The post is a the latest iteration of the Xbox Excellence Awards, which was created last year to celebrate how players engaged with various releases on Xbox. The Store Rating category lists 2025 games with the best ratings on the Microsoft Store, with an added requirement of the title having at least 500 ratings. Player Engagements is about the average number of hours spent on a game by each player within the first six weeks of a game’s release. Daily Active Users celebrates titles, expansions or updates with the highest single-day active users throughout the year. And finally Units Sold is fairly self-explanatory.

Going down the lists, you’ll find many of the biggest releases of the year, from ARC Raiders and Battlefield 6, as well as award-winning RPG Clair Obscur: Expedition 33. Indie titles have also been well-represented, with games like Crime Scene Cleaner and Satisfactory making it into the lists. There also doesn’t seem to have been a singular genre to dominate the lists, since everything from sports games like EA Sports Madden NFL 26, to fantasy adventure life sims like Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time, and even fighting games like Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics are well represented.

Curiously, none of the games was present in all four of the categories. At most, we got to see titles like Borderlands 4 being able to make it on to three of them: Player Engagement, Daily Active Users and Units Sold. Even ARC Raiders, which has seen quite a bit of success, is only on the Units Sold and Daily Active Users lists.

Microsoft has also emphasized that the lists represent a diverse collection of games developed by studios of varying sizes. All in all, it represents 48 unique developers based out of 13 countries, with 24 publishers having had a hand in their release. 19 of the games were self-published. “Taken as a whole, it’s an encapsulation of development on Xbox – we want gaming to reach you wherever you are, and for the teams making those games to find you from wherever they are,” wrote the company.

Full list of games:

Store Rating:

• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• Clair Obscur: Expedition 33
• Crime Scene Cleaner
• Demon Slayer -Kimetsu no Yaiba- The Hinokami Chronicles 2
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger
• Dreamcore
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
• Final Fantasy XVI
• Lies of P: Overture
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• Little Nightmares III
• Marvel vs. Capcom Fighting Collection: Arcade Classics
• Minami Lane
• Mullet MadJack
• Poppy Playtime Chapter 4
• Satisfactory
• Silent Hill 2
• Sonic Racing: CrossWorlds
• The First Berserker: Khazan

Player Engagement:

• Borderlands 4
• Digimon Story: Time Stranger
• Dynasty Warriors: Origins
• EA Sports College Football 26
• EA Sports FC 26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Fantasy Life i: The Girl Who Steals Time
• Farm Together 2
• Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles
• Helldivers 2
• Inazuma Eleven: Victory Road
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii
• MLB The Show 25
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• NBA 2K26
• NHL 26
• Rust
• Satisfactory
• The First Berserker: Khazan

Daily Active Users:

• Arc Raiders
• Avowed
• Battlefield 6
• Borderlands 4
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• DOOM: The Dark Ages
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Fortnite
• Forza Horizon 5
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Grounded 2
• Helldivers 2
• Marvel Rivals
• Minecraft
• NBA 2K26
• Rematch
• Roblox
• Rocket League
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• Tom Clancy’s Rainbow Six Siege

Units Sold:

• Arc Raiders
• Assassin’s Creed Shadows
• Battlefield 6
• Borderlands 4
• Call of Duty: Black Ops 7
• EA Sports Madden NFL 26
• EA Sports College Football 26
• EA Sports FC 26
• Elden Ring Nightreign
• Grand Theft Auto V
• Helldivers 2
• Hollow Knight: Silksong
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance II
• MLB The Show 25
• Monster Hunter Wilds
• NBA 2K26
• PGA Tour 2K25
• Ready or Not
• The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered
• WWE 2K25

However, it does have more content for The Outer Worlds 2 (including two story DLC), further updates for Grounded 2 (which is in early access and already a hit) and new games “big and small” in the works. Despite Avowed also failing to meet sales expectations, Obsidian is planning more titles in the same universe.

Which is interesting because it takes place in Eora from Pillars of Eternity. I doubt that Pillars of Eternity 3 is on the cards – even if director Josh Sawyer would really like to make it – but that doesn’t mean it can’t deliver other experiences. Perhaps we’ll see a return to the isometric CRPG goodness of the first two games, except with a much larger budget.

With four projects allegedly in the works, it’s tough to guess, but Obsidian is going to keep busy regardless. For those who haven’t experienced Avowed, it’s coming to PS5 on February 17th and even received a permanent price drop to $50. Check out our review for more details and whether it’s worth playing.

“They’re not disasters. I’m not going to say this was a kick in the teeth. It was more like: ‘That sucks. What are we learning?’” said Urquhart. Meanwhile, Grounded 2 emerged as a fairly sizable hit (and based on its latest big update, The Toxic Tangle, it’s only gotten better).

