Is support ending? What do you think?

[Iben]

3: (and one I’m really shocked no one has discussed)- is the inclusion of a thememaker’s toolkit in said update a la Planet Coaster, not necessarily for animals- but for things like props

There's a big chance that this isn't coming at all. People have always expected it because of Planet Coaster; but Planet Zoo started from a much earlier build of Planet Coasters' engine which has resulted in severe changes that make it incompatible with just "copy pasting" features from Coaster. One of these features was for instance billboards, they explained in one of the livestreams that that was a feature they basically had to do from scratch because the way Coaster did it wasn't going to work.

Given the financial state of Frontier atm, I see very little reason as to why they would invest time, money and devs into a feature like this. Especially as the modding community has basically done it for them for free. The benefit of modded content is that it extends the life-time of the game and makes people buy the game even when support has dropped; so it was a smart move from them to do it for Planet Coaster as there basically wasn't a modding community back then. In this case, there is, so Frontier can benefit from that without having to invest in a tool; so why would they?

 

[Swjosdotschka]

Also good valid point that sticking with terrestrial animals, the longer support goes on, the less wanted the "most requested" animals are. By that I mean, they were for the most part simply further down the list, as Frontier has been knocking out animals from the upper regions of the meta list for 2 and a half years now. Seriously, 3 years ago, who would have thought we'd be seeing the Secretary Birds and Coatimundi fighting it out for the top spot in the meta list? Not me, for sure, I was more interested in getting meerkats, capybaras and a non creepy otter. (which, we've gotten all of them). At some point the top regions of the list become less of a matter of actual priority, but are instead just filling the spots on the list because that's just how lists work. Something will always be at the top of the meta list, even if content were to go on for another 5 years...

Yes, so much this. That's also. my problem with the word "Essential" by now when we discuss animals. There will always be something the hard core anomal lovers want. Heck, I'd be super sad without my Coati, a squirrel monkey, a baboon etc. - but it's just still a zoo game that, if the Eurasian DLC is the last DLC - is the best zoo game of all times and can be played without frustration for a long period of time, at least as long as people played ZT2.

That said, I don't really believe in DLC support after summer of this year, but I just don't see it as logical to not release something in spring and summer, before the new Planet game comes out. There still has to be cash flow and Frontier has to provide numbers from releases to their shareholders and only JWE DLCs as their main income just wouldn't do it, in my opinion.

And I have to say I'd be a little disappointed if PC and JWE got their "bigger" end DLC but we just get a normal one with Eurasia. So I'd say one more is almost given, two more is being causually optimistic, the believe of us getting three more is a personal risk I'm not willing to take.

 

[Tinou97]

If the support comes to an end after next summer, then I just hope the developers will give us DLCs with the remaining most wanted species, even if it means the DLC has no theme. I also hope they will give us a few flying birds so the modders can do something about them.
Anyway, what I will remember in the end is the great work that Frontier's teams put into this project. PZ definitely is my 2nd all time favorite game.

 

[FoxyDee]

A big red flag to me was the fact that someone that basically plays PZ for a lifestyle doesn't even know what a Takin is.

Yeah, his channel always felt more of a Planet Coaster player that just jumped onto the newest thing with PZ. I think he is not really that interested in zoology, and I do not mean this in any bad way, but when youtubers like him got all the zoo classics like Sea Lions, Meerkats and so on, any "similar" (I guess most of the terrestial animals for them) species wont really matter to them anymore, hence why he is rather uninterest in any DLC that is not aquarium/flying birds. I have noticed that alot of youtubers that are not that much into animals starve for aquariums for example, because they just want to build something completely new, they do not care that usually zoos really do not have dolphins.

 

[NachoB]

I just want more latinamerican animals before support ends and i'll be set and happy. Anything else, even if high in my wishlist, would be a gift.

That said i do think there are two DLCs more to come at least and i do hope the last one is bigger and that we get one more anniversary animal

 

[Captain Callum]

This made me chuckle. These posts are trying to calm your nerves. Sticking your fingers in your ears and singing "lalala the game will go on forever" looks far more nervous than rationally laying out reasonable expectations based on things we factually know (or at least things we can reasonably extrapolate).

Yeah I know I used to be be in the whole game will go on for as last as it lasts but I've now gradually switched to the game ends when it ends. All these arguments for and against the games life seem pointless to me as its inevitable support is going to end, it's just a question of when. We got waterfowl, modders are probably going to go insane with them and was the last rig I was truly expecting. Which is why my first post here said no one knows truly when support ends no matter how convincing your argument may be, it's personal opinion regardless.

