Grounded, fully released September 27, 2022 (after two years early access), by Obsidian Entertainment, brought “Honey, I Shrunk the Kids” survival to life. The game where teenagers explore a backyard while ant-sized sold over 3 million copies.
Survival from an Ant’s Perspective
Players built bases from grass blades, fought spiders the size of bears, and tamed weevils as pets. The backyard became a massive world—ponds were oceans, garden hoses were landmarks. Story mode explained the shrinking mystery.
Accessibility in Horror
Grounded included an “Arachnophobia Mode” that made spiders less spider-like—recognizing phobias shouldn’t prevent enjoyment. The feature earned industry praise and was copied by other games.
As an Xbox Game Pass day-one title, Grounded reached millions who wouldn’t have tried it otherwise—proving Microsoft’s subscription strategy could elevate mid-tier games into hits.