Planet Zoo 2 Officially Revealed with Aquariums, Aviaries, and a Global Conservation Mission

Frontier has emphasized that these are not simple pre-built exhibits. Aquariums are fully customizable habitats, meaning players will control their size, shape, location, and internal scenery. They will also need to manage practical zoo-keeping elements, such as maintaining aquarium filtration systems . Aviaries are similarly robust, offering the ability to create walk-through habitats where guests can be immersed among the birds .

The integration of this feature is a generational leap for the simulation, allowing for underwater viewing galleries and free-flying bird exhibits that fundamentally change how a zoo can be designed .

Expanding the Zoo: The New Wildlife Reserves System

The sequel also significantly expands its conservation gameplay with a new feature called Wildlife Reserves. The system extends the player's responsibilities beyond the zoo's front gate to a global scale. Players will lead restoration projects in degraded natural habitats around the world, eventually releasing their animals back into these revived ecosystems .

This feature builds on the conservation theme that was central to the first Planet Zoo, framing it as a deeper, more hands-on campaign system that connects the zoo directly to the wild .

Pricing, Editions, and Pre-Order Bonuses

Planet Zoo 2 is available in two digital editions. The Standard Edition is priced at $49.99 (£39.99/€49.99) . A Deluxe Edition is available for $64.99 (£54.99/€64.99), which includes the Deluxe Upgrade Pack .

That upgrade pack adds six specific animal species to the roster: the Golden Eagle, Golden Lion Tamarin, Great Hammerhead Shark, Axolotl, Blue and Gold Fusilier, and Longfin Batfish .

All digital pre-orders, regardless of edition, come with a Bonus Content Pack. This includes a Toucan Eat shop with matching signage, three unique animal donation bins, and a tiger photo stand-in wall for guests . Pre-orders went live alongside the announcement on May 28 .

The Road to Announcement: From Tease to Trailer

The official reveal on May 28 did not come out of nowhere. Frontier first confirmed that Planet Zoo 2 was in development during a Planet Zoo 6th Anniversary Celebration video on November 5, 2025. At that time, the developer only stated that a full reveal and a 2026 release window were coming, with no trailer or gameplay to show .

The May 28 announcement is therefore the official full reveal, delivering a launch date, a detailed feature set, and the first gameplay footage in the announcement trailer . While no specific live showcase events have been scheduled yet, the in-depth breakdowns from sources like the official Xbox news channel suggest that more detailed previews are on the horizon between now and the October launch .