 

[RightWhale]

I wouldn’t be surprised if support ends next December after the 5th dlc, or if it ends in the financial year after the April-May DLC . It will end when it ends, while I like to think we could get another 4 packs obviously I am not in control of that.

 

[Tatanosaure]

Well it is a tough debate. On one side the first half of the livestream I had this feeling that the DLC was going to look like a farewell DLC then the apparent "disappointing" 4 animals teased changed my mind. And the full roster even more. As far it is my favorite roster of the year (I love to build temperate and cold environments), but it doesn't seem to be a great pack to close the great chapter that was Planet Zoo.

If now I highly doubt that we would have aviaries or freshwater aquariums, which makes me feel my zoos are always uncompleted, I think the last DLC would be a larger and more expensive pack with maybe 10 to 15 of the top demands of the community. It is just my opinions regarding the far past with PC or JWE.

I have no certainties if this last pack, arrives in 6 days and I am thinking wrongly, or in spring, or after the 5th anniversary.

However if I think the after,

I invested 200+ euros in that game over the last 4 years to more than 600h of playtime. And I will keep going after the end of the support because mods offer a large amount of species more and won't require to be updated anymore following each updates.
Even if a PZ2 comes out I will unlikely switch on it. No matter if birds, freshwater fishes and manatees are coming out. It wouldn't make me invest again in a game losing all we gained in term of roster over the last few years. I don't want to have to wait a year to have a clouded leopard or an ibex because I have birds. I don't see Frontiers putting PZ2 out with the same roster than PZ at the ends of its run, what PZ2 dlcs would be after that.... financial suicide I think.
And I am not sure that all the things that I like the less in PZ would be change in PZ2. Why would I invest in a building game which lacks roster, not able to do a zoo centered on anything else than Africa, and having to wait 200euros to have the same things than PZ?
And if I make the jump to PZ2 it would be after being sure that the game has better optimisation than PZ and doesn't requires me to invest in an expensive computer or cloud gaming if I don't want to be restricted to mini zoos. I did it for PZ, I won't do it again.
I played 15 years to ZT2, I honestly feel it could be the same for PZ.

When support will end, no matter when, I'll just be grateful to the devs and modders for what has been done, nothing is never perfect but damn PZ was a good investment and will still be.

 

[Doran]

I don't see Frontiers putting PZ2 out with the same roster than PZ at the ends of its run, what PZ2 dlcs would be after that.... financial suicide I think.

Wouldnt that mean DLCs in 2024 are financial suicide?
You end right now and continue again in PZ2. Same species people wish like right now are becoming part of PZ2 dlc roster.

 

[NachoB]

Wouldnt that mean DLCs in 2024 are financial suicide?
You end right now and continue again in PZ2. Same species people wish like right now are becoming part of PZ2 dlc roster.

I will scream.

 

[Tatanosaure]

Wouldnt that mean DLCs in 2024 are financial suicide?
You endSame spe right now and continue again in PZ2. Same species people wish like right now are becoming part of PZ2 dlc roster.

But in this way you limiate strongly the dlcs for PZ2. Will people be ok with not so fancy animals dlcs after 1 years or support? Look at the more contrasted reactions we get after each dlc now that evident ad popular animals are more and more already ingame. Most of the dlcs could be birds or aquatics centered but to me it feels like it would bore people faster also. Just an opinion, I would gladly see what you think on this point .

That's why I don't feel that when/if PZ2 comes out it will have the 138 animals we have now (+birds or aquatics). It would be more than base game PZ but a downgrade compared to PZ now.
And this hypothesis is not satisfying me. That's why I would likely stay on PZ1.

 

[Captain Callum]

You end right now and continue again in PZ2.

If you mean having the same roster as right now - £150 + worth of animals all condensed into a £35-50 package... that gonna lose alot of customers whether or not its a good thing in the long run. Myself and possibly many others would feel scammed out of the first game and all the money I put into it.

 

[Tatanosaure]

If you mean having the same roster as right now - £150 + worth of animals all condensed into a £35-50 package... that gonna lose alot of customers whether or not its a good thing in the long run. Myself and possibly many others would feel scammed out of the first game and all the money I put into it.

I don't know if this is feasible, but Frontiers could make special offers to steam accounts with all the PZ1 dlc owned for PZ2.
But financially this is again a difficult/funny move to me.

