In the lead-up to the release of Planet Zoo 2 later this year, developer Frontier Developments has begun releasing videos in an Animal Spotlight series to showcase some of the animals that will grace your zoo. The first of these videos showcases the African Leopard, the stealthy superstar of the Savannah, a returning animal confirmed to be joining the roster of the sequel of the popular 2019 management sim.
The video showcases the African Leopard wandering through a habitat environment, delighting the zoo goers who can snag a glimpse. The video offers some facts about the animal, tying these to the many enrichment items that can be placed around its habitat, this being a major mechanic of the previous game to create a health enviorment that the animals enjoy exploring and will continue to play a major part here. In addition, the new movement animations, which have been promoted as a vast improvement over the title’s predecessor, are on full display.
The trailer also takes a moment to highlight one of Planet Zoo 2‘s new features, the inclusion of wildlife preserves. These areas will be unenclosed, and expansive and customizable areas will play home to many animals, giving more freedom to releasing animals from captivity, rather than just a simple button push. These areas are more self-contained, require minimal staff involvement, and allow animals to breed naturally. Previously, Frontier had stated that this entry in the series would feature more of a focus on wildlife conservation and environmental protection.
The first Animal Spotlight follows one of the land animals, which should be familiar to returning players, but the scope of animals that can be kept in your zoo has expanded far more. The announcement trailer for the game also showcased birds and sealife, both of which will be new to Planet Zoo 2. How these animals might differ in care compared to land animals remains to be seen, but will likely be showcased in upcoming Animal Spotlight videos.
Planet Zoo 2 will be available on October 13, 2026, for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, and PC via Steam and Epic Games Store.
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