Latest news with #Grounded
New York Post
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Metropolitan Opera's Peter Gelb blames President Trump for sales slump — but needs to look in the mirror
Blaming the president is a popular pastime these days, but one of America's cultural leaders has come up with something really novel in the genre. 'Metropolitan Opera season attendance dropped slightly following the Trump administration's immigration crackdown that coincided with a decrease in tourists to New York.' Who knew rounding up hardened illegal-immigrant criminals would hit the hallowed halls of the country's most prestigious opera house hard? Advertisement 6 President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attend a performance at the newly de-woked Kennedy Center in DC. REUTERS That line is the first sentence of a June 13 Associated Press news report that takes as fact Metropolitan Opera general director Peter Gelb's explanation for a slump in sales. With the Met's season over, Gelb has been making the rounds, pushing this narrative repeatedly in interviews and podcasts. He even ripped the American president last week from a Kyiv stage, telling Ukrainians his government 'no longer stands for some of democracy's most basic principles.' Advertisement 6 Metropolitan Opera general director Peter Gelb savaged Trump from this Kyiv stage last week. Ukrinform/Shutterstock The Met matched its 2023-24 sales, at 72% of capacity — but had projected 75%. 'We were on track to continue to improve,' Gelb said. 'I attribute the fact that we didn't achieve our sales goals to a significant drop in tourism.' That's 'a direct consequence' of Trump policy, Gelb told German outlet BackstageClassical. Advertisement He said New York saw 17% fewer tourists after President Trump took office, sighing to AP about 'the times in which we live.' Gelb's international Blame Trump tour might make him more popular at Upper West Side cocktail parties (which he's been attending for life: His father was New York Times managing editor Arthur Gelb). But he should look closer to home to understand why he's not seeing success at the storied institution he's run for 18 years. 6 Gelb joined star Anna Netrebko on a Met 2007 red carpet. WireImage Advertisement The impresario can't help putting the political into his productions, even though audiences are anything but enamored of these new, woke operas. And he needlessly canceled the company's biggest star, Anna Netrebko — to make a political point he still crows about even as his decisions have been disastrous for the Met. 'Mediocre or even bad.' 'Flop after flop of terrible productions.' 'Just bad.' Those are some of the judgments I can print in a family newspaper about Gelb's recent runs from Reddit's opera lovers. 'Gelb has had contempt for opera and his own artform since he started,' one declared in a thread with almost nothing positive to say about the manager. 'Grounded' opened this past Met season after a heavy revision from its 2023 Washington, DC, premiere. The 'antiwar opera,' as Gelb calls it, centers on an F-16 pilot grounded after she unexpectedly gets pregnant; on her return to the military, she's still on the ground — going after human targets by manning drones. 6 Emily D'Angelo (left) starred in the season-opening 'antiwar opera,' in Gelb's words,'Grounded.' AFP via Getty Images Advertisement 'This isn't an opera about the tragedy of war — its message is evil only comes from our side,' Post columnist Daniel McCarthy wrote in these pages. Even with a September opening-night red-carpet gala — which the company trumpeted as 'the first opera by a female composer ever to open a Met season' — ticket sales were sluggish: It was the worst-attended opera this season, selling just 50% of capacity. Osvaldo Golijov's 'Ainadamar,' which Gelb described as 'about the murder of the Spanish poet Federico García Lorca by the fascist forces of Franco, eerily mirroring the troubled world in which we live today,' sold just 61% of tickets. What did sell? Advertisement A new production of Verdi's 'Aida' (82%), 'Moby Dick' (81%) and Puccini's 'Tosca' (78%). Even Tchaikovsky's 'Pique Dame (The Queen of Spades)' — not one of the American stage's most popular operas — sold 77%. Those numbers — low for contemporary woke operas, high for great works — can be seen in every recent season. 6 Gelb blames the Met's sales slump on Trump — and not on his hyperpolitical management. Roman Tiraspolsky – Of course, the Met makes even the classics 'relevant.' Last season's 'Carmen' updated the scene to present-day America. People buying pricey tickets to see beautiful sets and costumes up close were treated to singers in jean cutoffs. Advertisement Gelb took to the air on the June 7 live radio broadcast of the Tchaikovsky opera to declare he doesn't want Russian artists 'held hostage' to Vladimir Putin's 'villainous acts,' noting some on stage are Russian. 'We want to cancel Putin, not Pushkin.' It was a bit rich coming from the guy who brags of having personally 'dismissed' the company's biggest star, Netrebko, after Putin's 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. He was gloating about the move just last week to Ukrainian journalists. 'When I arrived at the Met, Netrebko was just getting launched and I immediately saw that she was someone on whose career the Met could hang its hat,' Gelb has said. Advertisement Indeed, she headlined the moneymaking New Year's Eve gala more than once; her Met performances frequently sold out. The Russian soprano denounced Putin's war, but Gelb didn't care. He's never seen an opportunity to grandstand politically he hasn't grabbed. And he's allowed on stage plenty of less-famous Russians who haven't said as much as she has — sometimes even nothing — against the Ukraine war. (Netrebko notes in her lawsuit against Gelb and the Met that the company's continued to feature male singers who, unlike her, have appeared in Russia at Putin- and war-supporting events since the full-scale invasion.) 6 Ex-Met star Netrebko still sells out European opera houses. It's opera lovers in New York and beyond who pay the price — along with the Met's sliding sales. Netrebko is still selling out European houses. WQXR finally broadcast her work last month, with a production from Milan's La Scala. Listeners took to the comments in celebration and complaint. Joe Pearce from Brooklyn — who happens to be the Vocal Record Collectors Society's president — mourned 'the remainder of her best years totally denied to us by a Met Opera manager who doesn't seem to understand that he is running an opera company and not for political office.' What will Peter Gelb do once Trump's second term is over, having lost his raison d'être?
