Is Grounded 2 on Xbox Game Pass?
Yes, Grounded 2 will be available on Xbox Game Pass across both Xbox Series X|S consoles and Xbox PC with PC Game Pass or Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. However, you won't be able to play it if you only have the console-specific Xbox Game Pass Standard tier.
Grounded 2 will be on Game Pass, but there's a catch
One of the biggest Xbox games coming out in 2025 is now just under two weeks away: Grounded 2, Xbox Game Studios' and Obsidian Entertainment's surprise sequel to its popular 2020 survival game in which you play as young teenagers shrunk down to the size of an ant. The premise of the follow-up title is the exact same as the original Grounded, though Obsidian is expanding it with a new Brookhollow Park map that will eventually dwarf the first game's Backyard, new RPG buildcrafting options, ridable "Buggy" mounts like ants and orb weaver spiders, and more.
Our comprehensive Grounded 2 overview goes over the sequel in greater detail, but the TL;DR is that it's going to be bigger and bolder than the first game — even if you'll be as small as you always were. And with the title launching into Early Access near the end of the month on July 29, many excited players on Xbox Series X|S and Windows PC are wondering if they'll be able to jump in with Microsoft's all-you-can-eat-style Xbox Game Pass gaming service.
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Xbox Game Pass gives subscribers access to hundreds of different games for a monthly fee — and for hopeful Grounded 2 fans, there's good news. As part of Microsoft's commitment to bring every first-party Xbox Game Studios title to Game Pass, Grounded 2 is launching onto the program day one.
This means you'll be able to play on Xbox and Xbox PC both with the $19.99/month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, or just on PC with $11.99/month PC Game Pass memberships. Ultimate subscribers can also play using Xbox Cloud Gaming, with progress shared between all platforms thanks to Xbox Play Anywhere.
Unfortunately, though, Grounded 2 won't be available on the console-specific $14.99 Xbox Game Pass Standard tier. That means if you want to use Game Pass to play the game on Xbox Series X|S, you'll be forced to get Xbox Game Pass Ultimate. However, I'll note you can get Game Pass Ultimate time for as little as $10.89 at CDKeys right now, so you don't have to pay full price for your membership.
How else can you play Grounded 2?
It's great that Grounded 2 will be playable through Xbox Game Pass, but not everyone will find subscribing to Microsoft's program worth it, even if it is known as "the best deal in gaming." For example, you may only like to play one game for long periods, or you might simply prefer not having to worry about losing game access if you don't keep your subscription active.
Thankfully, using Game Pass isn't required in order to play Grounded 2. On Xbox Series X|S, the Xbox PC app, and also Valve's dominant PC gaming platform Steam, you'll be able to buy it traditionally for $29.99, with a $39.99 Founder's Edition available that includes four extra cosmetic skins, some exclusive emotes, and a digital artbook and soundtrack. There will also be a $9.99 Founder's Pack Upgrade that unlocks these items you can buy if you initially get the Standard Edition or play on Game Pass.
On Xbox Wire, it was stated that these will be the game's prices "during the Game Preview/Early Access period" — implying that the game will eventually be more expensive once it fully launches, similar to how Grounded went from $29.99 to $39.99 when it officially came out. Therefore, to get the best price on the game you can, you should buy it early.
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