / Feature evolution
The live feature set has expanded in layers rather than through one straight roadmap
Updates & Change History owns the full ledger. This condensed view shows only the major feature additions that changed the shape of the player experience.
Launch / 0.1
Buggies define the sequel
Rideable companions, Brookhollow Park and the core survival/co-op loop establish the new baseline.
0.2
Building and Buggy utility expand
BUILD.M, AXL content, Hotpouch and quality-of-life work deepen the first version of the loop.
0.2.2
Information and home progression mature
PEEP.R 2K, Resource Finder and Coziness make exploration and bases more legible/rewarding.
0.3
The Garden broadens the park
Toxic Tangle adds a major region, Ladybug Buggy, more creatures/building content and mutation changes.
Playgrounds
The game gains a creator identity
Custom experiences, logic tools and community sharing create a second way to use the world and assets.
0.4
Buggies become a real progression track
Moldy Milk Molars, mutations, Buffin' Barrel, Black Soldier Ant and Sinkhole content deepen companions and combat.
0.4.1
Racing proves custom modes
Buggy Racing turns Playgrounds into a structured activity; Steam Deck functional support also arrives.
0.5
The Pond becomes a substantial play layer
Swimming 2.0, diving progression, underwater combat/building, Toe Biter, Stranger heat, ziplines and expanded creator tools make Into the Abyss the largest feature jump so far.
Development pattern:
Obsidian has also moved feature work between roadmap buckets and introduced Feature Updates to ship systems outside the next large content release. That history is why Sourceborne treats the roadmap as mutable intent rather than a fixed delivery contract.
17 / The experience
What actually makes Grounded 2 feel different?
The sequel is most distinctive where one feature solves several player problems at once.
The strongest differentiator
The park becomes something you gradually learn to operate
At the start, distance, creatures, resources and unfamiliar geography make Brookhollow dangerous. Progress increasingly turns those constraints into systems the player can control: a Buggy carries the load; PEEP.R finds the resource; a zipline or PTS link shortens the route; a developed base becomes a staging hub; diving equipment turns inaccessible depth into a new region; and Shared Worlds allow a group to keep building that infrastructure together.
That sense of turning a hostile miniature park into an understood, connected place is the thread linking the best current features.
Evidence
Sources used for this features reference
The feature descriptions above are anchored primarily to first-party Obsidian announcements, release notes, support documentation and Xbox publisher material. Direct developer interviews are used where current support documentation does not fully spell out an important boundary.
Primary current
S33 · Obsidian — Grounded 2 current siteCurrent high-level gameplay, Early Access state and feature framing.
Open source ↗Primary publisher
S12 · Xbox Wire — Grounded 2 announcementBrookhollow Park scale, setting and foundational sequel/Buggy framing.
Open source ↗Primary publisher transcript
S38 · Xbox Wire — Grounded 2 deep diveArchetypes; Buggy riding, combat, gathering, naming/nesting, traversal and difficulty/recovery semantics.
Open source ↗Primary publisher
S13 · Xbox Wire — Getting started in Grounded 2Survival basics, early progression and Buggy gathering/hauling context.
Open source ↗Primary launch
S11 · Obsidian — Game Preview launch / accessibilityAccessibility baseline, Xbox Play Anywhere and launch-era current-feature context.
Open source ↗Primary
S34 · Obsidian — Hairy and Scary / 0.2BUILD.M, Hotpouch and early post-launch feature expansion.
Open source ↗Primary
S19 · Obsidian — December Feature Update / 0.2.2PEEP.R 2K, Resource Finder, Coziness, engine and PC upscaling changes.
Open source ↗Primary
S20 · Obsidian — The Toxic Tangle / 0.3Garden expansion, Ladybug Buggy, creatures, mutation/building growth.
Open source ↗Primary
S21 · Obsidian — Beat the Heat / 0.4Black Soldier Ant Buggy, Buggy progression, Sinkhole Anthill and King Dozer-era feature expansion.
Open source ↗Primary forum
S40 · Obsidian Forum — Beat the Heat full notesMoldy Milk Molars, Buggy mutations, Buffin' Barrel, combat and utility-building details.
Open source ↗Primary publisher/developer
S42 · Xbox Wire — Buggies, EvolvedDeveloper explanation of Buggy progression and keeping earlier companions useful.
Open source ↗Primary
S17 · Obsidian — Playgrounds liveCreator-mode logic tools, custom encounters and community sharing.
Open source ↗Primary
S43 · Obsidian — Playgrounds PTBHandy Gnat, creator-map/building context and Playgrounds tooling.
Open source ↗Primary
S18 · Obsidian — Buggy Racing / 0.4.1Structured Buggy Racing, Playgrounds growth and Steam Deck functional support.
Open source ↗Primary current major update
S06 · Obsidian — Into the Abyss / 0.5Pond/Abyss expansion, Swimming 2.0, Diving Suit progression, Omni-Clipper, underwater building and Toe Biter.
Open source ↗Primary forum/current branch
S39 · Obsidian Forum — Into the Abyss full 0.5 notesDetailed current feature state: underwater systems, Brainpower/Recipe Menu, PTS, Stranger heat, repeatable MIX.Rs, Custom Game 1.0 and Playgrounds expansion.
Open source ↗Primary publisher
S45 · Xbox Wire — Into the Abyss revealPond expansion, Bayou/Mountains and the wider aquatic feature direction.
Open source ↗Primary current patch
S51 · Obsidian — Patch 0.5.1Current Molar, Buggy and Tier 4 Omni-Axe progression.
Open source ↗Primary previous patch / historical balance state
S01 · Obsidian — Patch 0.5.0.5Earlier creature aggression/balance and progression-fix state.
Open source ↗Primary current support
S07 · Obsidian Support — Cross Platform SupportXbox/PC/PlayStation crossplay, Shared Worlds, Playgrounds account features and account requirements.
Open source ↗Direct developer interview
S15 · GAMERGEN — Chris Parker on PS5, cross-play and cross-progressionDeveloper statements on cross-progression, current DualSense haptics/adaptive triggers, the PS5 Pro Enhanced target, achievements/trophies for 1.0 and other development direction.
Open source ↗Primary publisher
S35 · Xbox Wire — multiplayer/co-op overviewSupports the up-to-four-player online co-op framing.
Open source ↗Primary older support
S36 · Obsidian Support — Grounded 2 FAQOnline-only co-op/local-offline boundary, Xbox Play Anywhere and other retained narrow platform facts.
Open source ↗Primary publisher feature definition
S41 · Xbox Wire — Shared Worlds original semanticsDefines Shared Worlds as cloud worlds designated friends can continue while the owner is offline; current Grounded 2 support confirms Shared Worlds but does not restate every original behaviour.
Open source ↗Primary mutable tracker
S46 · Obsidian — Grounded 2 Community Issue TrackerUsed narrowly to confirm continued 0.5-era presence of Arachnophobia/subtitle-related settings and current support terminology; not used as a substitute for the release ledger.
Open source ↗Primary roadmap image
S04 · Obsidian — current Year Two roadmapFall, Winter and undated plans; used only to distinguish current features from future intent.
Open source ↗Reviewed through 21 September 2026. Future roadmap material appears only to preserve current/future boundaries; it is not represented as live functionality.