Business Wire
2 days ago
- Automotive
- Business Wire
Grounded Debuts World's First Electric RV Engineered for True Four-Season Adventure
DETROIT--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Grounded, the Detroit-based electric RV startup founded by former SpaceX engineers, today unveiled its most advanced camper van to date: the G3. Built on the all-electric General Motors BrightDrop platform, the G3 delivers a 286-mile combined range on a single charge and introduces industry-leading advancements in modular design, all-season comfort, and sustainability. Headquartered at Michigan Central, Detroit's new hub for mobility innovation, Grounded is part of a growing wave of companies shaping the future of how we move and live. The G3 reflects that mission by combining off-grid capability with smart, sustainable design for travelers who want freedom without compromising their values. 'The G3 is a next-gen offering for travelers who want to live, work, and roam in comfort, grounded in what matters,' said Grounded CEO Sam Shapiro. 'The G3 builds on everything we learned from our customers and from the G2. It's a ground-up reimagining of our smart, fully-electric RV that's based on real-world use. We replaced wood cabinetry with durable aluminum frames and 100% recycled tree-free materials, refined every wall panel and furniture module to deliver designer-grade aesthetics with pro-functionality, added a motorized lift bed that transforms into a California King, and designed a new insulated rear door that improves energy efficiency without sacrificing the view. We also reengineered the electrical system for 1,400W vehicle-to-house charging and added self-heating batteries to enable four-season travel. Every improvement from materials to layout was shaped by feedback from G2 owners. The G3 is smarter, stronger, and more adaptable than any other offering on the market today.' Key Features of the G3 The G3 is Grounded's most capable and comfort-focused electric camper van yet. Built on the Chevrolet BrightDrop Zevo 400 or 600 chassis, it is engineered for year-round performance. With a single-charge range of 286 miles and all-wheel drive, it's ready for both long-distance travel and rugged conditions. Its reinforced aluminum substructure supports a full suite of onboard systems, including rooftop HVAC, 1000W of solar, and Starlink internet, while maintaining structural integrity and maximizing space. Up to 20kWh of modular, self-heating LiFePO batteries power the G3's living systems, and can be recharged through rooftop solar, shore power, or a newly developed 1,400W vehicle-to-house charging system. With improved insulation and winterization, the G3 is built to operate in temperatures as low as 0°F without compromising comfort or power availability. Inside, the G3 introduces a refined, industrial-grade approach to materials: cabinetry is framed with aluminum and finished with 100% recycled materials in customizable colors and textures. The new cabinet system is more durable and low-maintenance than traditional RV interiors. These materials resist warping, scratching, and wear over time. The redesigned rear of the van replaces the roll-up garage door with a full-width swing-out entry, improving thermal efficiency and adding functional mount points for storage and gear – in addition to increasing interior standing height. Large windows throughout, including one in the rear door, provide natural light and panoramic views. All systems onboard are managed through Grounded's integrated Grounded+ App, which gives users remote access to power usage, tank levels, appliance controls, and system diagnostics via LTE or Bluetooth. The app's layout auto-adjusts to match the configuration of each customer's build. As with all Grounded vehicles, the G3 is backed by BrightDrop's 8-year/100,000-mile platform warranty and includes a one-year interior warranty. It's compatible with CCS fast chargers nationwide and comes with a CCS-to-NACS adapter for access to Tesla Superchargers. Combined with access to a growing BrightDrop service network, the G3 offers long-haul freedom with the reliability and support of a nationwide EV ecosystem. An Industry-Leading Leap in Modular Architecture and Sustainable Materials Grounded Chief Product Officer Nadia Meyer explains: 'For our customers, the van is a culmination of their dream lifestyle and values. It's an act of quiet rebellion to break out of the mundane and redesign their lifestyle to be filled with nature and beauty. The aesthetics and function of every detail are critical for such a compact space. Grounded's design philosophy is form follows function.' Cabinetry throughout the G3 is constructed entirely without wood, using industrial-grade aluminum framing concealed behind paneling made from 100% recycled materials including household appliances and single-use plastic utensils. Unlike veneered surfaces, these materials are homogenous, meaning they're less prone to damage and never require edge banding or special finishes. They're part of a specially designed capsule material collection available in a range of colors and textures - all of which can be previewed in Grounded's new online Configurator