What you need to know
- Grounded is one of the four Xbox games announced as heading to PlayStation or Switch in February.
- As the hit survival game from Obsidian Entertainment nears its multiplatform release, the studio has shared the details on its final content update.
- Grounded 1.4, or the "Fully Yoked" update, will launch on all platforms simultaneously with a huge amount of new endgame content.
- That means new bosses, new secrets and easter eggs, and even an alternate reality "New Game+" mode for hardcore players.
- Xbox Game Studios has also partnered with Limited Run Games to release a physical and collector's edition of Grounded for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch platforms, which you can preorder now.
It's hard to believe that it has already been nearly 18 months since I reviewed Grounded's 1.0 release, especially considering how much the game has evolved since that launch. Obsidian Entertainment's unique survival-crafting game has gone from success to success, enjoying over 20 million players across Xbox consoles and Windows PC. Now, it's gearing up to release on two new platforms, and coinciding with that monumental launch is the Grounded's final major content update.
The Fully Yoked update is a gargantuan addition to the already extensive Grounded gameplay pool, with a ton of new features, quality-of-life improvements, and endgame content. Obsidian has detailed the update on its website, giving players a sneak peek into what Grounded's final form looks like. If that wasn't enough, Xbox Game Studios partnered with Limited Run Games to release physical versions of Grounded across console platforms, including a collector's edition, which you can go preorder at Limited Run Games.
Endless endgame with Fully Yoked
The Fully Yoked update focuses almost entirely on Grounded's endgame. That means long-term and hardcore players will have a whole lot more content to explore — practically endless, in fact. For one, all three of the ant colonies in the Backyard (Red, Black, and Fire) will now have a new Ant Queen boss for players to challenge. Also, players who have bested the Broodmother, Mantis, and Wasp Queen can search for a new hidden Javamatic challenge. Emerge victorious in this fight, and you'll unlock Grounded's New Game+ mode.
The REMIX.R is a secret creation of Wendell that sends players into an alternate dimension. This remixed backyard features different creature spawns, new secrets and easter eggs, and an overall considerably higher level of difficulty. Creatures in the Backyard are now infused with Raw Science to be faster, stronger, smarter, and possessed of new abilities. Of course, that means there's also new ways to improve your character.
Infused creatures can drop trinkets with random, unique properties to enhance your character, and you can also look out for Ominent Badges and BURG.L Chip trinkets, too. New Molars will appear around the Backyard in random locations for more character upgrades, and the Yoking Station can be purchased from the Advanced System Library to upgrade your weapons to new max levels, as long as you can find the necessary unique materials across the remixed Backyard.
That's not all, of course. There are four new achievements, one new mutation, twelve new Ant Queen buildings, baby ant pets, and so much more Obsidian isn't divulging to players. It's a huge follow-up to the Make It or Break It update, which brought endless creative possibilities to Grounded.
Physical and collector's editions for every platform
The Fully Yoked update is a big deal, even before you consider that it's the last planned content update for Grounded. However, Obsidian Entertainment is also making this the "definitive edition" of the game. Grounded Fully Yoked Edition is the version launching across PlayStation and Nintendo Switch simultaneously with the update's Xbox and Windows PC release. It's a milestone worth celebrating, and that's why Xbox Game Studios worked with Limited Run Games on a long-awaited physical edition for Grounded.
You can now preorder Grounded Fully Yoked Edition for $39.99 at Limited Run Games for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch platforms. It's a region-free disc in the traditional slipcase for those platforms, perfect for any physical collection. Of course, hardcore collectors or passionate Grounded fans can also consider the Grounded Fully Yoked Collector's Edition, which you can preorder now for $124.99 at Limited Run Games for Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch platforms.
Grounded Fully Yoked Collector's Edition includes:
- Physical Grounded Fully Yoked Edition for Xbox, PlayStation, or Switch
- Grounded Fully Yoked Collector's Edition box
- 4 x 6in art frame with 10 swappable art cards
- USB cassette tape soundtrack
- CD soundtrack
- BURG.L branded seven-dice set
- Official Grounded artbook
- Grounded stickers
- Mant mini figures
- Hoops' sweatbands
Both versions of Grounded's physical editions are available to preorder until Apr. 28, 2024, so don't wait too long to pull the trigger (preorders will help determine how many physical units are made)! It's always great to see more games get physical editions, especially for Xbox, and supporting this launch will likely help future Xbox games get the same treatment.
The end of new updates, but not the end of Grounded
On one hand, it's sad that Grounded is officially nearing its final content update. The small team at Obsidian Entertainment, helmed by Adam Brennecke, has done excellent work breathing so much life into its survival-crafting vision, even spawning similar games from inspired studios. In its current form, Grounded boasts countless dozens of hours of content, and that number becomes near infinite when you consider the growing community of Playgrounds creators building brand-new Grounded experiences in the game.
That being said, it's great to see Grounded on the precipice of being played by people who otherwise never would've experienced this wonderful game. PlayStation and Switch players are in for a real treat with Grounded. It may be the end of the game as far as content support from Obsidian is concerned, but it's far from the end of Grounded's community. The Grounded 1.4 Fully Yoked update releases for free across Xbox, Windows PC, and Xbox Game Pass alongside the Grounded Fully Yoked Edition launch across Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch — and it's all happening on Apr. 16, 2024.
The update includes a ton of new content, but it'll also include other great new features like full online cross-play between Xbox, Windows PC, PlayStation, and Switch. Complete Japanese voiceover support is also landing with this update, letting Japanese players experience the game in its entirety without needing Japanese subtitles. Grounded has long been one of the best Xbox games on the platform, but it's about to become one of the best survival games on all modern gaming platforms.