As a result, Obsidian is re-evaluating how it develops games, or as Urquhart says, “Think a lot about how much we put into the games, how much we spend on them, how long they take.” One such step is to reduce development time, targeting three to four per game, as opposed to the six-plus that Avowed and The Outer Worlds 2 necessitated.

“I don’t think anybody really likes five-, six-, seven-year dev cycles. We’ve kind of grown into that,” says Brandon Adler, who directed the latter. Comparatively, Grounded 2 was developed in just two, and it wasn’t even on the cards until Eidos Montreal pitched the same back in 2023.

While Obsidian could look at outsourcing more work in the future, you likely shouldn’t expect it to release three titles in the same year again. “Spacing those releases helps the company manage its resources and not burn everybody out. It’s not good to release three games in the same year. It’s the result of things going wrong,” says Pentiment director Josh Sawyer.

As for what’s next, Obsidian Entertainment is reportedly working on four different unannounced projects. With rumors of a Fallout: New Vegas remaster circulating, there’s hope that it could return to the iconic RPG. In the meantime, it still has more updates for Grounded 2 and will bring Avowed to PS5 on February 17th.

“Going to a new biome, a new area in the park allows us to fully lean into what makes the park unique from the backyard [from Grounded],” said Vazquez. “For us that means that mixture of really organic structures as well as that man-made touch, that this was designed by humans at the human level.” The biome will also mark the return of wasps and black ants, each of which will have their own sets of armour and weapons. Some of the newer creatures coming to the game are crickets and two different types of earwigs.

Along with all of this new content, the update will also bring with it things like a new ladybug buggy that will allow players to travel across the map at a faster pace, as well as serve as the tank in epic battles. To help in fights, the ladybuggy will be equipped with a water cannon on its back, giving players more utility in tackling aerial insects.

While the update’s “Winter” title might indicate a release window, Obsidian Entertainment hasn’t yet confirmed when exactly it will come out.

Grounded 2 is currently available on PC and Xbox Series X/S. For more details, check out our review.

Of course, the update introduces two new armor sets, a bow and spear, alongside some spider-themed decorations (and larger chests). BUILD.M is also included for snappier building alongside two new Trinkets, a new Mutation, and timed-limited Halloween content.

If that wasn’t enough, the Hotpouch is a permanent fixture in the inventory screen and can be used on your buggy. The Orb Weaver also boasts improved navigation and will no longer receive fall damage. PC players can also adjust graphical options, including setting Lumen Global Illumination Quality to on or off.

For more details on Grounded 2, check out our review. It’s currently available in early access for PC and Xbox Series X/S alongside Game Pass.

Call of Duty: Black Ops 7, Keeper, Grounded 2, and the ROG Xbox Ally (which will allegedly receive a release date) make up day one, as previously announced. However, you can also look forward to Cronos: The New Dawn, Hotel Barcelona, Invincible VS, World of Warcraft: Midnight, Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024, Dying Light: The Beast, Starsand Island, PowerWash Simulator 2, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Outbound, and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle: The Order of Giants.

Day 2 is also just as packed. Previously confirmed titles include The Outer Worlds 2, Ninja Gaiden 4, and Overwatch 2, but Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Jurassic World Evolution 3, FragPunk, Mistfall Hunter, At Fate’s End and Age of Empires 4 are also present. Final Fantasy Tactics – The Ivalice Chronicles, My Hero Academia: All’s Justice, Silent Hill f, LEGO Voyagers, and High on Life 2 will also appear. If that wasn’t enough, you can expect to see Silent Hill f and Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater in action.

Before all this unfolds, Gamescom Opening Night Live will take place on August 19th at 11 AM PDT and promises its own stacked lineup. Then there’s Future Games Show on August 20th, featuring Phantom Blade Zero and Little Nightmares 3. Stay tuned for live coverage throughout all this.

Set two years after the first game’s events, Grounded 2 hits the ground running. A brief opening cutscene reveals a disastrous explosion that occurred at Brookhollow Park. Dr. Wendell Tully, responsible for the original’s shrinking experiments, seemingly went berserk and tore off BURG.L’s head. You control one of the four teens from the original, shrunken down once again and attempting to unravel tech-corp Ominent’s role in all of this.

Not that Ominent is a shadowy villain that hides in the background, at least from the outset. You spend a decent chunk of time communicating with Chief Strategy Officer Sloane Beaumont over video calls. Suffice it to say that the developer nails the skeezy corporate vibe. The dialogue choices have no impact on the gameplay, but being able to distrust Ominent and their condescendingly “caring” words is nice. It’s also an intriguing contrast to the video logs recovered throughout the world from its scientists, who desperately scheme to take credit for their work (and that of others).

