This year, Xbox, Microsoft’s gaming division and publishing label, has unveiled several significant, in-house games. More are set to arrive on Xbox Series X|S consoles and Windows PCs towards the end of 2025. One of these upcoming titles is Grounded 2, the eagerly awaited sequel to Obsidian Entertainment’s successful 2020 survival game, and the second game from the studio this year, with February’s Avowed being the first and October’s The Outer Worlds 2 set to be the third.
Initially unveiled at June’s grand Xbox Games Showcase, Grounded 2 is anticipated to be one of the most significant Xbox releases and Xbox Game Pass games this year. Despite its focus on survival in a park-like setting after being reduced to ant size, it’s sure to make you feel quite insignificant.
The game is set to debut on Xbox and PC through Early Access on July 30, which is just one day from now as of this writing. Importantly, the game’s official system requirements for PC and recommended specifications are available for review; I’ve provided them below (from its Steam page) so you can check them against your own computer hardware.
| Minimum | Recommended | |
|---|---|---|
| OS: | Windows 10/11 with updates | Windows 10/11 with updates |
| Processor: | AMD Ryzen 5 2600 / Intel i5-8400 | AMD Ryzen 5 5600X / Intel i7-10700K |
| Memory: | 16 GB RAM | 16 GB RAM |
| Graphics: | AMD RX 5700 / Nvidia GTX 1070 / Intel Arc A580 | AMD RX 6800 XT / Nvidia RTX 3080 |
| DirectX: | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Storage: | 40 GB available space | 40 GB available space |
One notable point is that Grounded 2 will be playable on hardware that’s almost a decade old, such as the NVIDIA GTX 1070 graphics card and Intel Core i5-8400 CPU. Given these components are the minimum requirements, you might need to lower settings and tolerate a less than ideal frame rate, but at least it will function.
The sequel appears to be adaptable to and playable on various older computer specifications and configurations, although the suggested RTX 3080 for optimal performance may require more resources when running at high resolutions, graphics settings, and frame rates than initially anticipated.
Even though the card is five years old by September, if you’ve constructed or obtained a gaming PC within this decade, it’s unlikely to struggle delivering solid performance at high settings. I’m basing this on the assumption that the requirements were established without considering features like Super Resolution upscaling (DLSS, FSR, etc.) and AI Multi-Frame Generation; if these features are supported in Grounded 2, they should significantly improve performance with minimal loss in quality.
What I found noteworthy is that the sequel requires a storage space of 40 GB – quite modest when considering many contemporary games with extensive open-world settings, yet still five times larger than the initial Grounded which operates on just 8 GB. If you were under the impression that Grounded 2 would be this compact, you might need to invest in a top-tier SSD. However, it’s generally straightforward to free up space by uninstalling one or two other games.
To check which components are in your computer and ensure they’re compatible with a game, type “dxdiag” into the Windows search bar and run the diagnostic tool that appears. The System tab will show your operating system, CPU, RAM, and DirectX version, while the Display tab displays your graphics card. To determine storage capacity, just look at your hard drives in Windows’ File Explorer.
In essence, Grounded 2 is likely to run smoothly on most PC gaming systems, which is advantageous given the high likelihood that many players will be eager to experience it. During its Early Access phase, the game will surpass its completed predecessor in size, boasting a larger map, an expanded set of crafting, base building, and character customization options, the inclusion of “Buggy” mounts for riding, new insect species to discover, and more features.
If the upcoming sequel resembles its predecessor’s quality, it’s expected to rank among the top Xbox games and PC games of the year, despite being in Early Access. The original Grounded was a massive hit for Microsoft and Xbox, and it also thrived on PlayStation 5.
You can play this game on Xbox and the Xbox PC app using Xbox Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. If you prefer to own it permanently, you can purchase it for $29.99 on both platforms, including Steam. Additionally, there’s a Founder’s Edition available for $39.99, which includes extra skins, a digital artbook and soundtrack. If you’re currently playing with the standard edition or using Game Pass, you can upgrade to the Founder’s Pack for $9.99.
Read More
- Xbox’s Forza Horizon 5 Sold an Outrageous 2 Million Copies on PS5 in a Month
- Gold Rate Forecast
- How Much Does a PS5 Equivalent PC Cost in 2025?
- xAI’s $300/month Grok 4, billed as a “maximally truth-seeking AI” — seemingly solicits Elon Musk’s opinion on controversial topics
- Lewis Capaldi Details “Mental Episode” That Led to Him “Convulsing”
- Why Stephen Baldwin Is “Blessed” By Justin & Hailey Bieber’s Marriage
- Ryan Lochte Gets Cozy With New Woman Amid Kayla Reid Divorce
- Anime’s Greatest Summer 2024 Shonen Hit Drops New Look Ahead of Season 2
- Microsoft has a new way to use AI in OneNote — but a “dumb” feature excites me more
- Wrestler Marcus “Buff” Bagwell Undergoes Leg Amputation
2025-07-28 23:39