 

[zoomaster1994]

I don't know if I'm fond of a PZ2, I wasn't fond of JWE2 either, cause, well; it was basically the same as JWE1 only with some more realistic models, fully flying + aquatic creatures and a lot of micro management. Besides that, it was the same.

Also, I've build zoos and I'm not fond of starting them all over again. Maybe if you can transfer them over? maybe. I just feel like PZ is as good as it is, and why not a huge expansion/update from PZ into PZ2? PZ2 would keep all the DLC, anni animals in it though, but I just don't really like the idea.

 

[TheDuckKnight]

I hate to be a fence-riding centrist, but I absolutely think it could be either way.

Due to the language of the campaign, this European somewhat "homecoming" vibe for a British game, their financial status, the announcement that 3 new games are coming which will inevitably require in house resources, and the sheer longevity of the game - I can absolutely see this being the last pack. (Which at the end of the day, I got my waterfowl - not a duck, but if try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need)

However due to game's confined success, ALSO their financial status lol, confirmation that support will continue to the next fiscal year, and the lack of a larger, more expensive, "goodbye" pack, I can see support continuing next year - but I have no doubt if that's the case, it will most certainly be the last.

I know this is literally @Iben 's post just again lol, so close your fighter: dev guy with the cool mustache or the ginger who likes duckies.

 

[DarthQuell]

I don't know if I'm fond of a PZ2, I wasn't fond of JWE2 either, cause, well; it was basically the same as JWE1 only with some more realistic models, fully flying + aquatic creatures and a lot of micro management. Besides that, it was the same.

Also, I've build zoos and I'm not fond of starting them all over again. Maybe if you can transfer them over? maybe. I just feel like PZ is as good as it is, and why not a huge expansion/update from PZ into PZ2? PZ2 would keep all the DLC, anni animals in it though, but I just don't really like the idea.

I wouldn't hesitate, but it'd have to be years before it comes out.

JWE 2 started off the same, but now it's a way improved and better game than the 1st one that I don't know if I could go back to the 1st one.

PZ 2 might start off the same as PZ, but over time it'll develop into a different game and style, probably even updated graphics and everything. However, I hope that the next Planet game is neither Planet Zoo 2 nor Planet Coaster 2; I would like to see a different theme entirely

 

[DarthQuell]

I hate to be a fence-riding centrist, but I absolutely think it could be either way.

Due to the language of the campaign, this European somewhat "homecoming" vibe for a British game, their financial status, the announcement that 3 new games are coming which will inevitably require in house resources, and the sheer longevity of the game - I can absolutely see this being the last pack. (Which at the end of the day, I got my waterfowl - not a duck, but if try sometimes, you might find, you get what you need)

However due to game's confined success, ALSO their financial status lol, confirmation that support will continue to the next fiscal year, and the lack of a larger, more expensive, "goodbye" pack, I can see support continuing next year - but I have no doubt if that's the case, it will most certainly be the last.

I know this is literally @Iben 's post just again lol, so close your fighter: dev guy with the cool mustache or the ginger who likes duckies.

I agree that it could go either way, but seeing past patterns (if they are set in stone), DLCs were released up until the launch of the next game. We haven't gotten the launch of Planet 3 yet, let alone the announcement, so there's also a teeny tiny chance that we could get at least 2 more next year, and then have the 5th anniversary as a final goodbye

 

[NachoB]

I agree that it could go either way, but seeing past patterns (if they are set in stone), DLCs were released up until the launch of the next game. We haven't gotten the launch of Planet 3 yet, let alone the announcement, so there's also a teeny tiny chance that we could get at least 2 more next year, and then have the 5th anniversary as a final goodbye

Big anniversary? Or freebies for anniversary plus big DLC would be nice

 

[DarthQuell]

Big anniversary? Or freebies for anniversary plus big DLC would be nice

I think what we've always been getting, but maybe a new shop like the 1st anniversary update we got. Big DLC at the end, though

 

[RightWhale]

Maybe the final DLC will be the “bird one” or sometime next year we get the “bird dlc”.
That way we can get “flying birds” like macaws in the WTE before the game is over. As much as I want/ need owls and eagles I think macaws are simply the “zoo bird” we need the most. Despite all our speculation we have no idea when the end will officially come, but I think it’s a good idea to just be ready with the idea. Any extra support is a blessing at this point.