Grounded 2: Rot and Ruin Tests Termites, a New Buggy, and Perfect Dodge

Grounded 2’s Rot and Ruin Public Test brings termites to the Woodpile, adds a centipede boss, and introduces the Potato Beetle Buggy. Perfect Dodge, gear upgrades, and base painting are also in the test. Obsidian announced it on October 6 as a Public Test; these additions have not been released as a regular update.

The changes reach beyond new enemies. They add another way to fight from a Buggy, reward a well-timed dodge with an immediate opening to attack, and give players more ways to develop equipment and decorate bases. Rot and Ruin also revisits the underwater area introduced by the earlier Into the Abyss update.

Termites and the Centipede Boss

The Woodpile’s new termite family consists of Workers, Soldiers, a Queen, and the OGRR King. The centipede is a separate boss encounter. Obsidian’s feature list pairs it with a new mutation, a trinket, a staff, and an armor set. It also lists a cauldron, candle, and apothecary for bases, plus a stuffed centipede and wall mount.

The Potato Beetle Buggy Adds Firepower

The new Potato Beetle Buggy has a shotgun-like turret for nearby threats. Its charged projectile can hit a group of insects in one shot, while pulverizing defeated enemies’ corpses replenishes ammunition. Those abilities give this Buggy a clear combat role.

It is a different addition from the Toe Biter Buggy introduced in Into the Abyss. The older, amphibious Buggy connects travel on land with underwater exploration. Obsidian describes the Potato Beetle around its turret and attack against groups instead.

Perfect Dodge, Gear Upgrades, and Base Painting

A successful Perfect Dodge prevents damage and consumes no stamina, according to Obsidian. That leaves stamina available for an immediate counterattack. The Yoking Press upgrades gear through tiers, adding another path for developing equipment alongside crafting new items.

Splotching adds base painting with the Splotcher and a choice of six colors. The test also includes eight collectible SCA.B 2K color schemes and five figurines that can be built as base statues. Other listed additions include spew spores as a resource and Termite Delight as a craftable item.

How the Abyss Changes

The August Into the Abyss update already opened up underwater exploration in Brookhollow Park. Optical Disks unlock recipes for improved Diving Suits, Bubble Floors create breathable spaces for underwater bases, and the Toe Biter Buggy travels on land and in water.

Rot and Ruin extends that existing area with bismuth and diggable chests. Geysers now emit warmth around them, and Obsidian lists navigation improvements. These are changes to the established underwater region rather than its first appearance in the game.

Joining the Public Test

Obsidian says the Public Test is more likely to have bugs than the regular Game Preview or Early Access version. Progress made in the test may or may not carry over. Because test content can affect previous saves, the studio recommends starting a new game for it.

On Steam, right-click Grounded 2 in your Library, open “Properties,” select “Betas,” and choose “public_test – Public Test Build.” To return to the regular branch, choose “None – Opt out of all Betas” in the same menu. Obsidian’s Public Test access guide also covers Xbox Insider on console and Windows PC. Joining there requires a copy of the game or an active Xbox Game Pass or PC Game Pass subscription. In the Insider Hub, select “Grounded 2 Public Test” under “Previews.” To leave, Obsidian directs players to “Manage > Leave Preview > Done,” followed by a restart and reinstall.

PlayStation 5 has a separate opt-in process using a unique code distributed through the Grounded 2 website. Follow Obsidian’s PS5 instructions when a code is available to you.