Planet Zoo 2 launches on October 13, 2026 for PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, almost seven years after the original. The Planet Zoo 2 vs Planet Zoo question comes down to a trade: the sequel adds things the first game never had (free-flying birds, real aquariums, Wildlife Reserves, seasons), but it starts with a smaller roster than a fully expanded Planet Zoo, and nothing you bought for the first game moves across.
Frontier’s official Planet Zoo 2 FAQ and the Steam page confirm the date, price and specs. Below is a system-by-system comparison, our count of the launch roster from the official Zoopedia, what stays behind in the original, and a recommendation for each type of player.
Planet Zoo 2 is one of the bigger simulation launches of the month. For everything else coming out, see our October 2026 game release dates list.
Planet Zoo 2 vs Planet Zoo at a Glance
Planet Zoo 2 is a full sequel, not an expansion. The table compares the original as it stands in 2026 with Planet Zoo 2 at launch, based on Frontier’s published information as of October 2.
| Planet Zoo (2019) | Planet Zoo 2 (2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Release | PC November 5, 2019; PS5 and Xbox Series X|S March 26, 2024 | October 13, 2026 on PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| Price (US) | $44.99 standard, frequently discounted | $49.99 standard, $64.99 Deluxe |
| Species at launch | 76 | 118 base plus 6 Deluxe (as of October 2) |
| Species today | About 210 with 20 DLC packs, Deluxe and anniversary updates | No DLC announced yet |
| Flying birds | None, no aviaries | Free-flying birds in custom aviaries |
| Aquatic animals | Semi-aquatic only, no aquariums | Fresh and saltwater aquariums with sharks, rays, turtles, manatees |
| Releasing animals | One button, earns Conservation Credits | Wildlife Reserves with ecosystems, research outposts and a drivable vehicle |
| Seasons and weather | Random weather, an in-game year lasts 18 minutes | Seasonal weather and temperature, a year lasts 60 minutes, seasonal breeding for some species |
| User content | Steam Workshop (PC) | Frontier Workshop, shared across PC and consoles |
| Multiplayer | None (Franchise mode with an online animal market) | None (Franchise mode with trading between players) |
| PC minimum GPU | GTX 770 (2 GB) | RTX 2060 (6 GB) |
What’s New in Planet Zoo 2
The headline addition in Planet Zoo 2 is two new habitat types: aquariums and aviaries. Frontier describes fully aquatic and flying species as a first for the series, and both get their own build tools. Aquariums use a dedicated glass barrier system and can be freshwater or saltwater. Aviaries are built from barriers, support poles and mesh roofs, and the birds actually fly inside them instead of walking around a fenced enclosure.
Wildlife Reserves replace the original’s release button. In Planet Zoo, sending an animal to the wild gave you Conservation Credits and the animal vanished. Frontier’s September 3 Creature Feature explains that in Planet Zoo 2 you clean up a reserve (pollution, invasive plants), build ecosystems with the right mix of water, foliage and terrain, then release groups that meet requirements such as genetic diversity and fertility. Reserves earn research and credits back, and you can drive or walk through them with a camera. Only species that have a matching reserve can be released, so not every animal in the game can go to the wild.
Seasons change how a zoo runs over time. Frontier’s August 27 post says weather now follows the season instead of being random, winters get cold enough that some animals need heaters or shelter, and some species can only breed at certain times of year. The in-game year grows from 18 to 60 real minutes, which slows the whole management rhythm down.
Animal care and management get several changes. Animals have an emotion system, and a new Thriving state sits above meeting basic welfare: animals that thrive live longer and bring in more donations, but you have to research the species first. A Planet Hub lets you jump between your zoos and reserves without going back to the menu. Staff facilities no longer have to be hidden from guests, and Zoo Reputation has been streamlined compared to the first game.
