We spent a little time with the team at Obsidian at Summer Game Fest 2026 to check out Grounded 2. Showcasing their recently released free “Beat the Heat” update, culminating in a fight with a new boss called King Dozer, we got to see a little bit more of what we can expect as the game makes its way to version 1.0. Let’s talk about what’s new in the world of Grounded 2.
Grounded 2, if you’re unfamiliar with the sequel, is a huge expansion on the original. Rideable bugs, a massive open world, expanded buildable structures, and so much more are just scratching the surface of what this new game has to offer, as we talked about in our hands-on preview. This update is more of a late-game upgrade, with some new mechanics, a refresh to the buggies (that’s rideable bugs), including a progression system, a new map destination, and even a rework to combat and survival mechanics. Despite being a free update, this is a huge one. Let’s burrow into it.
The new place to play is called the Sinkhole Anthill. This new place of interest on the map funnels players through tight tunnels with corrosive chambers, mini boss fights, critters with heat or acid resistance, and, most importantly, a new friend. The Black Ant Buggy is capable of clearing blocked exits, can handle combat, and is another awesome rideable for your stable, but you’ll have to recover the TURBO Optical Disk first. Following the wiring that zigzags the tunnels, and avoiding the Tang drink that threatens to melt your little ranger body, you’ll eventually reach the mini-boss – an O.R.C. Potato Beetle that’d rather hold onto the disk for some reason. Dispatching this foe yields you the disk, as well as a new perk, and a whole bunch of fresh recipes and building items, including the Pinecone Fence and the aforementioned Black Ant Buggy.
Making your way deeper into the new POI, you’ll eventually find your way to the boss fight we tackled at SGF – a battle with King Dozer. King Dozer is a massive horned lizard many times larger than any foe we’ve faced so far. Funny enough, he’s actually not the most dangerous thing you’ll face down here. The boss is a solid jump in difficulty, requiring a solid amount of resources, gear, and preparation to dispatch. Bringing your strongest buggie, you’ll want to come equipped with lots of food and anything you can use to lower temperatures. Why? The thrashing of King Dozer will break nearby pipes. During your fight, you or your friends will have to break off from doing damage and head to these pipes dotted all around the area to repair them. Failure to do so will cause the temperature to rise so high that it siphons your health away very quickly. Cooling drinks help, but those pipes will need attention at some point. Using your bow, blocking, wrapping bandages, and otherwise building up a solid bench with melee tanks, ranged blockers, and dedicated support that can stay on those pipes. This is gonna be a tough fight.
With this first raid-style fight, we get a sharp departure from the usual stealth-focused slow-burn exploration game that Grounded 2 has been up to this point. This is a huge set piece that serves as a big skill and gear check that will find out what you’ve learned so far. The team was tight-lipped on whether King Dozer was on the critical path or if it’d be a side quest, but one thing is for sure – that monster is as tough as his spikes, and you’ll want to come prepared.
This fight was the only thing on display at SGF (other than a massive real-life buggy you can see below!), but it’s a great example of just the sort of high-stakes encounters we might see in future updates. It rewards proper planning, preparation, and a touch of luck to be successful, and it pushes the combat and survival reworks that are pushing the game to be the best possible co-op game it can be.
It’s also a lot of fun.
Grounded 2 is in Early Access and available now on Xbox Series X|S and PC, with the Beat the Heat expansion already out, and another update, titled "Into the Abyss," arriving on August 11, 2026. That one will massively expand Brookhollow Park and will introduce a giant central pond and all-new amphibious buggies! It’s a fun time to be tiny.
