The December Feature Update is Here

Happy Holidays Grounded friends! This month we are releasing the first of our "Feature Updates". If you missed our Developer Fireside Chat Stream last month, Game Director Chris Parker and Executive Producer Marcus Morgan announced that we will be introducing "Feature Updates" during Grounded 2's development in Early Access. Feature Updates are different from Content Updates (like the Winter Update, more news coming in January 2026). Feature Updates will be smaller updates that focus on but not limited to, tech, performance, and new gameplay mechanics, such as the return of Coziness and the new and improved PEEP.R 2K.

In the future, we will also be opening Feature Updates into the Public Test Beta as we want to get your help with trying out new features and getting your feedback. With your help, we will continue to build Grounded 2 together into a much better game. As always, please contact us via our Issue Tracker for your support needs.

Now without further ado, the 0.2.2 December Feature Update! 

Returning Features

• Holiday Wreath
• Redesigned Holiday Tree
• Holiday Sign Set
• Colorful lights spread in the Park
• Firework Launcher - New Years Only!

New Features & Content

• Holiday Lights decoration for base building
• Ambient sounds of Christmas in the background
• Main menu key art
• Main menu theme with sleigh bells

Coziness

Coziness is back in Grounded 2! If you’re not familiar with the Coziness System, decorate your base and unlock perks!

• Up to tier 3 coziness is available to you in 0.2.2
  • Tier 4 is coming in the Winter Update!
• Hauling hero mutation is making a comeback.

Level 1:

• Fireplace Hearth and Core Chimney Pieces
• Coziness Hunger Rate Buff
• Clover Awning Pieces

Level 2:

• Thatch Chimney Roof Pieces
• Thatch Awnings
• Acorn Shelf
• Coziness Thirst Rate Buff
• Bunk Bed

Level 3:

• Crow Chimney Roof Chimney pieces
• Crow Awnings Pieces
• Trash Can
• Picture Frame
• Scorpion Lamp
• Scorpion Chair
• Scorpion Bed

PEEP.R 2K

Welcome to the new and improved version of the PEEP.R 2K

• Now Available in First and Third person views!
• The PEEP.R now includes the Chopping list, it's scrollable and collapsible
• The PEEP.R now includes a dynamic compass icon, to help players navigate and orient themselves
• Resource tracker helps you locate the resources that are marked in the Resource finder view of the map, tracked resources are highlighted when they are in the player vicinity. This option can be activated and de-activated.
• Backpack display rules have changed a bit. You will now see the HUD of the first backpack you dropped when dying. Opening the PEEP.R will now let you see all of them.
• You can now also force the display of more backpacks in the PEEP.R, additionally you can decide to hide trail markers icons from your HUD in the PEEP.R view.
• You can now use your PEEP.R to zoom in and out!

More features to the PEEP.R will be added in the Winter Update!

Performance and Engine Upgrades

• We’ve updated to Unreal 5.6.1
• Players should notice a noticeable FPS bump by default without upscaling enabled
• Less Hitching/Stuttering when navigating The Park
• Smoother Overall and Consistent Framerates across the board for all platforms
• PC Specific: DLSS & FSR
  • This update adds support for DLSS and FSR Upscaling on PC
  • You can choose between different quality upscaling quality levels:
    • Native AA/Auto
    • Quality
    • Balanced
    • Performance
    • Ultra Performance

Bug Fixes:

Major Bug Fixes:

• Improved Performance on Extremely Large Saves
• Droplets of Water should now no longer appear floating invisible mid-air
• Fixed a issue where clients could be attacked while loading into their game
• Buggies no longer stay in your face, so when trying to build or harvest, players should be less disrupted by a buggy coming over and stealing the interaction priority
• Various Omni-Tool improvements based on community feedback have been addressed
  • Looking at any item that the omni-tool can interact with will remain the priority over a building that’s in the vicinity of player’s cursor, guaranteeing that the actions prompted in the HUD remains in line with the other priority rules:  
    • Interaction actions are based on how close you are to something 
    • Interaction actions are based on if you look at that interactable
• Various Handheld bugs were fixed

