Dive Beneath the Surface in Grounded 2’s Biggest Update Yet: Into the Abyss


Summary

  • Take the plunge today as Grounded 2’s largest content update yet, Into the Abyss, opens an expansive new underwater adventure, with hidden discoveries, forgotten landmarks and more.
  • Prepare for what lies beneath with new diving gear, underwater base building, dangerous new creatures, and the amphibious Toe Biter Buggy.
    Grounded 2 is also coming to PlayStation 5, welcoming a new community of players to join the adventure in Brookhollow Park during our Early Access development period.

There’s more to Brookhollow Park than meets the eye

With the Into the Abyss update, Grounded 2’s biggest content update yet, you’ll discover an entirely new side of the park as you venture beneath the surface of Skunk Pond. What begins as a typical park pond quickly opens into a sprawling underwater world filled with hidden discoveries, new challenges, and new ways to survive.

Whether you’re returning to Brookhollow Park or preparing to experience it for the first time, Into the Abyss expands Grounded 2 with new areas to explore, featuring underwater exploration, new progression systems, creatures, base building, and countless new discoveries waiting above and below the surface. Also for the first time, PlayStation players will be able to join the adventure as Grounded 2 launches on PlayStation 5, growing the community throughout our Early Access development period. With over 30 million players in the Grounded series to date, we look forward to welcoming more friends to join the larger than life survival adventure.  

A Whole New Way to Explore

The pond isn’t just another destination—it’s an entirely new layer of Brookhollow.

You’ll swim below the surface to navigate underwater caverns and discover hidden points of interest scattered throughout the pond. Beyond the shoreline, the Bridge, Gnarly Bark, and Pergola expand Brookhollow Park with even more places to explore, while those willing to dive deepest can descend into the mysterious Abyss. Every path rewards curiosity with new resources, collectibles, and surprises tucked throughout this new, explorable area.

Prepare Before You Dive

Exploring below the surface requires more than curiosity.

You’ll craft new diving gear that lets you stay underwater longer and access places previously out of reach. As you progress, you’ll unlock new ways to explore deeper into the pond while adapting to an environment filled with new obstacles, underwater combat, and dangerous creatures.

Joining the adventure is the amphibious Toe Biter Buggy, giving you a new way to traverse both land and water as you continue exploring Brookhollow.

Build, Battle, and Discover

The Into the Abyss update also introduces underwater base building, allowing you to create submerged outposts and expand your home into places that were previously impossible to inhabit.

Of course, no trip beneath the surface would be complete without new encounters. You’ll face both familiar and new creatures, including the amphibious Toe Biter and the mechanical Catch ‘N Kill robots, alongside returning threats like the Diving Bell Spider. Every encounter presents new challenges as you fight to survive and uncover everything the pond has been hiding.

Whether you prefer exploring solo or surviving alongside friends, Into the Abyss offers new reasons to dive back into Grounded 2 and discover just how much bigger Brookhollow Park has become.

We’ll see you in the park.

Grounded 2 is available in Game Preview for XBOX Series X|S, XBOX on PC, in Early Access on Steam, PlayStation 5, and you can play it on Game Pass Ultimate or PC Game Pass. Play it on both XBOX Series X|S and XBOX on PC at no additional cost with XBOX Play Anywhere.

From Our Worlds to Yours: Thank You for an Incredible 2025


What would you like to say to your players after releasing Ninja Gaiden 4 this year?

Our deepest thanks to everyone who has played the game, from the Master Ninjas who have been supporting the series for a long time, to those who are playing the series for the first time! Our days were spent developing the game so that players can enjoy the series’ signature intensity and a variety of actions to overcome difficult situations, so I’m happy if you experienced even a bit of the game! I think the flavor of the action really comes through the more you play it, so please continue to enjoy the different characteristics of the two Master Ninjas, Yakumo and Ryu! – Hirayama

To everyone who has supported Ninja Gaiden over the years, and to those how have started playing the series from this entry, thank you for playing the game. I enjoy watching your gameplay videos and comments on social media every day. In this game, we aimed for the revival of pure action that transcends time, and the three companies put everything into developing it. The action is really exciting and it’s a stoically made game, so those of you who have played the game please continue to thoroughly study it… and those who haven’t played it yet, I’ll be thrilled if you give this feel good slash action a try! – Nakao

How does it feel to have the game out there after development?

