Frontier’s beloved zoo builder is getting a sequel, and it is bringing the animals to the skies and the seas. At the PC Gaming Show 2026, Frontier Developments gave the world its first proper gameplay look at Planet Zoo 2 — and confirmed a launch date of October 13, 2026 on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.
The original Planet Zoo became a cult favourite among management-sim fans for its astonishing animal detail and near-bottomless creative toolset. The sequel looks to swing for something bigger: a generational leap that finally answers the community’s most persistent request.
Aquariums and aviaries, at last
The marquee additions are fully aquatic and flying species — a first for the franchise — alongside the custom aquariums and aviaries needed to house them. The gameplay reveal showed how you will manage those new habitats, from water quality and tank design to the airspace your birds need to thrive, opening up an enormous new dimension for zoo designers who have spent years working strictly on land.
A deeper focus on conservation
Frontier is also leaning harder into the conservation themes that gave the first game its heart. Planet Zoo 2 promises a more involved approach to breeding, animal welfare and releasing creatures back into the wild, framing your sprawling parks as more than tourist attractions. Paired with the studio’s signature piece-by-piece building tools, it should give creators even more reason to obsess over every enclosure.
Pre-orders are live
Planet Zoo 2 is available to pre-order now on Steam, the Epic Games Store, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S ahead of its October 13 launch. The jump to current-gen consoles is notable in itself — the original Planet Zoo never officially left PC — meaning a whole new audience of console builders will get to try their hand at running the world’s most adorable bureaucracy. After years of expansions and animal packs for the first game, it looks like Frontier has saved its most ambitious ideas for the sequel.