Building is the change veterans will feel most. Frontier’s Sandbox showcase, as summarized by Alt Char, shows finer path increments, raised and stepped walkways, shop shells you can place anywhere on a plaza, free scaling and recoloring of pieces, and live water editing, so you no longer drain and rebuild terrain to resize a pool.
How Many Animals Are in Planet Zoo 2?
The official Planet Zoo 2 Zoopedia listed 124 species on October 2: 118 in the base game and 6 in the Deluxe Edition. Frontier’s October 2 news post says the final 12 reveals (counting the September 29 drop) complete the roster, and by our count about five of those were still unrevealed that day. Expect a launch roster of roughly 125 to 130 species including the Deluxe animals, with the full list due before October 13.
We sorted the October 2 Zoopedia by habitat type, since the type of enclosure matters more than the raw number:
| Habitat type | Base game | Deluxe | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Habitat animals (land) | 50 | 1 (Golden Lion Tamarin) | 51 |
| Flying birds (aviary) | 9 | 1 (Golden Eagle) | 10 |
| Aquarium only | 17 | 2 (Great Hammerhead Shark, Longfin Batfish) | 19 |
| Aquarium or exhibit fish | 14 | 1 (Blue and Gold Fusilier) | 15 |
| Exhibit animals | 28 | 1 (Axolotl) | 29 |
| All species | 118 | 6 | 124 |
Two things stand out. First, the brand-new categories are still small: 9 free-flying birds in the base game (Toco Toucan, Secretarybird, Shoebill and Great Hornbill among them) and 17 aquarium-only species. Second, 50 land habitat animals is only a modest step up from the original’s launch roster, where 76 species covered habitats and exhibits combined. Familiar names like the Lion, Western Chimpanzee, Giant Panda and African Savannah Elephant are back with new models.
No cetaceans are planned. Frontier’s FAQ says dolphins, whales and porpoises are left out on purpose because of ongoing conservation questions around keeping them, so don’t expect an orca tank.
What Doesn’t Carry Over from Planet Zoo
Nothing you own in Planet Zoo transfers to Planet Zoo 2 as far as Frontier has announced. Planet Zoo 2 is a separate product, and neither the FAQ nor the Steam page mentions a loyalty discount, save import or blueprint import.
- DLC animals. Planet Zoo’s roughly 134 DLC and update species stay in Planet Zoo. Some species appear in both games, but in Planet Zoo 2 they are new models in the sequel’s own roster, not your old purchase.
- Saves and zoos. No save transfer has been announced.
- Steam Workshop creations. Planet Zoo 2 uses the Frontier Workshop across all platforms. Frontier hasn’t said anything about importing Planet Zoo blueprints, so assume your old builds stay in the first game.
- Scenery. Five scenery themes return from the original alongside four new ones, so the style of your old builds is partly recreatable, but as Planet Zoo 2 pieces.
- Future updates. Frontier’s FAQ says its support team will keep helping Planet Zoo players, but the development team is now focused on Planet Zoo 2. We read that as no further content packs for the original, though Frontier hasn’t put it in those words.
Planet Zoo 2 Price and Editions
Planet Zoo 2 costs $49.99 / £39.99 / €49.99 for the Standard Edition and $64.99 / £54.99 / €64.99 for the Deluxe Edition, per Frontier’s FAQ. That is $5 more than Planet Zoo’s $44.99 launch price.
The Deluxe Edition adds 6 species and some exclusive animal signs for $15. Those 6 are not filler: the Great Hammerhead Shark and Golden Eagle are among the showpiece animals for the two new habitat types, and with only 9 flying birds in the base game, the eagle is a real addition. If aquariums and aviaries are your reason to buy, the Deluxe Edition is the better value. If you mostly build land habitats, Standard is fine and you can pick up the upgrade pack later. Pre-orders also get a Bonus Content Pack (Toucan Eat shop, three animal donation bins, a tiger photo stand-in wall). Physical PS5 and Xbox editions follow on October 20, according to the FAQ, though some outlets have reported October 28.
