Grounded
News, coverage and analysis tracking Grounded across the outlets.
New Fallout game in development by makers of New Vegas but at a costXbox has commissioned Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind Fallout: New Vegas, to develop a new Fallout game, led by project director Josh Sawyer. This decision comes after Obsidian experienced significant layoffs, with reports suggesting that previous projects were cancelled to prioritize this new Fallout title. The move aims to capitalize on the franchise's popularity, potentially releasing before Bethesda's Fallout 5.
'Used, abused, and discarded:' CWA Canada slams Microsoft over handling of Bethesda layoffsCWA Canada has criticized Microsoft and Bethesda Game Studios over recent layoffs affecting unionized employees at Bethesda Game Studios Montreal. Union president Carmel Smyth stated that around a dozen employees, some with up to a decade of service, were informed of their termination via a brief video call. The union plans to pursue bargaining for severance, internal placement, and recall rights for affected workers.
Report – Xbox cuts around 25% of Obsidian staffXbox has initiated significant layoffs across its studios, with Obsidian Entertainment reportedly losing around 25% of its staff, impacting producers, artists, designers, and more. This is part of Microsoft's larger plan to lay off 3,200 employees by June 2027, though Blizzard Entertainment teams have been spared for now. The restructuring aims to shift focus away from smaller acquired studios, but the arbitrary nature of the cuts is causing concern over lost expertise.
Report: Obsidian losing around one quarter of its staff to 'Xbox reset'Obsidian Entertainment has reportedly laid off approximately one quarter of its staff, impacting 60-70 employees as part of a larger 'Xbox reset'. The cuts affect various departments, including senior talent and the art director for The Outer Worlds. This follows a broader announcement of 3200 layoffs at Xbox, with leadership citing a need to course-correct after ambitious bets on Game Pass and multi-platform strategies did not yield expected results.
Obsidian was also hit by "the Microsoft sacrificial rituals," says laid-off RPG veteran who previously worked…Obsidian Entertainment has reportedly been affected by recent Xbox layoffs, with narrative designer Jay Turner and other developers confirming their departure. These cuts are part of a larger "reset" by Microsoft, which aims to reduce its workforce by 3,200 by fiscal year 2027. Reports suggest around 25% of Obsidian's staff, approximately 60-70 individuals, were impacted.
Even Obsidian couldn't escape the Xbox cuts, with losses ranging from a 21-year veteran artist to an engineer…Obsidian Entertainment has experienced layoffs, affecting employees including a 21-year veteran artist and a recent engineer. This marks the first time the studio has been impacted by the recent waves of job cuts at Microsoft's Xbox division. The exact number of affected employees is between nine and 49, falling below the threshold that would trigger a WARN Act notice.
Obsidian decided to do Grounded 2 once it settled on creating bug mountsObsidian Entertainment decided to develop Grounded 2 because the original game's design did not support the new bug mount feature. The sequel is built from the ground up to properly utilize this system, requiring a revamped world. Grounded 2 also drops support for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One to focus on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC, allowing for technological advancements.
Obsidian reportedly safe from Xbox studio closures despite fears the RPG powerhouse was in negotiations to avoid…Despite earlier reports suggesting Obsidian Entertainment was negotiating to avoid closure, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier has confirmed the RPG developer is safe. The news comes amid widespread fears of mass layoffs and studio shutdowns within Xbox's gaming division.- Xbox May Shut Down Obsidian Entertainment, TooNew reports indicate that Xbox is considering shutting down or selling Obsidian Entertainment, the studio behind games like Avowed and Fallout: New Vegas. This potential closure is part of a larger plan by Xbox to reallocate funds towards its major franchises, potentially affecting other subsidiaries like Compulsion Games, Double Fine, Ninja Theory, and Undead Labs.
The Outer Worlds, Avowed Developer “Deep in Negotiation” With Xbox to Avoid Closure – RumorReports suggest that Xbox is in negotiations with Obsidian Entertainment to prevent its closure, alongside other studios like Arkane and Ninja Theory. This comes after The Outer Worlds 2 and Avowed reportedly failed to meet Xbox's sales expectations. The fate of these studios, including Obsidian, is expected to be revealed around July 6th.
PlayStation Store Update Worldwide June 30, 2026Sony's PlayStation Store has received its weekly update, adding new content for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation VR owners. This week's PlayStation Plus Essential lineup includes Grounded, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide.
"Baldur's Gate 3 seems to have done it pretty well," but don't expect Obsidian's next story-based RPG to launch in early access, Grounded 2 lead suggestsObsidian Entertainment's Grounded 2 director Chris Parker stated that while Baldur's Gate 3's early access success is notable, it's not a model that will work for all story-based RPGs. He believes that for large, complex narrative games, the traditional development approach is more suitable, though he acknowledges exceptions exist and that early access can be beneficial for certain titles like the original Grounded.- PlayStation Store Update Worldwide June 23, 2026Sony's PlayStation Store has received its weekly update, adding new content for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation VR owners. This week's PlayStation Plus Essential lineup includes Grounded, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide.
- I slept on Grounded for years, and now I’m having spider nightmaresThe author expresses a newfound fear of spiders after playing the game Grounded for an extended period. This personal reflection highlights the game's ability to evoke strong emotional responses, even after initial apprehension.
Obsidian Entertainment is Facing a Class Action Lawsuit for Wage Theft, Breaking Labor LawsObsidian Entertainment is facing a class action lawsuit alleging systematic wage and hour violations, including unpaid overtime, denied breaks, and failure to reimburse business expenses. The lawsuit, filed in California, claims the studio engaged in wage theft, impacting non-exempt employees. Obsidian denies the allegations and is seeking dismissal or forced arbitration.
Nintendo Switch eShop charts – June 20, 2026 – top 10 is looking very familiarThe Nintendo Switch eShop charts for the week of June 20, 2026, show a remarkably consistent top ten, with Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream retaining the number one spot. All positions within the top ten remained unchanged from the previous week, indicating strong sustained popularity for established titles.
PlayStation CEO responds to reports Sony is abandoning PC, seemingly confirms big single-player games will be PS5…PlayStation CEO Hideaki Nishino has indicated that Sony will prioritize PlayStation 5 exclusivity for its in-house developed single-player games, while live-service titles will continue to be released on both PS5 and PC. This strategy shift suggests a move away from the multiplatform releases previously seen with titles like Horizon and The Last of Us, aligning with reports that PlayStation is re-evaluating its PC release strategy for major first-party games.- PlayStation Store Update Worldwide June 16, 2026Sony has released its weekly PlayStation Store update for June 16, 2026, detailing new content for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation VR owners. The update includes the June PlayStation Plus Essential lineup featuring Grounded, Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl 2, and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide.
Halo tops PS5 pre-order charts despite Xbox exclusivity pivotDespite Microsoft's pivot back to Xbox console exclusives, the upcoming Halo remake, Halo: Campaign Evolved, is topping pre-order charts on the PlayStation Store across Europe. This success on a competitor's platform could influence future exclusivity decisions for Xbox.
Nintendo Switch eShop charts – June 13, 2026 – Tomodachi Life continues dominant runThe Nintendo Switch eShop charts for the week of June 13, 2026, show Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream maintaining its top position. Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and Minecraft follow in second and third place, respectively, with the rest of the top ten featuring a mix of popular Nintendo titles and other notable games.