Grounded debuts Public Test ring, lets players try out updates even earlier

Grounded Screenshot Nightmare
Grounded Screenshot Nightmare (Image credit: Obsidian Entertainment)

What you need to know

  • Grounded is an open world survival game from Obsidian Entertainment, and is developed by a small team.
  • The game is in early access, meaning it is constantly adding new features over time, and players can try out the game before release.
  • Grounded is now testing out a new Public Test ring, which allows players to opt in to try out updates even before they hit the early access.
  • If you're truly committed to Grounded, the Public Test ring makes you among the first to see and try new features.

Grounded is a fantastic game, even in its early stages, but it is still an Early Access and Game Preview title, meaning it is far from being finished. The team at Grounded announced that they're trying out a new Public Test ring that allows players already playing the early access to gain access to updates even earlier, so that the team can collect more feedback. This is a great tool that allows the team to get a lead on any major bugs that may appear in new updates, saving them time when those updates finally hit the public early access.

Anyone who's interested can sign-up to gain access to the Public Test ring, but there are a few things to keep in mind. For one, the Public Test ring, at least for now, is only limited to players who are enjoying Grounded through Steam. This could change in the future, but right now the Microsoft Store version is not compatible. Also, keep in mind that save files may not be transferrable between the Public Test ring and the public release, so testers may lose all of their progress. Finally, the Public Test ring is bound to be even buggier than the already buggy (pardon the pun) Grounded early access.

Are you going to participate in the Public Test ring? Make sure to let us know in the comments below!

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Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.