Tool. The Configurator Tool, available at allows customers to build out every aspect of their G3 from floor plan tier to cabinetry color, bed fabric, and countertop texture, while watching their custom camper come to life in real-time 3D. An orbital camera lets users view the vehicle from any angle, inside and out, while each step in the process reflects their personal preferences and priorities. After submitting a build, Grounded's team follows up directly to finalize details and assist with next steps. One of the most flexible features of the G3 is its multi-position bed platform, which can be raised or lowered at the touch of a button. In its lower position, it supports a spacious sleeping arrangement that can expand to California King size. When not in use, the bed lifts out of the way, opening up a comfortable lounge or workspace below. A new outdoor patio functionality with a pull-out drawer that has an integrated counter for cooking and dining, as well as compartments to store cooking equipment and outdoor chairs. Rear seating for driving with additional passengers in the rear is also currently in development, and expected to be available for the G3 in the Fall of 2025. 'For the G3, we've combined sustainable materials with modular architecture that's built to last,' said Nick Fitzpatrick, Head of Design at Grounded. Modular Luxury Meets Customization Using Grounded's new Configurator Tool, G3's can be customized across three tiers: G3 Form ($165K): A sleek, minimalist build with a queen bed and essential furnishings G3 Function ($180K): Adds expanded kitchen, lounge, and power for extended trips G3 Freedom ($200K): Fully loaded with max battery, Starlink, lift bed, bathroom, and bespoke finishes Built on BrightDrop for Performance and Safety Available on the Zevo 400 or Zevo 600 platform (now under Chevrolet), the G3 includes all-wheel drive, 11,000 lb GVWR, and industry-leading safety features like Enhanced Automatic Emergency Braking, Forward Collision Alert, and more. Grounded has recently expanded its builds to support commercial applications across mobile health, food and beverage, pet, trades, and office verticals. About Grounded Founded by ex-SpaceX engineers, Grounded is redefining electric travel through smart, sustainable RVs. With modular interiors, off-grid connectivity, and mission-critical design, Grounded empowers people to live, work, and explore anywhere — without harming the planet. About Michigan Central Michigan Centra l is a 30-acre technology and cultural hub in Detroit, where leaders, thinkers, communities, and creators come together to accelerate bold ideas and technologies that shape our collective future. By providing access to world-class infrastructure, tools, and resources, Michigan Central inspires innovators and community members to collaborate on real, ground-breaking solutions to global problems. Since opening in April 2023, Michigan Central has grown into a diverse ecosystem of nearly 250 companies and startups working at the intersection of mobility, technology, and society. Learn more at Michigan Central. Social Grounded @groundedrvs
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
How Obsidian became Xbox's most prolific studio: "There's not a lot of studios at Microsoft that have an entire external developer making the whole game for them"
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. 2025 is the year of Obsidian Entertainment. Formed 22 years ago, the legendary RPG maker responsible for Pillars of Eternity, Fallout: New Vegas, Alpha Protocol and countless other video games is on something of a hot streak. Microsoft Gaming purchased Obsidian in 2018, folding the team into the Xbox Game Studios group. Since then it has wrapped production of The Outer Worlds; released Grounded, supporting it through years of early access and regular content drops; released Pentiment in 2022, and Avowed in 2025 following a short delay; and managed to bring Grounded and Pentiment to PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch as part of Microsoft's multiplatform initiative. If that weren't enough, it also has The Outer Worlds 2 and Grounded 2 set to release this year. It's a lot, particularly for a first-party studio operating within the Xbox ecosystem. I was keen to understand how the studio has managed this flood of new releases, and thankfully the teams at Obsidian Entertainment were only too happy to answer. When Xbox revealed Grounded 2 at the Xbox Showcase, it announced that "Obsidian and Eidos Montréal have joined forces to bring you the next chapter with even more depth, danger, and discovery to experience." The way development responsibilities have been split between the two award-winning teams says a lot about the flexibility Obsidian has been afforded by Xbox Game Studios. "Grounded 2 is actually a good example of our growth as a developer. We could not do what we're doing right now if we didn't have great development partners and co-dev partners," says Feargus Urquhart, studio head and CEO at Obsidian. "That's one of the big transitions for us" Urquhart says that it has long been his ambition for Obsidian to scale beyond the boundaries of a traditional