{
  "schemaVersion": "1.3",
  "id": "the-grinch-2-saving-christmas",
  "slug": "the-grinch-2-saving-christmas",
  "product": "The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas",
  "title": "The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas",
  "job": "Is the date real, do they need to spend, what can they skip.",
  "lastUpdated": "2026-09-17",
  "timezoneNote": "Publisher Outright Games and US storefronts (Xbox, Steam, Nintendo, PlayStation) brand September 18, 2026. Xbox Display Catalog OriginalReleaseDate is 2026-09-18T04:00:00Z. Xbox Wire weekly list printed September 17 — that Wire wording is stale and is not the launch date.",
  "lifecycle": {
    "postedAt": "2026-09-17",
    "announcedPlatformReleases": [
      {
        "platform": "Nintendo Switch",
        "date": "2026-09-18",
        "notes": "Switch 2 Compatible (Supported).",
        "sourceIds": [
          "nintendo-switch",
          "outright-games"
        ]
      },
      {
        "platform": "PlayStation 4 / PlayStation 5",
        "date": "2026-09-18",
        "notes": "Cross-gen digital entitlement language on PlayStation Store.",
        "sourceIds": [
          "playstation-store",
          "outright-games"
        ]
      },
      {
        "platform": "Xbox Series X|S",
        "date": "2026-09-18",
        "notes": "Smart Delivery; Xbox Play Anywhere. Xbox Wire weekly list also printed September 17 (stale vs store/publisher Sep 18).",
        "sourceIds": [
          "xbox-store",
          "xbox-wire",
          "outright-games"
        ]
      },
      {
        "platform": "PC (Microsoft Store / Xbox on PC)",
        "date": "2026-09-18",
        "notes": "Xbox Play Anywhere.",
        "sourceIds": [
          "xbox-store"
        ]
      },
      {
        "platform": "PC (Steam)",
        "date": "2026-09-18",
        "sourceIds": [
          "steam",
          "outright-games"
        ]
      }
    ]
  },
  "disclosure": {
    "text": "As an Amazon Associate, NeedFlag earns from qualifying purchases."
  },
  "sources": [
    {
      "id": "xbox-wire",
      "label": "Xbox Wire — Next Week on Xbox (Sep 14–18)",
      "url": "https://news.xbox.com/en-us/2026/09/11/next-week-on-xbox-new-games-for-september-14-to-18/"
    },
    {
      "id": "outright-games",
      "label": "Outright Games — The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas",
      "url": "https://outrightgames.com/game/the-grinch-2-saving-christmas/"
    },
    {
      "id": "outright-announce",
      "label": "Outright Games — announcement",
      "url": "https://outrightgames.com/announcements/the-grinch-2-saving-christmas-announcement/"
    },
    {
      "id": "xbox-store",
      "label": "Xbox Store — The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas",
      "url": "https://www.xbox.com/en-US/games/store/the-grinch-2-saving-christmas/9nh5jm5sm6z9"
    },
    {
      "id": "steam",
      "label": "Steam — The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas",
      "url": "https://store.steampowered.com/app/3470930/The_Grinch_2_Saving_Christmas/"
    },
    {
      "id": "nintendo-switch",
      "label": "Nintendo eShop — The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas (Switch)",
      "url": "https://www.nintendo.com/us/store/products/the-grinch-2-saving-christmas-switch/"
    },
    {
      "id": "playstation-store",
      "label": "PlayStation Store — The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas",
      "url": "https://store.playstation.com/en-us/concept/10015862"
    },
    {
      "id": "youtube-trailer",
      "label": "Outright Games — Official trailer",
      "url": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC-vCnMx9oM"
    },
    {
      "id": "nintendo-microsd-express",
      "label": "Nintendo Support — microSD Express compatibility",
      "url": "https://en-americas-support.nintendo.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/68425"
    },
    {
      "id": "playstation-m2-ssd",
      "label": "PlayStation Support — add an M.2 SSD to PS5",
      "url": "https://www.playstation.com/en-us/support/hardware/ps5-install-m2-ssd/"
    }
  ],
  "official": [
    {
      "id": "launch-date",
      "label": "Launch date",
      "value": "18 September 2026",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "notes": "Outright Games and US Xbox, Steam, Nintendo, and PlayStation storefronts agree. Xbox Wire weekly list printed September 17 is stale and is not used as the launch date.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "outright-games",
        "outright-announce",
        "xbox-store",
        "steam",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "playstation-store",
        "xbox-wire"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "platforms",
      "label": "Launch platforms",
      "value": "Nintendo Switch (Switch 2 Compatible), PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, PC via Xbox Play Anywhere / Microsoft Store, PC via Steam. Not exclusive.",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "outright-games",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "playstation-store",
        "xbox-store",
        "steam"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "price-base",
      "label": "Standard price",
      "value": "Xbox / Nintendo eShop US $39.99; Steam / PlayStation Store US USD unpublished",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "notes": "Xbox Display Catalog MSRP/ListPrice $39.99; Nintendo schema $39.99. Steam price_overview null. PlayStation Store US no USD in opened concept. Xbox also lists The Grinch: 2 in 1 Game Collection at $49.99+ (The Grinch: Christmas Adventures + The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas).",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "xbox-store",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "steam",
        "playstation-store",
        "xbox-wire"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "esrb-category",
      "label": "ESRB rating",
      "value": "E",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "notes": "From Xbox, Steam, Nintendo, and PlayStation storefronts (Everyone). Storefronts publish Everyone / E. No dedicated esrb.org page found.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "xbox-store",
        "steam",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "playstation-store"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "esrb-descriptors",
      "label": "ESRB descriptors",