Gameplay

• Teen’s left hand now closes properly when crouching with dual-wielded weapons equipped
• Photo Mode can no longer be exploited to kill jumping creatures
• Fixed a bug where a character could get stuck in a spiderweb in the Fire Pit area
• Players should no longer get stuck in the corridor leading to the Axl arena
• Fixed a spot in the Ice Cart area where player could get stuck
• Players should no longer get stuck in a specific place in the trashcan
• Recover Backpacks should now work properly be recovered when they were falling Out of the World
• Fixed a bug where AXL Wall Mount did not guarantee a temporary effect for Players activating it on the edge of its range
• Fixed an issue where player could not repair Ice Sickles after a failed defense attempt
• Unequipping Axl Talon will no longer cause the character model to stretch in photomode
• Resolved an issue where killing one enemy would complete objective to defeat O.R.C. guards at Stone Stash
• Addressed an issue where Player could swap arrows while ranged weapon is charging
• Fixed a bug where some parts of the Universal Galvanic radio had collision issues
• Resolved an issue where Players were able to complete “Ready, Aim…” ranger challenge by shooting the Berries
• Fixed an issue where Pinch Whacker had same speed stat as Red Ant Club but attacked way faster
• Scorpion set bonus effect now properly triggers
• Fixed a bug where it was not possible to move items with the LMB
• Addressed an issue where it was possible to enter inaccessible places through the hedge
• Players can now walk onto the Juice Box from the Web Bridge
• Fixed a bug where looting creatures was problematic near nearby resources
• Items left in Statue Lab now longer fall Out of the World
• Fixed an issue with visible Out of the World from the window
• Players should no longer get temporarily stuck between Picnic Table’s wooden planks
• Fixed the issue where fighting a Mosquito would prompt nearby Blue Butterflies to aggro
• Milkweed related resources should properly appear in the resource scanner map
• Fixed a bug where multiple Husky Weeds were growing in one place
• Saps should no longer blocking movement
• Spicy Candy located on top of the Trashcan is now reachable
• Fixed an issue where Scorpions spawned after Ice Sickles quest could not do damage to Player after jumping to a certain spot
• Buggies will now properly drop a backpack on Woah! difficulty
• Fixed an issue where a gap inside hedge led to an unfinished area
• Resolved an issue where the Player could get stuck between two specific bushes
• The Fluffy Dandelion Tuft will no longer drain stamina
• Fixed a bug where Player’s backpack could become inaccessible underneath flashcard
• Resolved a bug where Resource Finder did not update locations of resources taken from chests
• Gnats have returned to the pond in front of the starting area
• Fixed a bug where Omni-Tool UI would disappear when hovering over more than one OmniToolable object
• Addressed an issue where stacking palisades on top of each other was not possible
• Blocking animation for Staves was too slow, it is now faster
• Fixed an issue where recycling Hatchery with ready-to-hatch buggy would result in obtaining unusable egg
• Fixed a bug where Praying Mantis wouldn't leave its leaf if the Player engages first
• Resolved a bug where Praying Mantis doesn't engage when the Player walks under its leaf
• Fixed a bug where Praying Mantis in Entrance area quickly loses aggro when Player hides behind a nearby coin
• Addressed a bug where multiple Husky Weeds were growing in one place
• Fixed a bug where particular raw science was placed behind invisible wall
• Resolved a bug where looting creatures was problematic near nearby resources
• Fixed a bug where creatures would not attack walls blocking MIX.R
• Aphids will no longer climb onto cut grass
• Fixed a bug where multiple Husky Weeds were growing in one place
• Resolved a bug where dropped resources would despawn after moving away from them
• Fixed an issue where Blue Butterflies had too wide hitboxes on their wings
• Players should now properly interrupt Mantis’s light attacks
• Baits should now get consumed by a creature when used
• Fixed an issue where water droplets were visibly floating in air after chopping grass
• Resolved a bug where the third person camera would become unstable while moving between the player and a big asset
• Players can no longer jump while sitting in any chair

Environment Art:

• Fixed an issue where certain water textures were clipping through the ground
• Fixed a bug where particular raw science was placed behind invisible wall
• A window in the starting location no longer clips through the wall
• Fixed an issue where Image Plane on Sign Frames would not render correctly
• Addressed an issue where black spots appeared on some stones
• Fixed one-sided textures in the Fire Pit area
• Planks on the park now have the correct textures and are no longer pink
• Fixed collision of a rock near the Fire Pit
• Summoned Buggies should no longer spawn in textures
• Fixed various texture artifacts
• Fixed the issue where acorn was missing a chunk of its top part texture
• Resolved a lighting issue with the nasty water puddle in front of the Toxic Anthill South Entrance
• Fixed a bug where Ranger Outpost entrance light signs had different color than the light they emit
• Lighting has been improved in the Lab dome
• Resolved a bug where Husky Weed was clipping into the statue
• Fixed floating grass blades near the KLB11 News Camera
• Fixed an issue with Buried Treasure clipping with a Waffle Cone
• Addressed an issue where Billy Hog on the top of the Fire Pit was clipping through a plate

Performance & Stability

• Performance has been improved for large world saves.
• The Saved Games list now loads promptly, removing the prolonged “Processing” prompt
• Fixed a bug where game was running in low FPS after loading autosave created upon starting an ORC Wave

UI/UX

• Resolved an issue where the bindings for assigning an item to the HotPouch were different
• Fixed a bug where the survival guide specified that the 'H' key should be pressed instead of held to open the emotes radial
• The health bar will now properly display for some buildings in the Building Grid
• The switch view button in the pause menu responds to mouse clicks as intended.
• Storage UI backgrounds in containers are free of graphical artifacts
• Fixed a bug where Chopping List could exceed Player’s screen and could not be scrolled
• Resolved an issue with placeholder option change notification
• Changes in Game Settings will automatically save upon exiting menu
• Fixed a bug where the game language did not change immediately after being set
• Object placement by clients is now possible, even at a distance from the character.
• Fixed an issue where a ghost item appeared in inventory when assigning it to HotPouch with keyboard
• Fixed a bug where Player was unable to scroll “Wait, there’s more!” quest

Audio

• Fixed an issue where mushroom destroy sound was delayed
• Addressed a bug where staff projectile sound was audible with sound settings set to 0
• Fixed an issue where there were no sounds when hitting Ranger Station while playing as a Client
• Resolved an issue where web bridges didn't have impact SFX assigned
• Fixed concurrency set on all teens voice over

Save/Load & Persistence

• Fixed a bug where Player could stack chill resistance with torch equipped while performing save/load cycle
• Fixed an issue where fog of war was reappearing for Clients after Save/Load cycle
• Addressed a bug where the Client could damage a snail through the shell if far from the Host
• Fixed a bug where Client sometimes was unable to pick up weapons thrown by the Host
• Fixed an issue where chill reduction would permanently increase for each save/load with torch equipped
• Fixed a bug where game was running in low FPS after loading autosave created upon starting an ORC Wave
• Resolved a bug where Player was able to Pause Menu for a brief moment after loading the game
• Teens’ bodies now disappear upon leaving the session
• Fixed a bug where entering the Acorn Turret right after loading the game would cause the player character to fall through the textures

Localization:

• Various localization bugs have been addressed.