studio, simply shifting from one project to the next. "With Pillars of Eternity 2, we signed up a publisher late because we really wanted to start publishing games ourselves. We didn't really have the people internally, so we hired some people in but it didn't really work out. So unlike CD Projekt RED, BioWare, and others who were on the cusp of becoming publishers we weren't getting there." "We wound up talking to Eidos about some other stuff and it turned out that they had a small team who absolutely loved Grounded" Chris Parker, game director "This isn't me saying that Microsoft is allowing us to become a publisher," he laughs. "It's more that the acquisition has allowed us to become a more multi-faceted developer, which is what I've always wanted to do." This is a key component behind how Obsidian has been able to scale so quickly, and maintain such a rapid-fire release schedule. Urquhart adds: "It's allowed us to sign up external teams. There's not a lot of studios at Microsoft that have an entire external developer making the whole game for them." Grounded 2 has been in development for just under two years, meaning it entered production around a year after the release of Grounded 1.0 and a year before the survival-adventure made its way to PS5, PS4, and Nintendo Switch. Around this same time, Obsidian was juggling development of Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2. Grounded attracted over 25 million players into the backyard, it's popular and there were demands for more; but how could Obsidian have possibly squeezed in a sequel? "The Grounded team was relatively small, it maxed out in the 20s," says Chris Parker, Obsidian co-founder and Grounded 2 game director. "When we started thinking about doing Grounded 2 it was fortuitous how it worked out, actually, because we wound up talking to Eidos about some other stuff and it turned out that they had a small team who absolutely loved Grounded. They were almost pitching us on the sequel." From there a "significant team up at Eidos" and a "relatively large group at Obsidian" came together to push Grounded 2 through production. Grounded 1's game director Adam Brennecke, its lead programmer Roby Atadero, art director Kazunori Aruga, along with six other principal leads and a small internal steering group at Obsidian joined Parker to collaborate closely with Eidos. "We are constantly at each other's offices. We're talking about stuff daily. It's a really healthy relationship. And because they actually love the game at Eidos, it's not like this dispassionate contractor that we've hired. They are bringing all their own stuff to the table," says Parker. Grounded 2 producer Miles Winzeler adds: "Obsidian and Eidos have similar design goals as studios. We mesh really well together. It's also the difference between the two of them that's been a big strength. It means Grounded 2 will feel like its own piece, as they are able to flex what they're best at, too." Urquhart uses Voltron as his point of reference to describe how external teams join together with Obsidian to create something bigger, more powerful. He tells me that before the 2018 acquisition into the Xbox Game Studios group, Obsidian largely handled work in-house outside of VO, QA, and localization departments. But support from Xbox has allowed the studio to expand here in all areas of design, and reconnect with friends and former developers from across the years. Obsidian is collaborating with Aspiring Unicorn, UI and UX experts working across The Outer Worlds 2. There's a relationship with Digimancy Entertainment, founded by Obsidian veteran George Ziets, and with Beamdog – co-founded by Trent Oster of BioWare, who Urquhart first encountered while working on Shattered Steel at Interplay two decades ago. Urquhart is quick to shout about these relationships (and plenty more of them). Both as an example of the ensuring legacy of Obsidian and how the studio is able to grow the scope of its projects without growing the studio too quickly. "The idea is not to be doing way more than what we're doing right now" Feargus Urquhart, studio head and CEO Still, I wonder whether an increasing reliance on co-dev and outsourcing risks diminishing the identity of an Obsidian game. Urquhart says it's better to think of it as augmenting. With the right people in place, scaling this way is only to the benefit of the games coming out of the studio. "The person in charge of the day-to-day collaboration with Eidos Montreal is Chris Parker, right. He was the producer on Baldur's Gate 2 and he has this length of experience working with external developers. It comes back to this question of, 'What are our strengths?' 