Is Grounded 2 on Xbox Game Pass?

Absolutely! Grounded 2 will make its way onto Xbox Game Pass, supporting both Xbox Series X|S consoles and PC with PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. Please note that to access this game, you’ll need more than just the basic console-specific Xbox Game Pass Standard tier.

Grounded 2 will be on Game Pass, but there’s a catch

In approximately two weeks, one of the highly anticipated Xbox games for 2025, titled Grounded 2, is about to be released. This sequel is a surprise from Xbox Game Studios and Obsidian Entertainment, following their successful 2020 survival game where you play as young teenagers who have been shrunk down to ant size. The new game retains the same premise as Grounded, but Obsidian is adding more content, including a larger map called Brookhollow Park that will surpass the first game’s Backyard, new RPG buildcrafting options, rideable insect mounts like ants and orb weaver spiders, and additional features.

In a nutshell, our extensive review of Grounded 2 provides more insight into its sequel, but the main point is that it will be larger and more daring than the original game, regardless of whether you remain as small as ever. With the game set to debut in Early Access towards the end of July on July 29, there’s a lot of anticipation among players on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC regarding whether they can access it through Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription service, which offers an all-you-can-play gaming experience.

Xbox Game Pass grants subscribers access to a variety of games for a monthly cost, and here’s some exciting news for potential Grounded 2 enthusiasts: As part of Microsoft’s pledge to make every first-party Xbox Game Studios title available on Game Pass, Grounded 2 is slated to debut on the platform the same day it launches.

With a $19.99 monthly Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you’ll have the freedom to play games on both Xbox and PC systems. Alternatively, for a $11.99/month fee, you can opt for a PC Game Pass membership if you prefer to play only on your computer. Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers also get access to Xbox Cloud Gaming, allowing them to play games across multiple platforms, with the added convenience of shared progress thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere.

Unfortunately, it appears that Grounded 2 won’t be accessible on the standard Xbox Game Pass tier, which means if you want to play the game on Xbox Series X|S via Game Pass, you’ll need to upgrade to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. However, I should mention that you can currently purchase Game Pass Ultimate for as low as $10.89 at CDKeys, so you won’t have to pay the full price for your membership.

How else can you play Grounded 2?

It’s exciting that Grounded 2 can be played via Xbox Game Pass, but some people might not find it financially beneficial to subscribe to Microsoft’s service, even if it is widely regarded as a fantastic gaming value. This could be because they prefer focusing on a single game for extended periods or simply dislike the idea of losing game access due to lapsed subscription.

It’s good to know that purchasing Grounded 2 isn’t mandatory through Game Pass. You can acquire it on Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox PC app, and Steam for $29.99. There’s also a Founder’s Edition priced at $39.99, which comes with four additional cosmetic skins, exclusive emotes, a digital artbook, and soundtrack. Alternatively, there’s a Founder’s Pack Upgrade for $9.99 that grants these items if you initially buy the Standard Edition or play via Game Pass.

According to Xbox Wire, these are the prices for the game during its development phase (Game Preview/Early Access). This means that once the game is fully released, its price may increase, like what happened with Grounded when it officially launched, from $29.99 to $39.99. To save money on the game, it’s recommended to buy it while it’s still in development.

2025-07-18 02:09