Strap in, console warriors, because the console war just got weirder. According to Video Games Chronicle, June's PlayStation Plus Essential lineup includes Grounded - yes, that Grounded, the one made by Obsidian Entertainment, a studio owned by Xbox Game Studios. Microsoft money, PlayStation membership. We live in a simulation, folks.
For the uninitiated, Grounded is a survival game where you and up to three friends are shrunk down to ant-size and forced to survive in a suburban backyard. Spiders are terrifying, acorns are furniture, and dying to a garden hose is somehow humiliating. It's basically Honey I Shrunk the Kids meets Dark Souls, and it absolutely slaps in co-op.
What else is in the June loadout?
VGC reports there are three games total in June's Essential monthly lineup, with Grounded leading the charge as the headline act. The full details of all three titles are available over at Video Games Chronicle's coverage, so go give that a read if you want the complete drop.
Look, we're not going to pretend this isn't a big deal. Not too long ago, the idea of an Xbox Game Studios title showing up as a "free" PlayStation Plus game would have sent gaming Twitter into a full five-alarm meltdown. Now it's just... a Tuesday. Microsoft's push onto other platforms, including PlayStation and Nintendo Switch, has been one of the most dramatic strategy pivots in recent gaming history - and PS Plus subscribers are literally getting paid (in games) to watch it happen.
Should you claim it?
If you haven't played Grounded yet, this is your sign to stop sleeping on it. The game launched out of early access in 2022 to strong reviews and has only gotten better with updates since. The co-op survival loop is genuinely addictive, and the arachnophobia mode - which replaces spiders with blobs - is one of the most wholesome accessibility features in gaming history.
Just remember: these Essential monthly games are only yours to keep as long as your PS Plus subscription stays active. So technically they're "free" the same way a gym membership is "free" entry to the gym. Classic PlayStation Plus energy. Claim Grounded in June, survive the backyard, question your life choices.