Planet Zoo 2 PC Requirements Compared
Planet Zoo 2’s minimum PC requirements are much higher than the original’s. Check your graphics card first: the minimum moves from a 2 GB GTX 770 to a 6 GB RTX 2060.
| Planet Zoo minimum | Planet Zoo 2 minimum | Planet Zoo 2 recommended | |
|---|---|---|---|
| CPU | Intel i5-2500 / AMD FX-6350 | Intel i7-8700K / AMD Ryzen 5 3600 | Intel i7-10700K / AMD Ryzen 7 5800X |
| RAM | 8 GB | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | GTX 770 (2 GB) / R9 270X (2 GB) | RTX 2060 (6 GB) / RX 5600 XT (6 GB) / Arc A750 | RTX 3070 (8 GB) / RX 6700 XT / Arc A770 |
| Storage | 16 GB | 40 GB, SSD recommended | 40 GB, SSD required |
| OS | Windows 7 to 10 | Windows 10 or 11 | Windows 11 |
Frontier says minimum specs hold above 30 fps on Medium in a well built-up zoo and recommended specs hit 30 fps on High. Frontier also notes that more animals and guests mostly load the CPU, not the graphics card, so a strong processor matters most for big zoos. If your PC falls short, Frontier says Planet Zoo 2 will be available on GeForce NOW. There is no Mac or Switch version planned, and no last-gen console version. Console players get a complexity meter that caps how much you can build.
Should You Switch to Planet Zoo 2?
Whether Planet Zoo 2 is worth it depends on what you play Planet Zoo for. Our recommendation by player type:
- You wanted aquariums and aviaries: buy Planet Zoo 2, ideally the Deluxe Edition. These are the systems the original never added in seven years of DLC.
- You own most of the Planet Zoo DLC and love species variety: keep playing the original for now. Around 210 species against roughly 125 to 130 is a big gap, and it will take Planet Zoo 2 years of packs to close it. Pick up the sequel when it’s discounted or when its DLC starts covering the animals you build around.
- You’re a builder who hated pathing and water editing: Planet Zoo 2’s tools fix the original’s most common complaints, and that alone may justify the switch.
- You’re new to the series: start with Planet Zoo 2. It’s the game that will get updates, its tools are friendlier, and the original won’t get new content.
- You’re on an older PC: check the GPU and CPU table above before pre-ordering. Below an RTX 2060, Planet Zoo 2 is a GeForce NOW game or nothing.
If you’re undecided, wait for the first reviews and performance reports after October 13. It costs you nothing: the pre-order bonus is cosmetic, and large zoos are where sims like this tend to struggle.
Planet Zoo 2 FAQ
Is Planet Zoo 2 multiplayer?
No. Frontier’s FAQ says Planet Zoo 2 has no multiplayer, but you can trade animals with other players in Franchise mode and share zoos and blueprints through the cross-platform Frontier Workshop.
Can I transfer my Planet Zoo saves or DLC to Planet Zoo 2?
Frontier has not announced any way to move Planet Zoo saves, DLC or Steam Workshop blueprints into Planet Zoo 2. Treat it as a fresh start.
Is Planet Zoo 2 on Game Pass or PS Plus?
As of October 2, Frontier’s FAQ says it has nothing to share about Game Pass or PS Plus.
Does Planet Zoo 2 need an internet connection?
No. Planet Zoo 2 plays offline after download. You only need a connection for the workshop and for sharing parks.
Sources: Planet Zoo 2 FAQ and system requirements, the official Zoopedia (roster counted October 2), Frontier’s Creature Features on seasons, Wildlife Reserves and zoo management, Frontier’s final Zoopedia reveals post, the Steam pages for Planet Zoo 2 and Planet Zoo, Alt Char’s Sandbox showcase summary and Wikipedia for the original’s species count. Screenshots: Frontier Developments.