'Do we have the people who do these things?'" "The idea is not to be doing way more than what we're doing right now, but I think we've hit a really good size and a really good amount of things we can do. I can still be involved in all of it too, and not lose my mind – at least no more than I already have," he laughs. "You know, Obsidian was founded by three producers, a designer, and a programmer. The intent was always to do this with our projects. Back then it was a little bit more for survival, now it's because I think it makes us better game makers." Working with external development partners is one piece of the puzzle, but not the entire picture. One way Obsidian is able to unleash Avowed, Grounded 2, and The Outer Worlds 2 within a single year is partly because of its ethos as a group: "Perfect is the enemy of the good," says Urquhart. "Our job is to make amazing games, not perfect games." In a world where six-to-eight years is threatening to become the standard timeframe for AAA, first-party game development, seeing Obsidian become so prolific has been great to watch from a distance. Taken at an individual level, the studio is delivering exceptionally fun titles that share a consistent quality – they aren't necessarily changing the video game industry in a fundamental way, but then I suspect that they aren't supposed to. "We've made sure to never lose the muscle memory of having multiple teams, and of having the teams build off of each other" Justin Britch, executive producer "There was a big push for a long time of everything needing to be bigger, better, and perfect, and 'ahhhh'," screams Urquhart, before chuckling: "hey, you know what 'ahhhh' means." What he's saying here is that this need for first-party studios to be operating on a level above the rest of the industry "can lead to trying to move on too many fronts at once." He adds: "That's the biggest thing for us, identifying what we are good at, what we can do with the time that we have, and then just focus on the content that we're creating – because that's what the player actually plays!" The sentiment that "our job is to make amazing games, not perfect games" feels like a healthy outlook to have. The industry is in a bit of a difficult position right now. The cost of video game development is spiralling, with some of that cost starting to come back on the consumer – The Outer Worlds 2 will be Xbox's first game priced at $80. The playerbase is increasing, albeit focused on a smaller selection of titles thanks in no small part to the live-service explosion in 2017. And it seems like we're barely able to go a month without some prominent, legendary development studio suffering layoffs (something the Xbox Game Studios group hasn't been immune to either). Is there not a pressure to deliver "perfect" in this environment? "Nobody at Xbox is putting that pressure on us," says Marcus Morgan, executive producer of Grounded 2. "But it's there in the back of our minds, right? It's something we think about, and something we talked a lot about early on. There were even some moments of like, teenage years, growing through becoming a first-party studio where we wrestled with that pressure." "In one of the first meetings that we had with [Matt Booty, president of game content and studios] and the rest of Xbox after the acquisition, they asked us to continue being true to who we are and they have given us the space to do that. We've made sure to never lose the muscle memory of having multiple teams, and of having the teams build off of each other. We haven't lost that rhythm post-acquisition," adds Justin Britch, executive producer of The Outer Worlds 2. "Every studio has its own role to play in the industry, and its own role to play within the organization that it's in… We want to make games that we're really proud of and get them out into the world. That's our role, and we've been really fortunate to be able to do that within the Xbox ecosystem." Both Morgan and Britch point to Obsidian operating with multiple teams shifting between projects as a point of pride. "We've always been a multi-project studio," says Morgan. "We always have multiple teams working on multiple games, which is somewhat unique – especially in the first-party ecosystem." This way of operating, Britch tells me, intersects directly with another focus for Obsidian: "We have a principal at the studio about building on past success. Some of the studios who I really admire have this iterative approach and keep building on a formula. We try to do the same. We try to keep pushing things forward while recognizing what really worked well; we don't need to reinvent the things that really matter." "That's a component of how we're able to ship multiple games and keep shipping them, because we're so focused on building on our past successes, making them better while making sure that we aren't throwing everything out and starting over every time, because that can make it take a really long time to bring out new games," he adds. "We're just becoming what we've always wanted to become" Feargus Urquhart, studio head and CEO at Obsidian "Another major thing is that you learn when you ship," says Urquhart, speaking to Obsidian's dedication to shorter development cycles. "Not only do you learn because you actually finish a project, but you learn because your game goes out there and people tell you what they really think of it. The longer you go between those cycles, the less you're learning." At this point Urquhart points to Baldur's Gate 3 as an example, something that happens countless times during our conversation – clearly the Larian RPG is on the veteran RPG maker's mind. "The only reason Baldur's Gate 3 can exist is because Divinity