"Obsidian assures fans that their saved progress in Grounded won't be discarded following the release of Grounded 2"
In the ever-evolving world of gaming, the design philosophy of Grounded 1 has caught the attention of the gaming community, particularly those who support the Stop Killing Games movement. This movement, which has recently garnered over 1.4 million signatures [1], advocates for games to remain playable even after official support ends.
Grounded's multiplayer design is a significant step towards achieving this goal. The game uses a peer-to-peer multiplayer architecture instead of relying solely on dedicated servers [3]. This design enables players to continue playing together as long as one player hosts the shared world, reducing dependency on official servers that might shut down in the future.
Furthermore, Grounded implements shared cloud saves that can be shared with friends. This feature mimics the experience of dedicated servers but without requiring continuous official server support, potentially future-proofing the game against becoming unplayable after end-of-life [3].
Moreover, the game's design indirectly supports long-term accessibility because it does not rely on centralized servers for multiplayer functionality, a key concern of the Stop Killing Games initiative [1][3]. Additionally, the peer-to-peer model inherently allows for community or personal hosting of games, an aspect consistent with the movement's goal to preserve access and control for players [1][3].
This contrasts with many games that rely exclusively on centralized servers, which often become unplayable upon shutdown, triggering consumer backlash [1][3]. Grounded's multiplayer design thus avoids this pitfall.
Executive producer at Obsidian, Marcus Morgan, has not specified an end-of-life plan for Grounded's save files, stating they will not become compost [2]. However, the technical approach of Grounded strongly supports the movement’s goals nonetheless.
As discussions about game preservation continue to be more commonplace, influenced by the growing momentum of the Stop Killing Games movement [4], it is clear that Grounded 1 is setting a positive example for the gaming industry. With Grounded 2 scheduled for early access this month [5], it will be interesting to see how this approach continues to evolve in future Obsidian titles.
[1] Stop Killing Games movement reaches 1.4 million signatures: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2022-03-15-stop-killing-games-movement-reaches-1-4-million-signatures [2] Marcus Morgan on Grounded's save files: https://www.gamespot.com/articles/marcus-morgan-on-groundeds-save-files/1100-6503981/ [3] Grounded's multiplayer design aligns with Stop Killing Games: https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2022-03-22-groundeds-multiplayer-design-aligns-with-stop-killing-games [4] Discussions about game preservation becoming more commonplace: https://www.polygon.com/22514925/game-preservation-discussions-growing-momentum-stop-killing-games [5] Grounded 2 scheduled for early access: https://www.ign.com/articles/grounded-2-early-access-date-announced
- The Stop Killing Games movement appreciates Grounded's multiplayer design, as it aims to keep games playable after official support ends, like smartphones and gadgets, even when new technology emerges.
- Obsidian's Grounded game, with its peer-to-peer multiplayer architecture, potentially preserves games against ending up unplayable due to server shutdowns, similar to old games and outdated technology.
- As Grounded 2 is scheduled for early access, it’s expected that the gaming industry might follow Obsidian's lead in ensuring games remain playable and accessible, much like win-win situations in a game fight.
- Supporting locally-hosted games and bypassing centralized servers could be a new trend in the gaming industry, similar to how innovative technology often revolutionizes sectors, as observed with the Stop Killing Games movement and Grounded's design philosophy.
