Already a Steam bestseller: Highly anticipated zoo sim launches tomorrow

On October 13, Frontier Developments is launching Planet Zoo 2, the sequel to its 2019 zoo simulation. The core gameplay remains largely unchanged: Players build their own zoos, design animal habitats and take care of their inhabitants' well-being. At the same time, visitors need to be kept happy – and ideally, the zoo should turn a profit as well. However, the sequel significantly expands the creative possibilities.

One of the biggest additions is the underwater world. For the first time, players can build their own freshwater and saltwater aquariums, housing species such as blacktip reef sharks, sea turtles and various types of fish. There's plenty happening in the skies, too: Free-flying birds such as toco toucans and secretary birds can now be housed in custom-designed aviaries. Developer Frontier also promises improved animations and more natural animal behavior overall.

Wildlife conservation also plays a bigger role thanks to the new Wildlife Reserves. Players can create their own nature reserves and release animals into the wild. There are also several improvements to zoo construction. Enhanced tools are designed to make terrain editing, plant placement and path building easier, among other things. For variety, the game offers a career mode, a franchise mode and a sandbox mode where players can let their creativity run wild when designing their zoos.

Strong chart performance ahead of release

A look at the Steam top sellers chart shows just how much anticipation there is for Planet Zoo 2. At the time of writing, the zoo simulation ranks second in Germany, with only the free-to-play MMORPG Aion 2 ahead of it. This puts Planet Zoo 2 above well-known titles such as EA Sports FC 27 and ARC Raiders. Worldwide, the city builder ranks seventh. What's particularly remarkable is that Planet Zoo 2 doesn't launch until October 13, meaning its impressive chart position has so far been achieved entirely through pre-orders.

On Steam, the standard edition of Planet Zoo 2 costs $49.99. Those willing to spend an additional $15 can get the Deluxe Edition, which includes six additional animal species and exclusive decorations. Pre-order customers also receive several cosmetic extras. The PC system requirements are fairly moderate: At least 16 GB of RAM and a GeForce RTX 2060 are required, while an RTX 3070 is recommended. The zoo simulation is also already rated "Verified" for the Steam Deck, even before its release.