Jurassic World Evolution 3 Update 1.2.8 Brings Free Dracorex and Liopleurodon Family Units

The update is a significant one for park managers: it not only adds two new family units at no cost but also kicks off Jurassic June, a month-long content celebration, and arrives just one day before the game enters Xbox Game Pass .

What's new in Update 1.2.8: Dracorex and Liopleurodon

Frontier introduced two prehistoric species as full family units, meaning players can breed, hatch, and raise multiple generations of each with the game's genetic inheritance mechanics.

Dracorex is a small pachycephalosaurid herbivore known for its distinctive spiked skull, which inspired its name—"dragon king" . In Update 1.2.8, it becomes a fully breedable species, letting players manage entire Dracorex populations from hatchlings to adults . The species previously appeared in Jurassic World: Evolution (2018) and Jurassic World Evolution 2 (2021) .

Liopleurodon is a massive marine pliosaur that returns as a lagoon-dwelling attraction. Unlike the terrestrial Dracorex, Liopleurodon requires aquatic enclosures, opening new design possibilities for park managers . It was previously available in Jurassic World Evolution 2 and the mobile title Jurassic World: The Game .

Jurassic June and the end of the content hiatus

Update 1.2.8 holds particular significance because it breaks a lengthy communication blackout from Frontier. After the March 16th patch (Update 1.2.6, which added the Amargasaurus), the studio went unexpectedly silent, delaying the free species planned for April and May .

On May 28, the team confirmed that "circumstances out of their control" had been resolved and that the delayed content would arrive on June 1st, bundled into what the studio is calling Jurassic June—a month of free content drops, with more announcements expected on June 3rd .

Xbox Game Pass availability

Timing with the Jurassic June kickoff, Jurassic World Evolution 3 joined the Xbox Game Pass library on June 2, 2026, as part of Microsoft's May–June Wave 2 lineup . The game is available across Cloud, Xbox Series X|S, and PC to subscribers with Game Pass Ultimate, Game Pass Premium, or PC Game Pass .

Continuing the free monthly family-unit pattern

Update 1.2.8 follows a now-familiar post-launch support rhythm for the game: free monthly patches that reintroduce classic species as fully breedable family units.

Earlier 2026 free updates in this cycle include:

• Update 1.2.4 (Jan 28): Added Majungasaurus and Deinocheirus
• Update 1.2.5 (Feb 17): Added Cryolophosaurus
• Update 1.2.6 (Mar 16): Added Amargasaurus

These updates consistently arrive at no extra charge and are paired with bug fixes, performance improvements, and quality-of-life tweaks . Dracorex and Liopleurodon now join the growing roster of family units, which already includes notable species like Kentrosaurus from Update 1.1.0 .