Winter has settled over the backyard, and the Grounded 2 update brings a frosty twist to survival. With new creatures stirring in the snow, expanded garden zones to explore, and handy gear upgrades, Obsidian’s chill season refresh packs fresh challenges and hidden surprises for every tiny adventurer.
Welcome to the Garden
Grounded 2’s winter update brings a refreshed Garden with cozy, new pathways, vibrant plant life, and practical guides to help you cultivate your patch of cabin-friendly wilderness.
The big new addition in Grounded 2‘s winter update is a new region in the park – the Garden. Obsidian called the Garden the start of Grounded 2 and said the Picnic area, which is the starting zone, more of a tutorial meant to ease folks into the sequel by blending elements of the original Grounded. The Garden, however, they say is wholly unique, so expect more of a challenge from the bugs you find there, beyond even the praying mantis in the first zone.
A giant greenhouse seems to be the Garden’s centerpiece, complete with rows of exotic-looking plants and, probably, resources galore. It looks like the exterior is also going to play an important role. Obsidian said verticality is the guiding principle behind the Garden area, and if you look closely at the greenhouse from outside, you’ll see one of the roof panels is open, creating a conveniently horizontal platform for tiny humans to walk on.
In keeping with the garden theme, you’ll find vegetables popping up out of the ground, including carrots and potatoes, but also pumpkins. Obsidian said you can go inside pumpkins to collect resources, but while pumpkin seeds and the stringy insides seem like very Grounded-themed possibilities, the team didn’t say what those resources are or what you’ll use them for.
There’s also a scarecrow with a conspicuously placed power switch on its shoulder, so you can probably expect more trash-can style climbing there, too.
Fresh enemies, weapons, and armor
New bugs and mutated creatures now roam the yard, each with unique attack patterns that challenge players to rethink their strategies. To counter these threats, the update introduces a fresh selection of crafted weapons and armor sets made from rare materials found in the expanded Garden area. Each item adds new perks and resistances, allowing players to tailor their gear for specific encounters and playstyles.
New territory means new foes to contend with, and there’s a lot of ’em roaming around Grounded 2‘s Garden. Some are totally new, a few, like the earwig, were cut from the original Grounded, and a handful return from the first game:
- Earwig (ranged and melee)
- Black Soldier Ant and Black Worker Ant
- Wasp Drone and Wasp
- Wooly Aphid
- Cricket
- Firefly
- Rust Beetle
- Potato Bug
Obsidian said the goal with these new enemies is to lean into patterns of attack unique to the bug in question. So, instead of generic thrusts and bites you face down from ants and larva in the Picnic area, you can expect unique battle strategies, such as the cricket relying on high-powered kicks and blocking projectiles with its legs.
Each new bug drops parts you can craft armor with, along with some new weapons. There’s also a set of weapons and armor that don’t seem tied to specific bug types:
- Earwig armor and Earwig dual daggers
- Black Ant sword, shield, and armor
- Sour Mage armor and staff
- Potato Bug armor
- Wasp armor
- Cricket armor and Cricket greatbow
When is the winter update release date and patch notes available
The Grounded 2 Winter update entered public test branch (PTB) around January 13, 2026, following its reveal at the New Game+ Showcase on January 8. Full public release speculation from community sources points to January 20 or 27, 2026, aligning with typical two-week PTB testing periods, though Obsidian has not confirmed an exact date as of January 20.
Patch Notes Availability
Detailed patch notes remain in PTB phase, with breakdowns shared via YouTube creators covering quests, Garden biome, and new enemies like those in Toxic Tangle areas. Official full notes are expected on release via grounded2.obsidian.net, similar to the December Feature Update format. No comprehensive public patch notes exist yet outside PTB streams and videos.
Access Instructions
Players can access PTB now by opting into the beta branch on Steam or other platforms, as shown in guides like “How to Play the Grounded 2 Winter Update NOW!” Live streams from January 12-16 detail Toxic Tangle content and fixes. Monitor Obsidian’s site and Casually Grounded stream for live updates.
Will there be a public test or beta date for the Winter Update
Yes, Grounded 2’s Winter update (also called the Toxic Tangle update) features a public test branch (PTB), which launched around January 13-14, 2026, and remains active as of January 20.
PTB Details
The PTB was announced during the January 8 New Game+ Showcase stream, with the exact start date revealed on the Casually Grounded stream on January 13 at 1:30 PM Eastern. Access is available now via Steam betas (right-click game > Properties > Betas > select “public test”) or Xbox Insider Hub app for console/PC players. It includes the full Garden biome, new enemies, weapons, Ladybuggy mount, and quests for testing.
Full Release Timeline
Obsidian plans a typical two-week PTB period, pointing to a full public release around January 27, 2026, though some speculated January 20. Patch notes for PTB (version 0.3.0.1) are posted on Obsidian forums, with final notes expected on release via grounded2.obsidian.net. Community warns of potential game-breaking bugs in PTB, like save issues.