Original Sin 2 existed. If Larian took 10 years to develop Original Sin and then 10 years to develop Original Sin 2, then there's no Baldur's gate 3. That's what's super important to me. The idea is that when we ship, we learn; the pursuit of perfection leads to not shipping." A phrase that Urquhart likes to wheel out is "constraints breed creativity." What's interesting here is that, for Obsidian, the constraints seem self-imposed. There's a strong impulse to continue iterating on its foundations, rather than rip them up to try and build something more audacious. A desire to work with external developers and partners rather than grow too quickly, a mind-share of expertise internally and across the industry. And it's in the combination of all of these things which has allowed Obsidian to become the most prolific studio within the Xbox Game Studios group. "Remember, even the work that's done outside of Obsidian comes back inside the building, and that builds on what we're doing" says Urquhart. "There's technology from Grounded that's in Avowed, technology from Avowed that's in Grounded 2, and so on. I'm super thankful that Microsoft has allowed us to build out this group of developers and support networks, and that it just lets us be… Obsidian. We're just becoming what we've always wanted to become, which is this more well-rounded group who is able to take on a lot more of the stuff that we've always wanted to do." The upcoming Xbox Series X games lineup includes Grounded 2, which launches into Game Preview, Game Pass, and Steam Early Access on July 29, 2025. It is followed by upcoming Obsidian game The Outer Worlds 2 on October 29, 2025 where it will release for PC, PS5, Xbox Series X, and Game Pass. Avowed launched on PC and Xbox Series X on February 13, 2025. Exclusive | Inside Xbox Play Anywhere: As Xbox Play Anywhere takes center stage, the future of Xbox has never been clearer. To learn more about the initiative, we spoke to leaders from across Xbox Game Studios: "Our plan is to keep making amazing games and have them reach as many players as we can"Gears of War: Reloaded campaign preview: If playing this classic campaign co-op with one player on a PS5 and the other on an Xbox Series X is wrong, then we don't want to be right. This is shaping up to be the terrific and loving re-release that builds on the success of Gears' 2015 Ultimate of War: Reloaded multiplayer preview: Both the best and worst thing we can say about returning to the multiplayer mode that once defined our lives is – it's still Gears of War. Chunky, uneven, and punishing. It's a tricky proposition in 2025, but we're so glad Gears is back in Gaiden 4 hands-on preview: It's clear from slicing and dicing waves of enemies that, yes, the joys of the best 3D games in this series are back (and yes, we did manage to beat the boss fight). Talking to the devs, we reflect on the evolution of the action game genre over the last Gaiden 4 interview: Team Ninja and PlatinumGames say that "Soulslikes have kind of taken center stage" since the last installment to the Ninja Gaiden series, but the devs promise that "we are going against the trend in that way" with the upcoming 2025 release of Ninja Gaiden 2 hands-on preview: 30 minutes with a survival game like Grounded 2 is just scratching the surface, but we are already hooked. Talking with the devs, they explain why now was the right time to jump into a full, numbered Grounded 2 an Xbox exclusive? Obsidian won't rule out bringing Grounded 2 to PS5 and other platforms in the future (just as its predecessor did in 2024), but says that this initial release is "all about being in Game Preview and Early Access"Grounded 2 player count: Everything is bigger in Grounded 2, but Obsidian never considered stretching beyond four-players. Speaking to GR+, the studio says doing so "would have undermined what Grounded was really about."Grounded 2 roadmap: Obsidian is targeting updates every "four to five months" after the studio learned the hard way: "When we started with Grounded 1 in early access we were trying to do monthly updates – that was a hassle and it didn't work"ROG Xbox Ally X hands-on preview: With its first handheld, Xbox's 'Play Anywhere' strategy is coming into sharper focus. And I'm not saying I regret buying a Nintendo Switch 2 at launch... but the ROG Xbox Ally X is almost everything I want from a new Xbox Outer Worlds 2 hands-on preview: This sequel feels like one of our favorite RPG devs (they also made Fallout: New Vegas and Avowed) finally got the resources to make a new sci-fi adventure with the scope they deserve. Full of details, choices, and great action, this is shaping up to be Outer Worlds 2 exclusive interview: With The Outer Worlds 2, Obsidian Entertainment is dedicated to making sneaky playstyles truly viable in its upcoming sequel: "We have a strike team going room-by-room to see if we can stealth properly through each location"The rising cost of video games: The Xbox Showcase confirmed that The Outer Worlds 2 will be the first video game out of Xbox Game Studios in 2025 to cost $80. Obsidian Entertainment says we don't set the prices for our games" and wishes "everybody could play" its new RPG.
