Obsidian Entertainment’s Grounded is getting user creation tools. Known as “Make It or Break It,” the November 13 update will feature a Playgrounds mode that allows players to create their own custom backyards (or use the base game’s pre-existing one) and release them to the community.
Players will be able to create buildings (complete with furniture), build obstacles, and spawn creatures and bosses. Almost every object in its base backyard is included in Playgrounds’ building tools, says Obsidian, and can be freely adjusted by the player at any time.
Content creation tools and mods have the potential to liven up a game’s community and lead to some creators getting into game development themselves. The Halo franchise’s Forge mode is extremely popular, for example, and recently received a burst of fresh air by allowing players to create their own custom campaigns.
Director Adam Brennecke was candid in saying the mode was inspired by the game’s mod community, and that the team wanted to hone in on that for those without mod experience. Having previously been a Quake modder, Brennecke expressed excitement at seeing the community’s future creations.
“Giving people the opportunity to extend the lifetime of the games they enjoy is always really cool,” he said. “Our development mentality with Grounded is to not put any fences around the player. We want people to showcase their creativity.”
Grounded left Early Access over a year ago in September 2022, and Playgrounds has been “a long time coming.” With the game’s 1.0 version and subsequent updates fully fleshed out, it felt like the right time to release the mode.
“Part of the fun is being able to try things out, break it, and see what works,” Brennecke continued. “We’re going to provide the tools, and someone’s going to make something magical, that others might get attached to, and we have no idea what that might be. It could even be better than our own Grounded experience!”
More information on Grounded’s Playgrounds mode and the Make It or Break It update can be read here.