Grounded on Steam no longer needs a Microsoft account for multiplayer

Grounded, the Microsoft-published survival game, received its final content update earlier this year. Developer Obsidian Entertainment isn't done tinkering with its game though. The latest update to hit the title only had one major change, removing the Microsoft account (MSA) requirement for multiplayer.

Previously, and as with most Microsoft-published games on any storefront, Steam players had to make or login to a Microsoft account to jump into the miniature world of Grounded with friends. Only playing solo has been possible previously without this account requirement, and even things like Xbox and Steam achievements would be locked until a login is performed.

Patch 1.4.5 is a minor update, but it aims to solve this dilemma for Steam players. The new "Steam Native State" toggle on the main menu lets players jump into worlds with their Steam friends without the need for any Microsoft account creation. However, Obsidian warned that this does disable all cross-play functionality from the title, making Steam players not being able to play with Xbox, Game Pass, PlayStation, and Switch players.

Any online campaign save files from prior to the update will now be in the "Crossplay State" side. Keep in mind that while in "Steam Native State", Shared Worlds and Playgrounds features, alongside crossplay, are disabled too.

Here's the full changelog for Patch 1.4.5:

• Steam players no longer require a Microsoft Account to play multiplayer
  • While not logged into a Microsoft Account, you can host and join standard world multiplayer sessions with players from your Steam friends list
  • Note: a Microsoft Account is still required for Crossplay, Shared Worlds and Playgrounds

Changes:

• Added a Crossplay Toggle in the Main Menu to quickly switch between a “Crossplay State” and a “Steam Native State”
  • Friends will need to be in the same “State” to see and join each other online
• Players can now unlink their Microsoft Account from their Steam Account
  • Navigate by going to Options - Game Tab - At the bottom you will see “Unlink Microsoft Account”

While focused on the Steam version, the 1.4.5 update has also been pushed to other platforms, with players on Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch consoles also seeing it being deployed.

While being a hugely well received title, a number of negative user reviews for Grounded on Steam has been regarding this account issue, with players saying they do not like having a secondary account requirement for a Steam title. This is an issue that Sony's PC ports of PlayStation titles have been criticized over in recent times on the platform with some even opting to remove the requirement forcibly. At least Grounded players can now enjoy a native experience in Steam.