Planet Zoo 2 launched today on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S — and it's already outpacing the original. The sequel broke the first game's all-time Steam concurrent record within hours, topping 40,000 players, and it's sitting at #1 on Steam's top sellers in multiple countries.
What's new
Seven years after the 2019 original, Frontier's sequel goes bigger in every direction:
130+ animals — the most true-to-life roster in the series, with higher-fidelity fur, feathers, scales, and more authentic behaviors.
Aquariums — fully aquatic species for the first time, with customizable underwater habitats.
Aviaries — flying birds, another series first.
Wildlife Reserves — conservation goes beyond your zoo with global projects and releasable animals.
Easier building — ready-to-place blueprints alongside piece-by-piece construction, simpler pathing, new terrain brushes.
First-person camera — walk around your own zoo.
Steam Workshop — share and download community creations from day one.
The numbers
Per SteamDB via Insider Gaming, the sequel passed 40,000 concurrent players within hours — above the original's all-time peak of under 39,000. Frontier's own record is 60,000 (Jurassic World Evolution), and with the weekend ahead, Planet Zoo 2 could take that crown too. Pre-launch, it hit #1 in the Netherlands, #2 in Germany, and top-10 in the UK, Czech Republic, Switzerland, and Australia — all on pre-orders alone.
Price and editions
Standard: $49.99 — the full game.
Deluxe: $64.99 — adds six species (Golden Eagle, Golden Lion Tamarin, Great Hammerhead Shark, Axolotl, Blue and Gold Fusilier, Longfin Batfish) plus exclusive shops, donation bins, and signs.
It's also Steam Deck Verified from day one. PC specs are moderate: 16GB RAM and a GTX 2060 minimum, RTX 3070 recommended.
The one criticism
Early reviews are strong, but there's a roster gripe: several beloved land animals from the first game — cheetahs included — didn't make the cut, with new additions skewing toward birds and aquatic species. Expect DLC to fill those gaps.
KongMNG's take
Zoo sims don't usually launch like this. 40K concurrents on day one, chart-topping pre-orders, and the biggest building-tool overhaul the series has seen — Frontier knows its audience. If you've ever lost a weekend to habitat fences, this is your game.