If that wasn’t enough, a mysterious individual is seemingly testing you from the shadows. While suspicious, they may also have the answers you seek. While the narrative pulls you in multiple different directions, it’s cohesive and well-paced, especially when balancing your overall progression. The voice acting is pretty good throughout, but I wish the teens had more unique dialogue during gameplay. If I’m going to constantly hear about how that roasted gnat meat needs salt and some chilli sauce, I would appreciate some variations (or less frequency).

Those who played the original game or any survival sandbox title will know what to expect with Grounded 2. Harvest resources, build shelter, construct a workbench for crafting better armor, weapons, and items, manage hunger and thirst, the works. As before, being shrunken down means getting creative with certain needs, like knocking down dewdrops by hitting the grass blades they’re attached to (and hoping they don’t merge with a muddy puddle).

It all remains as robust as before, and being able to hot craft ingredients for a recipe without switching tabs or temporarily setting up structures and stations while systematically adding materials to bring them to life facilitates a smoother experience. Further adding on to this is the new OmniTool, which fulfils all the required survival crafting functions. No need to repair it or craft new versions, freeing up space for gathering more materials. As you progress further, discover new parts and collect the ever-mysterious Science, you can upgrade it to tackle tougher materials, thus gaining more new resources for better weapons and armor, and venturing even further out into the park.

As tried and true as the formula can be, I appreciate when Grounded 2 forces me out of my comfort zone, like infiltrating not one but two locations swarming with ants to find a Red Soldier Ant egg for incubation. Running into an Orb Weaver to harvest some Acorn Shells for the task is also appropriately frightening, and encourages venturing to other parts or observing their patterns to hopefully harvest the material and get out. As my base develops, the threats slowly but surely escalate – ants passing through become more commonplace, which facilitates the need for better defenses.

Of course, having better armor and weapons is also required, and your usual assortment of dual claws, sabers, lances, and whatnot is here. There have been significant strides made with the combat, as you can now dodge attacks, and it feels quite responsive. Risking damage and parrying may be recommended in some cases. While discerning the tells of some bug attacks can be iffy at first, it can eventually turn into an enthralling dance as you fight for your very life.

Learning towards specific fighting styles can be beneficial, since they unlock perks or Mutations that can enhance them. You can also find Milk Molars by exploring, which upgrades health, stamina, maximum number of equipped mutations, and even the rate at which water and food drain.

However, perhaps the biggest new addition – and my favorite – is the new ant mount or Buggy. Not only does it significantly enhance exploration, but it also introduces new combat dynamics with mounted combat. You can recruit a lesser worker ant to fight alongside you, or hop off and turn it into a 3v1. The Buggy is also a game changer for gathering and transporting materials, further reducing any boundaries to building.

Mounts in survival crafting titles aren’t new. However, the many ways that the Buggy improves the Grounded experience are incredible. That being said, the mounted combat can get a bit tedious since you’re relying purely on the Buggy’s attacks rather than your own weapons. I know it’s to balance out the extra survivability, but a bit more variety outside of light attack, charged attack, and block would go a long way. I also wouldn’t mind if gathering mode’s movement speed is made slightly faster.

Aside from that, Grounded 2 has its fair share of bugs beyond the ones encountered throughout the park, though I didn’t face anything game-breaking, like a dew drop floating in the air instead of dropping down after cutting its associated grass. Mounted combat is a little finicky at times, especially when your Buggy sails over the intended target and doesn’t hit them. Whether this is due to elevation issues or something else, it could cause some occasional frustration.

Then there’s the performance, which can be fairly uneven. Running in 1440p at High quality was asking a bit too much. Knocking it down to Medium improved things, but ultimately dropping the resolution to 1080p helped more. That is, until I started venturing beyond my initial confines on a Buggy. Stutters and frame rate drops became more commonplace as I broke new ground. Granted, it’s not unplayable, and besides, I’m using an RTX 4060, an 11th-gen Core-i5 and 32 GB of RAM, so better hardware will undoubtedly be able to brute-force through.

It’s something to keep in mind, especially if your hardware doesn’t meet the recommended requirements, but you can’t deny Grounded 2’s visual appeal. Brookhollow Park is gorgeous to behold, especially at different times of day when the sun’s rays peak through the grass or when the blades sway as mademoiselle ladybug passes through. The world design is also similarly addictive – you could follow the objectives and proceed to different points at the behest of Beaumont or the mysterious individual, or set out in a direction, unfettered.

