Grounded's new Playgrounds creation system is being used to create giant bug wars

A bug war in Grounded.
(Image credit: @Klobrille via Twitter)

What you need to know

  • Grounded's Make It or Break It update will go live for all players on November 13.
  • The update adds an all-new sandbox mode called Playgrounds, which some players have used to create giant bug wars.

The Make It or Break It update for Grounded may still be a few days away, but a player who had preview access wasted no time starting giant bug wars.  Twitter user Klobrille shared video showing off a battle created inside of Playgrounds with some of Grounded's most terrifying creepy crawlies. Ladybugs, larvae, and ants can be seen in the throes of war with the Mantis and Broodmother bosses. 

Windows Central's Zachary Boddy sat down for an interview with Grounded's Adam Brennecke, who described the update as an opportunity to give players the tools to make their own Grounded experience. "That's more powerful than anything that our development team at Obsidian can do," Brennecke said.

Creativity has already been central to Grounded, with players able to litter the backyard with sprawling bases built cooperatively with friends. The Make It or Break It update will expand upon that foundation, giving players an all-new level of creative freedom that is on par with what you would expect to find in Forza Horizon 5's EventLab or Halo Infinite's Forge

(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios)

While you can use Playgrounds mode to create your own buggy battle royale, players will not yet have control of creature AI when Make It or Break It launches on November 13. For the time being, the bug AI will continue to carry on with its default pathing and behaviors. Obsidian has not ruled out giving players that level of control, with tools to control hostility and pathing being explored for future updates.

The Make It or Break It update will be available for free to all Grounded players on Xbox consoles and Windows PC, including Steam. In addition to the Playgrounds sandbox, the update will include a multitude of quality-of-life improvements and new quests.

Cole Martin
Writer

Cole is the resident Call of Duty know-it-all and indie game enthusiast for Windows Central. She's a lifelong artist with two decades of experience in digital painting, and she will happily talk your ear off about budget pen displays.