Grounded
News, coverage and analysis tracking Grounded across the outlets.
Nintendo Switch eShop deals – lowest prices ever for Plucky Squire, Team Sonic Racing, TMNT: Splintered Fate, moreThe North American Nintendo Switch eShop is featuring new deals, including the lowest prices ever for games like Plucky Squire, Team Sonic Racing, and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Splintered Fate. The article lists a comprehensive selection of discounted titles available for purchase.
Nintendo Switch eShop charts – April 18, 2026 – Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream launches on topThe Nintendo Switch eShop charts for the week of April 18, 2026, show Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream retaining the top spot after its official launch. Several other popular titles like Super Mario Galaxy, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate, and various Pokémon games also feature prominently in the rankings.
Proton 11 Beta arrives to bring enhanced gaming compatibility to Linux / SteamOSValve has released Proton 11 Beta, an update to their compatibility layer for running Windows games on Linux and SteamOS. This version is based on Wine 11 and includes enhancements like NTSync for potential performance improvements, alongside an ARM64 build. The update brings numerous game-specific fixes and improvements, including better video playback, text-to-speech accessibility, and controller support for many titles.
Fable’s Development Was Helped by Blizzard’s Cinematics TeamMicrosoft Gaming's chief content officer Matt Booty revealed that Blizzard's cinematics team assisted Playground Games with Fable's development. This collaboration is part of a broader initiative to foster synergy between Xbox Game Studios, with other examples including Compulsion Games using Activision's MoCap studio and Rare helping Double Fine with multiplayer features. Fable is slated for a Fall release on PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S.
Blizzard is assisting with Fable's cinematics, while the Sea of Thieves team is lending its expertise to quirky pottery brawler KilnXbox's studios are collaborating on various projects, with Blizzard assisting Playground Games with Fable's cinematics and Rare lending multiplayer expertise to Double Fine's Kiln. This cross-studio support aims to leverage unique strengths without compromising individual studio cultures, as explained by Xbox's chief content officer Matt Booty.
Rumour: Xbox Debating Whether to Make Its Games Exclusive AgainMicrosoft is reportedly debating whether to revert to making its games exclusive to Xbox consoles and PC. This internal discussion comes as the company evaluates its brand strategy and the potential launch of 'Project Helix'. While releasing games on PlayStation and Nintendo Switch has increased revenue, executives are considering the impact of exclusivity on their own platform's appeal.
Eidos-Montréal's latest round of layoffs reportedly follows the cancellation of an "almost complete" open-world gameEidos-Montréal has reportedly laid off approximately 124 employees following the cancellation of an "almost complete" open-world game tentatively titled Wildlands. Studio head David Anfossi has also departed. The game, which had been in development since early 2019, reportedly suffered from numerous issues including engine changes, narrative conflicts, and an exploding budget.
Cancellation Of Almost-Complete Game From Eidos Montreal Resulted In Layoffs - ReportA report indicates that recent mass layoffs at Eidos Montreal were caused by the cancellation of an almost-complete project codenamed P11. The open-world, third-person action-adventure game reportedly cost hundreds of millions of dollars and was slated for release this year. Studio head David Anfossi also departed following the layoffs.
Deus Ex: Mankind Divided developers Eidos Montreal lay off 124 staff, as well as "parting ways" with long-time studio headEidos Montreal has laid off 124 employees and parted ways with studio head David Anfossi. The studio cited changing project needs as the reason for the workforce reduction. This follows previous layoffs in April of last year and comes after the reported cancellation of a new Deus Ex entry.- Xbox Showcase den 7 juni – följs av Gears of War: E-Day-showXbox will host its annual Xbox Games Showcase on June 7th, starting at 7 PM CET, followed immediately by a dedicated presentation for Gears of War: E-Day, a prequel set to release in 2026. The showcase promises gameplay premieres and major announcements for first-party and third-party titles, potentially including details on their new 'Helix' hardware.
Deus Ex Dev Eidos-Montreal Conducts Mass Layoffs Affecting 124 PeopleEidos-Montreal has conducted mass layoffs, resulting in 124 employees losing their jobs and studio head David Anfossi departing. The developer cited changing project needs as the reason for the cuts, which affect various disciplines. This follows recent downsizing trends in the industry, including over 1,000 job cuts at Epic Games.
Lawn Mowing Simulator 2 takes to Kickstarter with the lushest virtual grass I've ever seenSkyhook Games has launched a Kickstarter campaign for Lawn Mowing Simulator 2, which has already surpassed its funding goal. The sequel introduces new tools like strimmers and leaf blowers, and features significantly improved grass rendering with added flowers and weeds. The game is slated for a 2026 release on PC.
Animula Nook Alpha Playtest Preview—Bigger On The InsideAnimula Nook, a "Lilliput Fantasy Life Simulator," offers a unique take on the life simulation genre by centering gameplay around tiny characters interacting with oversized everyday objects. The alpha playtest showcases a creative approach to world-building and resource management, drawing comparisons to Animal Crossing and Grounded. While still rough, the game shows promise with its imaginative concept and laid-back vibe.
Open-World Survival 'Smalland: Survive The Wilds' Announced For Switch 2Maximum Entertainment has announced that the open-world survival game Smalland: Survive The Wilds will be released for the Nintendo Switch 2 on May 14, 2026. The game includes all post-launch updates from other platforms and supports cooperative multiplayer for up to 10 players. Players will explore a miniature world, craft tools, build shelters, and tame creatures.- Open-World Survival 'Smalland: Survive The Wilds' Announced For Switch 2The open-world survival game Smalland: Survive The Wilds is set to launch on the Nintendo Switch 2 in Spring 2026. This version will include all previously released post-launch updates. Players will explore a miniature world, craft items, build shelters, and tame creatures, with options for solo or cooperative play with up to nine friends.
- Open-World Survival Title Smalland: Survive The Wilds Announced For Switch 2The open-world survival game Smalland: Survive the Wilds is set to release on the Nintendo Switch in Spring 2026. This version will include all previously released post-launch updates. Players will explore a miniature world, craft items, build shelters, tame creatures, and can play solo or cooperatively with up to nine friends.
Nintendo Switch eShop charts – March 7, 2026 – Pokemon FireRed and LeafGreen lead againThe Nintendo Switch eShop charts for the week of March 7, 2026, show Pokemon FireRed and Pokemon LeafGreen retaining their top positions. These titles are expected to hold their spots until the upcoming release of Tomodachi Life: Living the Dream next month.
A Year-By-Year Breakdown Of Phil Spencer's Mixed Legacy As Xbox BossThis analysis breaks down Phil Spencer's tenure as Xbox boss from 2014 to 2026, highlighting both successes like backward compatibility and the launch of Xbox Game Pass, and failures such as studio closures, game cancellations, and price hikes. The article details major events year-by-year, concluding with Spencer's retirement and the challenges facing Xbox under new leadership.
What survival crafting game are you playing？Players are discussing their favorite survival crafting games, with "Never Wither" being highlighted for its unique pet possession mechanic. Other popular titles mentioned include "7 Days to Die," "Minecraft," "Enshrouded," and "Valheim."
GeForce NOW Rings In 2026 With 14 New Games in JanuaryNVIDIA's GeForce NOW cloud gaming service is adding 14 new titles in January 2026, with five available immediately. The service highlights its 2025 upgrades, including RTX 5080-powered cloud instances with DLSS 4 and 5K 120fps streaming, and enhanced Steam Deck support.