What does that crumbling doughnut hold? How about that cave opening? How terrifying is it to think you’re among friends only to see dozens of ant eyes suddenly glow red (spoiler: Very)? There is so much to see and do, and I’m excited about how much more the developer will add throughout the early access period.

If you can deal with its current optimization hiccups, Grounded 2 is an easy recommendation for those new to survival crafting sandbox titles and long-time fans. Calling it “more Grounded” isn’t too far off, but the various changes, improvements, additions, and new environments more than warrant your time.

This game was reviewed on PC.

The third-party line-up is even more jam-packed with Borderlands 4, EA Sports FC 26, Onimusha: Way of the Sword, Cronos: The New Dawn, Metal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater, Aniimo, There Are No Ghosts at the Grand, PowerWash Simulator 2, Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade, Invincible VS, Super Meat Boy 3D, Cronos: The New Dawn and Mistfall Hunter also playable. You can even go hands-on with Final Fantasy 16, which has been out for months on Xbox Series X/S.

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle’s The Order of Giants DLC will also receive new details, though only the base game is seemingly playable on the show floor. Microsoft Flight Simulator 2024 is also due to debut a new city update and aircraft. Other existing titles that attendees can experience include Age of Mythology: Retold and Age of Empires.

For those who can’t attend, Xbox is hosting its Gamescom 2025 broadcast on August 20th and 21st at 6 AM PT. The former includes the ROG Xbox Ally and Xbox Ally X, Grounded 2, Keeper, Call of Duty: Black Ops 7 (which will have a reveal at Opening Night Live), and more. The latter will feature Ninja Gaiden 4, Overwatch 2, and The Outer Worlds 2, among other titles.

“We actually have this strong passion to ensure our games can stand the test of time and keep updating through history,” said Morgan. “There’s a strong desire on our side to make sure that our games are preserved.”

While he did note that the original Grounded won’t be getting any new updates that bring in new content to the survival crafting game, the title will still be updated to fix bugs. However, for players that might be interested in seeing how the story of Grounded continues, they will have to start playing the sequel.

“Now, are we going to be doing content and these story expansions to Grounded 1?” he continued. “No, that’s the continuation of Grounded 2. But even as recently as April we released our [update] 1.4.7 to Grounded 1, so there’s a maintenance and a desire that that game will always exist. So we’ll keep that up; it’s not going anywhere if people still want to play Grounded 1 as well.”

“But we are, in terms of where we’re moving the story, where we’re expanding things: if you want more Grounded, we’ll be more into Grounded 2 versus Grounded 1. We’re pushing things forward with Grounded 2.”

Morgan, explaining why the original Grounded isn’t at risk of being lost from having its servers taken down, said that the title was structured to make use of peer-to-peer connections for its multiplayer. While this is considered an older and antiquated way of doing things, he did note that, thanks to a combination of peer-to-peer multiplayer and shared worlds, players can make use of what is essentially a “cloud save” to play with their friends.

“So it gives that experience of being able to have a more dedicated server vibe, but it doesn’t have that same requirement of actually having servers,” he said.”

“And this is no commentary on the Stop Killing Games stuff or anything like that,” he added, referring to a consumer rights movement that has been gaining some ground in the EU and UK. “More to say it does establish [Grounded 1] so it can exist into the future a lot easier than if you’re on the other side, where you are more of a server-based game.”

Grounded 2 recently got a new trailer ahead of its early access launch. The trailer focuses on the game’s main story, and how Omniment—the company that was previously responsible for shrinking experiments—is once more returning.

Grounded 2 is coming to PC (via Steam and Microsoft Store) and Xbox Series X/S in the form of a Game Preview/Early Access release on July 29, and is priced at $29.99. The game will get continuous support through the form of regular updates for bug fixes as well as additional content as it gets closer to its full release. For more details, check out our feature exploring the differences between Grounded and Grounded 2.

The player controls one of the returning kids (now teens), escaping confinement and giant spiders to explore the new Brookhollow Park. Only the starting area is available in early access, but it’s almost twice the size of the original game’s entire map.

You can also look forward to features like the Omni-Tool, which combines all resource-harvesting materials into one tool; new hostile bugs; combat improvements like dodging; and mounts like the Red Ant Buggy that also helps haul resources back to base. But who is the shadowy individual at the end? Is it the mysterious fifth teen?

Grounded 2 is available for Xbox Series X/S and PC through Game Preview and Steam Early Access on July 29th for $29.99, so we’ll find out soon. Fans can expect a post-launch content roadmap shortly after, so stay tuned for details and check out our feature comparing the sequel with the original.