      "value": "Mild Fantasy Violence",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "notes": "Steam, Xbox Display Catalog, Nintendo, and PlayStation storefront wording agree.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "steam",
        "xbox-store",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "playstation-store"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "publisher",
      "label": "Publisher",
      "value": "Outright Games",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "outright-games",
        "xbox-store",
        "steam"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "game-pass",
      "label": "Xbox Game Pass",
      "value": "Not day one",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "notes": "Xbox Wire entry lists Smart Delivery / Xbox Play Anywhere only — no Game Pass day-one tag.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "xbox-wire",
        "xbox-store"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "install-size",
      "label": "Install size",
      "value": "Nintendo Switch ~3.4 GB estimated; Switch 2 ~2.8 GB estimated; Xbox catalog package max download ~3.83–4.97 GB",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "notes": "Steam and PlayStation published install-size strings not found on opened pages.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "nintendo-switch",
        "xbox-store"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "media": {
    "trailer": {
      "label": "Official trailer",
      "status": "confirmed",
      "kind": "youtube",
      "youtubeId": "oC-vCnMx9oM",
      "pageUrl": "https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oC-vCnMx9oM",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "youtube-trailer",
        "outright-games"
      ]
    },
    "still": {
      "label": "Official still",
      "src": "/media/the-grinch-2-saving-christmas/official-still.jpg",
      "credit": "Outright Games",
      "pageUrl": "https://outrightgames.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/GRIN2_Horiz_Keyart_3840x2160-scaled.webp",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "outright-games"
      ]
    }
  },
  "decisions": [
    {
      "id": "buy-now-set",
      "item": "Buy-now set",
      "verdict": "empty",
      "rationale": "Nothing currently earns a yes for a paid buy-the-game slot. Empty buy slots are intentional. No catalog. No affiliate slots until a line is a yes.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [],
      "affiliate": null
    },
    {
      "id": "game",
      "item": "The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas ($39.99 where published)",
      "verdict": "fork",
      "rationale": "Xbox and Nintendo eShop US confirm $39.99. Steam and PlayStation Store US USD unpublished. Not on Game Pass day one. No paid buy-the-game Amazon link. Xbox also offers a 2 in 1 collection with The Grinch: Christmas Adventures at $49.99+.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "xbox-store",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "steam",
        "playstation-store",
        "xbox-wire"
      ],
      "affiliate": {
        "present": false,
        "href": null,
        "note": "No paid buy-the-game link."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "switch-2-microsd-express-256",
      "item": "Switch 2 Samsung microSD Express 256 GB",
      "verdict": "yes",
      "rationale": "Switch 2 will not run games from regular microSD. Digital installs beyond internal need Express.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "nintendo-microsd-express"
      ],
      "affiliate": {
        "present": true,
        "href": "https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0F3VTCZK8?tag=needflag-20",
        "note": "Amazon Associates."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "ps5-ssd-sn850x-1tb",
      "item": "PS5 WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe with heatsink 1 TB",
      "verdict": "yes",
      "rationale": "Need if the PS5 is full.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "playstation-m2-ssd"
      ],
      "affiliate": {
        "present": false,
        "href": null,
        "note": "No paid link."
      }
    },
    {
      "id": "ps5-ssd-sn850x-2tb",
      "item": "PS5 WD_BLACK SN850X NVMe with heatsink 2 TB",
      "verdict": "yes",
      "rationale": "Larger option if the PS5 is full.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "playstation-m2-ssd"
      ],
      "affiliate": {
        "present": false,
        "href": null,
        "note": "No paid link."
      }
    }
  ],
  "openHoles": [
    {
      "id": "date-wire-sep-17",
      "question": "Does any first-party source keep Xbox Wire September 17 after publisher and US stores locked September 18?",
      "status": "unknown",
      "notes": "Outright Games and US storefronts brand September 18, 2026. Xbox Wire weekly list printed September 17 — that Wire wording is stale and is not the launch date.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "xbox-wire",
        "outright-games",
        "xbox-store",
        "steam",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "playstation-store"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "steam-ps-usd",
      "question": "What are the Steam and PlayStation Store US USD purchase prices?",
      "status": "unknown",
      "notes": "Xbox and Nintendo eShop US are $39.99. Steam price_overview null; PlayStation Store US USD not painted in opened concept.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "steam",
        "playstation-store",
        "xbox-store",
        "nintendo-switch"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "esrb-org",
      "question": "What is the dedicated esrb.org page URL for The Grinch 2: Saving Christmas?",
      "status": "unknown",
      "notes": "Storefronts publish Everyone / E with Mild Fantasy Violence. No dedicated esrb.org page found for this title (older The Grinch: Christmas Adventures pages are not this game).",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "xbox-store",
        "steam",
        "nintendo-switch",
        "playstation-store"
      ]
    },
    {
      "id": "ps-steam-install-size",
      "question": "What are the PlayStation and Steam install sizes?",
      "status": "unknown",
      "notes": "Not published as clear GB strings on opened PlayStation Store and Steam pages.",
      "lastChecked": "2026-09-17",
      "sourceIds": [
        "playstation-store",
        "steam"
      ]
    }
  ]
}