First of all, to be able to deliver a new numbered title in the series after 13 years is something that our entire team is truly happy about. We continuously debated and adjusted the game towards its launch, and once it was released it felt like it passed in an instant so I didn’t feel anything immediately, but as I saw social posts and videos being posted every day, little by little I began to feel joy. – Hirayama

For our development team, there are many members who, during the golden age of slash action games, were players or were involved as developers. So, while we had confidence in the game itself, I felt more nervous and excited than I have ever been before. And my current feeling is of relief, since the action has been well received. – Nakao

Are there any stories about how players have engaged with your game that you’d like to reflect on?

For a long time, we were in the dark while developing this game but seeing everyone playing and reacting to it at gaming events was a big driving force in development, and we made use of it in the final adjustments towards launch. Thank you again for your support! Post-launch, we are checking every single piece of feedback, so please look forward to future in-game updates! – Hirayama

Although I’ve mentioned it several times, we’ve been receiving a lot of feedback that, “the action definitely feels good!”, and it’s the part we’ve put our most effort into, so I am extremely happy that everyone is pleased with it. In this game we’ve taken the big challenge of mixing the best parts of Ninja Gaiden with the best parts of PlatinumGames’ action, so nothing makes me happier than hearing everyone enjoying the action. – Nakao

What is your studio most looking forward to in 2026?

We are really looking forward to everyone playing “The Two Masters,” the additional content currently in development! In addition to new weapons for Yakumo and Ryu, we are planning on an additional story and other replayable content. We’re working hard to deliver it as soon as we can, so please wait a little bit longer! – Hirayama

There are many games coming out next year, and as always, several action games will be released, so as an action game maker we are looking forward to seeing these games. For us, in 2026 we are planning to release additional content for Ninja Gaiden 4, “The Two Masters,” which we are currently hard at work developing. Not only is there content such as a new story, but above all the new weapons for each character will provide a new play experience unlike any of the previous weapons, so we hope you look forward to it! – Nakao

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NINJA GAIDEN 4 Standard Edition

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The definitive ninja hack & slash franchise returns with NINJA GAIDEN 4! Embark on a cutting-edge adventure where legacy meets innovation in this high-octane blend of style and no-holds-barred combat.

Return of the Legend
Experience a return to the intense, high-speed combat that established NINJA GAIDEN as a premier action game series. Prepare for a legacy reborn with captivating style for a new generation of players.

Epic Hack and Slash Combat, Evolved
NINJA GAIDEN 4 fuses Team NINJA’s tempered combat philosophy with the stylish, dynamic action gameplay of PlatinumGames. Engage in visually stunning combat that rewards precision and strategy. Use Bloodbind Ninjutsu to transform your weapons and unleash devastation upon your enemies, alongside legacy techniques like the Izuna Drop and Flying Swallow. The legendary Ryu Hayabusa also returns with a revamped yet familiar set of tools to master. With a customizable player experience, NINJA GAIDEN 4 will push action game veterans to their limits while allowing newcomers to enjoy a heart-pounding adventure full of twists and turns.

An Ancient Enemy Returns
An endless rain of miasma hangs over a near-future Tokyo in the wake of an ancient enemy’s resurrection. The fate of the city lies in the hands of young ninja prodigy, Yakumo. Fighting his way through cybernetic ninja soldiers and otherworldly creatures, Yakumo must reconcile a destiny he shares with the legendary Ryu Hayabusa himself and free Tokyo from the ancient curse that brought the city to its knees.