Sequel comparison
Planet Zoo 2 vs Planet Zoo: What's New
Planet Zoo 2 (October 13, 2026) is the first game in the series with fully aquatic animals and birds. It also adds Wildlife Reserves, seasons that set the weather and a new way for animals to behave. Below is what Frontier has said changes from Planet Zoo (2019), and what it has not said yet.
Last updated Game version: Pre-launch (official Zoopedia, October 2026)
Planet Zoo vs Planet Zoo 2 at a glance
| What | Planet Zoo (2019) | Planet Zoo 2 (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Release and platforms | November 5, 2019 on PC (Steam); Console Edition for PlayStation and Xbox in March 2024 | October 13, 2026 on PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S |
| Price (US) | $44.99 on Steam (checked October 11, 2026); its 20 packs are sold separately | $49.99 Standard Edition, $64.99 Deluxe Edition |
| Fully aquatic animals | None | Yes, for the first time in the series: whole aquariums, with their own water and filters |
| Birds | None | Yes, for the first time, including fully flying birds in roofed aviaries |
| Releasing animals to the wild | Handled in the background: a release simply earned conservation credits | Wildlife Reserves you build and restore, with release requirements and a Research Network |
| Animal behaviour | Animals repeated a small, fixed set of actions | A new "animal brain" reacts to what happens around each animal, and its mood shows on its body |
| Weather and seasons | Random weather; a zoo year lasted 18 minutes of real time | The season sets the weather; a zoo year lasts 60 minutes |
| Building tools | Fewer path tools; a roof took scenery, terrain and barrier work | Reworked path tools, nature brushes you can save, and quick roofs (some species need one) |
| Scenery themes | The original themes | Four new themes, plus five that return from Planet Zoo |
| Running the zoo | The original management screens and zoo reputation | Familiar management with a simpler Zoo Reputation, and the Planet Hub to switch between your sites without leaving the game |
| Animals | The base game plus the animals of its 20 packs | 130 on the online Zoopedia so far (October 11, 2026) |
| Development | Support only: the developers have moved on to Planet Zoo 2 | In active development; no news on add-ons yet |
Is Planet Zoo 2 better than Planet Zoo?
On paper it does more: the two biggest additions, aquariums and birds, are things the first game never had, and Wildlife Reserves turn releasing an animal from a menu reward into a place you build. How well it all plays can only be judged after launch. Until then, this is how the choice looks from what Frontier has published:
- Planet Zoo 2 if you want aquariums, the Planet Zoo 2 flying animals and the Planet Zoo 2 aquatic animals, or want to release animals into a reserve you shape (see how Planet Zoo 2 Wildlife Reserves work).
- Planet Zoo 2 if you play on PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X|S and want the new game on launch day.
- Planet Zoo if you want the animals and scenery of its 20 packs today; Planet Zoo 2 starts with its base roster (and the six Deluxe Edition animals).
- Planet Zoo if your PC is below Planet Zoo 2's minimum: 16 GB of memory and an NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2060 or similar (see the Planet Zoo 2 system requirements).
Saves, zoos and packs
Frontier has not said whether Planet Zoo saves, zoos, blueprints or packs carry over to Planet Zoo 2. Neither its help page nor its posts about the sequel mention it (checked October 11, 2026), so do not count on bringing a zoo across until Frontier says so. Frontier's support team still helps Planet Zoo players with problems, while the development team now works on Planet Zoo 2.
What stays the same
Frontier describes zoo management as kept familiar for existing players, with a few rough edges smoothed out. Building a simple habitat still means a closed loop of barriers and a staff gate, and five scenery themes return from the first game next to four new ones; Frontier's features page names Planet, North, East, South and West, with Planet holding the essentials and returning favourites. Planet Zoo 2 has Career, Sandbox and Franchise modes, and every mode shares the Planet Hub, a menu that tracks all your sites. For the full launch details see the Planet Zoo 2 release date, price and platforms, and for every animal announced so far the Planet Zoo 2 animal list. Each of Frontier's announcements, in order, is on the Planet Zoo 2 updates page.
Planet Zoo 2 vs Planet Zoo questions
Is Planet Zoo 2 better than Planet Zoo?
It does more. Planet Zoo 2 is the first game in the series with fully aquatic animals and birds, and it adds Wildlife Reserves for releasing animals, seasons that set the weather and a new animal behaviour system. How well it plays can only be judged once it is out on October 13, 2026; Planet Zoo keeps the 20 packs Frontier made for it.
Can I transfer my Planet Zoo saves or DLC to Planet Zoo 2?
Frontier has not said whether Planet Zoo saves, zoos, blueprints or packs carry over to Planet Zoo 2. Its help page and its posts about the sequel do not mention it (checked October 11, 2026). We will update this answer when Frontier does.
Does Planet Zoo 2 have birds and aquariums?
Yes, for the first time in the series. Fully flying birds live in roofed aviaries, and fish, sharks and rays in aquariums. The online Zoopedia lists 12 flying birds and 34 aquarium animals so far.
Is Planet Zoo still supported?
Frontier's support team still helps Planet Zoo players with problems, while the development team now works on Planet Zoo 2.
Is Planet Zoo 2 on PS5 and Xbox?
Yes, from launch day: Planet Zoo 2 releases on October 13, 2026 for PC (Steam and Epic Games Store), PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The first Planet Zoo came out on PC in 2019 and only reached consoles in March 2024, as Planet Zoo: Console Edition.
Sources
- Planet Zoo 2 Help and FAQ (official)
- Planet Zoo 2 Features (official)
- The journey to Planet Zoo 2 (official news, June 2026)
- Creature Feature: The Animal Brain (official)
- Creature Feature: Aquariums (official)
- Creature Feature: Aviaries (official)
- Creature Feature: Creative Tools (official)
- Creature Feature: Seasons (official)
- Creature Feature: Wildlife Reserves (official)
- Creature Feature: Managing Your Zoo (official)
- Planet Zoo on Steam
- Planet Zoo 2 on Steam
Checked against the official pages on October 11, 2026. Before launch, everything here comes from Frontier's own Zoopedia and announcements, which Frontier says may still change; we update the page once the game is out and details can be checked in play.
Continue reading
Next stepDecided to play? See the release time where you are, the price and the platforms.Planet Zoo 2 Release Date, Price & PlatformsRelease date, price of each edition, platforms, the disc release, multiplayer, offline play, Switch and Mac, all from Frontier.Go thereRelated pages
- NewsPlanet Zoo 2 Updates and Patch NotesEvery official update in one place: patch notes from launch, the weekly Zoopedia reveals with each animal added, new features and dates.
- EditionsPlanet Zoo 2 Deluxe Edition: 6 Extra AnimalsThe six animals that only come with the Deluxe Edition, what each one needs to live in, and how the two editions compare in price.
- ReservesPlanet Zoo 2 Wildlife Reserves: Release GuideHow releasing animals into Wildlife Reserves works: release groups and their requirements, restoring Ecosystems and building a Research Network.