Geek Girl Authority
23-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Geek Girl Authority
15 Co-Op Game Announcements From June 2025
15 Co-Op Game Announcements From June 2025 by Ciarra Crowe It's that time of year when we're flooded with game announcements from Summer Game Fest. However, of the 100-plus games announced, how many are co-op-friendly? We've got you covered with 15 local and online co-op games announced in June, plus a few honorable mentions. Wishlist any and all that catch your eye. Local Co-Op Grounded 2 – July 29, 2025 The Grounded crew is back on the ground with its sequel, Grounded 2 . You might be the size of an ant, but it's time to embark on a journey to build, fight and discover the truth that hides right under your feet. The park might be perilous, but with friends, you may manage to survive this open-world sandbox adventure. Wishlist Grounded 2 on Steam or Xbox. Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree – September 18, 2025 The story of Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree takes place in a magical land where ancient and evil influences are at play. Now, Towa and her fellow Guardians must conquer dungeons and find the courage to save their realm and bring back peace. With up to eight companions to choose from, local and online co-op will be an exciting experience with each unique guardian pair. Towa and the Guardians of the Sacred Tree is coming to console and PC. Wishlist on Steam. RELATED: Wholesome Games Direct 2025: 9 Games Release Today Lost Vulcan – 2025 Classic arcade game enthusiasts will want to check out Lost Vulcan , a roguelike platformer taking place on an abandoned spaceship. Playing as a treasure hunter, you must find treasure, evade traps and defeat enemies. You can search for the treasure alone or play with up to four people in local co-op. Wishlist Lost Vulcan on Steam or play the demo. Scott Pilgrim EX – 2026 The beloved Scott Pilgrim franchise is back with Scott Pilgrim EX as he battles through Toronto's fractured time and space. But Scott isn't alone; he's joined by Ramona Flowers and seven other playable characters. Players can meet new and old faces, and up to four players can share the fun in local or online co-op. Wishlist Scott Pilgrim EX on Steam. Blighted – 2026 Blighted is an action RPG with intense combat as you battle to reclaim the memories of your people as the lone survivor of a tragedy. This 3D psychedelic western nightmare will have players solving the mysteries of a complicated world alongside friends via drop-in/drop-out co-op multiplayer. Wishlist Blighted on Steam. RELATED: Summer Game Fest 2025: A New Era of Horror Begins With Resident Evil Requiem LEGO Voyagers – TBD Have you ever wanted to know what it's like to be a LEGO brick? If so, then you're in luck because LEGO Voyagers is a co-op adventure game where you'll set out to rescue an abandoned spaceship. Even with a non-verbal narrative, this game still has lots to say about friendship and play. You can play locally or invite a friend to play online for free with Friend's Plass. LEGO Voyagers is coming to console and PC. Wishlist on Steam. Sheepherds! – TBD Need a chill co-op party game? Look no further than Sheepherds! This game focuses on cooperation and playfulness as you play as customizable sheep herding dogs to guide flocks through breathtaking lands. Sheepherds! can be played with two to four players in local and online co-op. Wishlist Sheepherds! on Steam or play the demo. Haunted Paws – TBD If you want a spooky, yet cozy, game featuring puppies, then Haunted Paws is perfect for you. Haunted Paws is an eerie puzzle game where you'll play as two puppies attempting to rescue their human best friend from a haunted mansion. Your customizable pups will vanquish evil creatures in this heartwarming horror game and may even solve a few mysteries along the way. Wishlist Haunted Paws on Steam. RELATED: Switch 2 Doesn't Fix Pokémon 's Biggest Problem Castlebound – TBD Castlebound is a fast-paced roguelike where you'll defend your castle from countless enemies. It's a 2D platformer with a unique combination of castle defense and roguelike combat. Invite friends or family over to defend the castle together and choose from different heroes that suit your playstyle. Wishlist Castlebound on Steam or play the demo . Online Co-Op Voyagers of Nera – August 5, 2025 Voyagers of Nera lets up to 10 players explore a mystical ocean world as you survive together and fight lethal creatures, not only above water but also below it. When players aren't sailing the sea, they can build their own incredible bases or rescue spirits that will guide them along their journey. Early access begins August 5. Wishlist Voyagers of Nera on Steam or play the demo. Whisper Mountain Outbreak – August 11, 2025 Imagine it's 1998, and an old curse has trapped you and your friends on a mountain. Whisper Mountain Outbreak is just that. This intense co-op survival horror game not only requires you to solve puzzles and craft resources, but also to fight monsters. Whisper Mountain Outbreak allows up to four players to decipher clues and escape the horrors of the curse while utilizing voice chat to stay connected. Wishlist Whisper Mountain Outbreak on Steam, or play the demo. RELATED: Mobile Game Monday: Lost in Play ARC Raiders – October 30, 2025 In ARC Raiders , the Earth we know barely exists anymore — instead, mysterious mechs called ARC terrorize the world. Joining the fight as a Raider means hunting to survive, but you'll not only face off against the machines, but also other Raiders. This adventure extraction shooter supports crossplay across various platforms. ARC Raiders is coming to console and PC. Wishlist on Steam. Game of Thrones: War for Westeros – 2026 It's time to go back to the world of Westeros in the multiplayer real-time strategy game Game of Thrones: War for Westeros. Players will choose their banner and begin to change the very fate of the Seven Kingdoms. The battles will be brutal, and treacherous behavior is to be expected, because as Cersei Lannister once said, 'When you play the Game of