Grounded 2 Puts Arachnophobia to the Test With a Giant Tarantula — But the Real Nightmare Might Be Candy Corn
Goosebumps are trending as a new wave of spooky ambiances floods feeds and playlists, turning atmospheric chills into the season’s most addictive listen.
I have two seasonal confessions: spiders don’t scare me and I kinda like candy corn. Which probably explains why Obsidian did not ask me how to design Grounded 2’s new October drop to be as pants-wetting as possible.
Grounded 2 goes Hairy and Scary
The Hairy and Scary update is live today, and the headliner is a new eight-legged nightmare named AXL. If you’re sensitive to skittering things, this one looks built to stress-test the game’s arachnophobia mode.
If you can steady your nerves long enough to beat it, you’ll walk away with a fuzzy tarantula armor set plus matching bow and spear. Fashion and fear, together at last.
- New boss: AXL, designed to push arachnophobia mode to its limits; defeating it unlocks a tarantula-themed armor set, bow, and spear.
- Base building upgrade: a proper grid system so pieces snap into place cleanly and precisely.
- Fast travel: pneumatic tubes now crisscross the map, letting you zip around instead of hoofing it everywhere.
- Quality-of-life on wheels: expanded actions from atop your Buggy, so you can get more done without dismounting.
- Style drop: a plague doctor-inspired Praying Mantis set that looks slick, creepy, and very October-core.
Limited-time Halloween extras (October only)
For the month of October, the backyard gets a little festive. You can pick up the Trick-or-Treatery Building at the Ranger Station, there are new spooky ambient touches floating around, and Obsidian slipped in one of the weirder seasonal tweaks I’ve seen in a survival game:
"Candy Corn replaces some resources in the world."
Some of you just made a face. I get it. I’m the weirdo who enjoys the waxy stuff, so I’m treating this as a snack run disguised as resource gathering.
Bottom line: even if you don’t flinch at spiders and your sweet tooth is dead inside, this is a chunky update. AXL is the showpiece, but the grid-based building and pneumatic tube travel are the kind of everyday upgrades that make the whole game feel better. Happy haunting.