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Obsidian's Grounded will have a spider-free mode for arachnophobes

By Brittany Roston/

The survival game Grounded from Obsidian Entertainment will have a special mode specifically for people who are scared of spiders. The game developer revealed the news on Twitter in response to a tweet expressing concerns about the in-game spiders. Obsidian refers to this as an 'arachnophobia mode,' explaining that it'll help fans who don't like spiders but who still want to experience Grounded.

Obsidian announced Grounded in November 2019 at X019 in London. As the trailer below shows, players are tasked with surviving at miniature size in a vast backyard, one filled with tiny puddles, big bugs, and the random lost objects you'd expect to see lying in the grass. According to Obsidian, your character is the size of an ant and can be joined by up to two other players.

A number of insects are presented as enemies in the trailer, including ants and beetles. One final type of insect makes its appearance toward the end of the trailer, too: a giant spider. The image above shows how detailed the spider is, as well as its huge size compared to the tiny characters. As any arachnophobe knows, simply seeing a spider on a screen can be enough to cause anxiety and discomfort.

Some people, upon seeing the trailer, declared that while the game looks fun, having to deal with the spiders means they won't be playing it. Obsidian is here with a solution, promising a special spider-free mode specifically for players who can't handle the critters, even in digital form.

The announcement comes alongside news about when players will get access to the title — its preview will be available on July 28. You'll need an Xbox One or gaming PC to play the game, which will be available on Xbox Game Pass and Steam Early Access. If you want to get access to the game before that, however, Obsidian suggests that you should join the Xbox Insider Program for a chance to play the game next month.

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