Thrones, you win or you die… ' Wishlist Game of Thrones: War for Westeros on Steam. Let's Build a Dungeon – TBD Let's Build a Dungeon is a video about making video games. Don't worry, you'll get to play them too. Let's Build a Dungeon is a 2D management simulator where players will run a game studio that's tasked with developing an MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game), and with Just Build Mode, up to four players can create their dream world. Wishlist Let's Build a Dungeon on Steam or play the demo. RELATED: F2P Friday: Our Life: Beginnings and Always Gourdlets Together – TBD Fans of the colorful indie game Gourdlets can now share their passion for this cozy sandbox game with others through Gourdlets Together . This standalone game focuses on multiplayer gameplay like building an island with friends, fishing together and visiting your friends' island creations. Wishlist Gourdlets Together on Steam. Honorable Mentions You can never have too many co-op options, so here are a few honorable mentions: Game Review: PROJECTED DREAMS
Engadget
16-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Engadget
Obsidian Entertainment has big ambitions for Grounded 2's small world
Obsidian Entertainment has been an incredibly versatile game developer over the years, even venturing outside its RPG comfort zone with the original Grounded . As a survival adventure game where you're shrunken down and explore the hidden, vast world of a backyard, it became a well-loved hit, and it evolved even further throughout its early access period. But now, the developers have big plans for Grounded 2 , which has new features and a larger scope that was too big for the original to contain. Shortly after the reveal during the recent Xbox Games Showcase alongside Summer Game Fest 2025, I got to play the opening of the sequel, which sees the familiar crew of teenage scavengers, now a little older and wiser, shrunken down once again to survive a new small world hidden in the town's park. Even as a new iteration of a familiar premise, which is essentially the survival gameplay of Rust by way of the whimsical Honey, I Shrunk the Kids , Grounded 2 is already showing some promise as the bigger and better sequel. To view this content, you'll need to update your privacy settings. Please click here and view the "Content and social-media partners" setting to do so. Grounded 2 , which will also launch in early access, already feels like a bigger game, even from the confines of the tutorial zone. For starters, there's a larger focus on building up the experience of the four teenage scavengers and how they fit into the larger story. It's not quite Yellowjackets when it comes to teen drama, but the crew exploring the small world of the park have colorful language and quips at their disposal. There's a generally stronger sense of personality in Grounded 2 , which is bolstered by some more character-driven writing and opportunities to take in the lore of the company responsible for the experiments in town. The experience of playing Grounded 2 , much like the original and other survival games, is all about gathering resources from the land and acquiring knowledge to stay alive. Along with collecting materials to build weapons, armor and structures, you'll also have to keep your characters fed and hydrated. You'll also need to defend yourself against the various critters roaming about, such as the ants and the spiders. Also returning is the arachnophobia accessibility option to make them appear less disturbing for players. Thankfully, you can now use a dodge to avoid attacks – a first for the series – and combat is generally more responsive and fair. Grounded 2 feels like a more well-rounded and refined take on the original, which is a solid game in its own right. One great addition that I got to play with was the new ant mount, or buggy, as the devs call it. You'll be able to ride on top of a friendly ant that can attack enemies, move faster throughout the world, and even collect material far more quickly than the human scavengers. Shortly after my hands-on experience, I sat in on a roundtable discussion with game director Chris Parker and producer Miles Winzeler from Obsidian Entertainment, who explained how early access feedback from players helped bring the game to its current state. In order to fully implement their vision for Grounded, though, they would need a new game. "Almost everything in Grounded 2 comes from feedback from the community that we had gathered from the first game," Parker said. "We had to look at what was important to work on with the sequel. People always want more stuff to do. They wanted to have the buggies, which was a huge one and our number one most requested feature from out the gate on Grounded 1 . We then had to work on new creatures, armor and weapons, among other things. How can we further develop our progression systems? So those were all the things that we took on from the beginning for Grounded 2 ." Grounded 2 felt like a more fully realized game, which leveraged years of work on the original. Along with a more developed story campaign focusing on helping the kids survive the portion of Brookhollow Park they have to explore – which is more than three times the size of the original's map – The game will also launch with creative mode, which was a popular feature that let players focus on exploring and building up structures at their leisure. "We're always trying to challenge scale and how we can create a sense of awe and mystery by having something that's supposed to be normal but is now this gigantic thing," Parker said. "That's always the fun when making this game." I really took to the added scope of Grounded 2 . Not just as a shrunken person trapped on the grounds of a park but also for the new features and ideas at work for the sequel. With the game coming out in July for early access, Grounded 2 has already got me invested in making a return visit to this small world with big ambitions. Grounded 2 will release in early access on July 29 for Xbox Series X|S and PC, and will be available for Game Pass subscribers.
