Grounded 2 launched in early access last year, adding to the stacked lineup of games Obsidian Entertainment released in 2025, alongside Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2. It was a busy year for Obsidian, and the developer is kicking off 2026 on a strong note, too. Since Grounded 2 is still in early access, it's been receiving regular updates to expand its content. Its December update already brought some great winter content to jump into, but the January update is set to be one of its biggest yet.
Officially called Toxic Tangle, this upcoming update entered its testing phase on January 15. There is a lot of major content being packed into Grounded 2's Toxic Tangle update, so getting a preview of what to expect can help players get their bearings on the new features before the update is ready to go live. From enemy types to a brand-new map location, Grounded 2 is introducing features that are going to bring the game to new heights.
Grounded 2's Toxic Tangle Update Adds a Treasure Trove of New Features
The biggest change coming to Grounded 2 is the Garden location. With the Garden, a vast new landscape is opened up for players to explore and survive in. Grounded 2's early access period has given rise to a handful of solid updates, but the addition of the Garden brings with it a variety of fresh features—like the Greenhouse—that are aiming to expand the experience even further.
Grounded 2's Toxic Tangle update officially goes live on January 27th.
Every New Feature Confirmed for Grounded 2
- Garden location
- Greenhouse
- Garden questlines
- Ladybug Buggy
- New boss fight
- Snake Colossus
- New sap bandage
- Passive and Active Mutations
- 10 new resources
- 8 returning resources
- 8 new creatures
- 18 armors
- 13 weapons
- 8 new buildings
The Garden is Home to New Creatures, But Not All of Them Are Friendly
Exploring the Garden and its many nooks and crannies looks like tons of fun, but players still have to be cautious. Wasps and Wasp Drones are part of the Toxic Tangle update, with those who are familiar with the first Grounded probably having flashbacks of fighting pesky Wasps for the first time. They aren't easy to take down, but it will be interesting to see how Obsidian makes them more balanced for Grounded 2. It may not be one of the hardest survival games around, but it still puts up a tough fight. Other new creatures include:
- Pincher and Whipper Earwigs
- Wooly Aphids
- Rust and Potato Beetles
- Crickets
Players who are eager to see Grounded 2's most impressive Colossus yet won't have to search too hard. It's been confirmed that the Snake Colossus can be found on the outer wall of the Garden in the Croquet Court area of the map.
Grounded 2 Expands its Arsenal With Fresh Weapons and Armor Sets
Taking on the many bugs and creatures in Grounded 2 requires the right weapons, and Toxic Tangle brings plenty of new options to choose from. A Cricket Lute Bow, Earwig Sword, and other unique weapons like Boom Sticks and Crimson Reapers are just a few of the options being added to help round out a player's arsenal.
There have been plenty of armor types in Grounded 2 since launch, but Toxic Tangle also brings additional options like Cricket Caps, Serpent Hoods, Potato Beetle Chestplates, and more to the table. Grounded 2's Garden area brings plenty of fun, but it also means the survival aspect of its gameplay is being kicked up a notch. So, the number of weapons and armor being included alongside the growing bug roster will hopefully balance out the experience.
Experiments with sour resources have unfortunately created Tang, which has covered the Garden in "sour spills and caustic lakes" that need cleaning as players explore the area.
Grounded 2's Toxic Tangle Update Bodes Well for the Rest of the Game's 2026 Plans
If this is how Obsidian starts the year, it sets a high bar for the rest of Grounded 2's 2026 updates to reach—especially when Obsidian games have been on a roll lately. Grounded 2's concept lends it to some wonderfully creative and out-of-the-box ideas, and Toxic Tangle is a great reminder of just how fun and inventive this game can be. As the first update for 2026, Toxic Tangle is bringing the game closer to completion, but there is still plenty of room to grow.
Right now, what comes after Toxic Tangle hasn't fully been revealed, but Obsidian has at least released a roadmap hinting at what to expect. The next big update is expected to arrive sometime in the summer. It doesn't have a name yet, but Obsidian has confirmed the addition of water-based creatures, new bases, buggies, and equipment that are all centered around water. The wackiness of Grounded 2's story sets the stage for some wonderfully weird items, so the summer update could have some great things in store.
There are still plenty of ways that Grounded 2 can improve, but it's been off to a solid start since its summer 2025 launch. In many ways, Grounded 2 is better than Grounded. It may not be fully fleshed out like its predecessor is at the moment, but knowing that more content and features are on the way is really exciting. Toxic Tangle is a game-changing update, and 2026 is hopefully filled with even more game-changers. Obsidian's roadmap has made it clear that the developer plans on bringing as much to the survival game as possible in 2026, and it will be fascinating to see what the game looks like on Grounded 2's one-year anniversary compared to how it was at launch.
- Released
- July 29, 2025
- ESRB
- Teen / Violence, Blood
- Developer(s)
- Obsidian Entertainment
- Publisher(s)
- Xbox Game Studios
- Engine
- Unreal Engine 5
