Spring 2024 DLC Speculation

[Iben]

The announcement cycle is going to be different either way, we're better get ready for that; as there is no longer a dedicated CM team for PZ. Don't put up your hopes too high tbh.

The JWE2 DLC that is confirmed is indeed a good precedent, but I'm still cautious. JWE is still something they do for Universal and JW has another show coming this summer so a tie-in with that is indeed a likely scenario that could have been a decision that was made later down the line, after the financial documents were already finalized.

A Planet Coaster-esque scenario with another final DLC in the summer was always a scenario to look out for, and this does seem to make some room for that. I guess we'll have to see when we finally get news on the next DLC for Planet Zoo.

 

[NachoB]

Well those are good news for JWE fans. It doesn't mean anything for us other than the financial report is not the last word about getting more DLCs or not. I still think we get a final larger DLC in June and something for Anniversary.

 

[jcp011c]

I agree with what has been said earlier, I think that if it’s a regular pack it will be scenery pack, specifically focusing on either Central or Latin America, more counting on Latin.

Latin America can combine the bright colours everyone’s looking for from a Caribbean set while also bringing in the classy limestone vibes, ultimately a mix of Oceania and the New World theme. Also ties into the Europe pack theme too.
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As for animals, I think Latin America provides the most options for frontier to choose, so if they do choose to have a wildcard (which they always do) they have more options.

The coati being at the top of the meta wishlist and a monkey being, well a monkey, are pretty much guarantees for this kind of pack. The coati is extremely unique and while I’m not sure if it requires a new rig or if it can somehow be used off of the red panda or raccoon, it seems pretty set in stone.
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As for what monkey they choose, it depends on how much work the coati needs, but I honestly believe that the howler and spider monkey are neck and neck. They both are achievable and have the rigs to go off of and need adjustments, and both represent the area extremely well. As far as which one makes the better addition, gotta give it to spider hands down, moves more unqiue plus uh it’s fricking GORGEOUS.
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Onto the other 2, I say for 1 I’m going against the grain and not saying the Ocelot, but instead the Spectacled bear. We got 2 pigs back to back, countless ungulates back to back, 2 birds in one pack, crazier things have happened than getting 2 bears back to back.
It’s in the top 10 of the meta wishlist and is an easy direct clone, sure the ocelot could also take this spot but it’s not in the top of the meta wishlist, and we didn’t get a cat in Eurasia when everyone expected it so we shouldn’t be so quick to expect the Ocelot imo.
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And for the final one which would be a true wildcard solely picked by frontier, I would think they would choose either the pudu or the tamandua. Was gonna choose the bush dog but then 3/4 are carnivores and that doesn’t seem right to me. Moreso leaning towards the pudu here because I know the tamandua isn’t a direct clone because of its climbing behaviors and we don’t know how much time they have to work on this so the pudu seems more probable and it’s an ungulate which we know is frontiers go to clone animal for a time crunch.
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For the exhibit, following the pattern of every other pack getting a walkthrough animal, it makes sense that we get another WTE, and since we got a bat clone… it only makes sense we get a second sloth, unless we get really lucky and get a bird which would skyrocket frontiers sales - but I mean come on why would they want that
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But as a side note, this week I’ve went to a tropical walkthrough exhibit with toucans and it was amazing, just your average tropical greenhouse type building with toucans flying branch to branch, why frontier can’t do this I have no idea, it’s completely safe and realistic but whatever.
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TLDR:
Coati, Spider (or Howler) Monkey, Spectacled Bear, Pudu and Two Toed Sloth = realistic LA pack.

New World Primate, Coati, Spectacled Bear..I'm sold. Those are the three things I really want most out of a Latin America pack. A fourth would be another primate but I think that's unlikely with a scenery pack. Your wildcard pick would bring South America a deer so that would be new. I totally expect an Ocelot instead but I'd actually prefer a deer. Well, I'd prefer the Brazilian Porcupine, but I don't see that happening in the same pack as the Coati. Patagonian Mara would also be great, though not so much of a wildcard.

 

[Tinou97]

Also I’m surprised that out of all topics we’ve covered on here we haven’t actually talked about if the next pack is scenery or animal if it’s a regular pack.

Scenery follows the pattern, but animal because we got a lot of building pieces in the winter, more so leaning towards scenery personally.

I really hope the final DLC won't be a regular pack. First because I think it's nicer to finish on something remarkable, but also and above all because I personally need to know whether or not this is the last DLC. Knowing Frontier, they're not going to tell us openly that it's the end, but in my opinion it's the least they can do to give fans of the game a clear sign... if it's a regular pack and they say nothing about what's happening next, many people will feel psychologically tortured in the 3 to 6 months following the release of the next DLC. No one wants that.

 

[Veah]

The announcement cycle is going to be different either way, we're better get ready for that; as there is no longer a dedicated CM team for PZ. Don't put up your hopes too high tbh.

About this thing of losing the CM team, when we first discussed it as a hint about PZ ending or not, it was argued that opening the TikTok account for promoting just the last 1-2 packs was a bit contradictory. Can somebody who is following TikTok tell how active are they being there? They started very active with exclusive clips from Oceania pack, but maybe now without the CM team the console release is getting a different treatment.

 

[Thylaco]

It will also be interesting to see if the Planet Zoo DLC will also be revealed and released on a short notice like the JWE one was

I think it's unlikely to be representative, being the "Secret" DLC seems more likely the reason to me.

There were 3 unusual posts about Pterosaurs on their Twitter in the 7 weeks leading up (2 fun facts, 1 asking about favourite in-game species). They didn't do that for other animals (or really at all before, at least not regularly), which is what convinced me and quite a few others that it was an Aviary pack.

I'm thinking the misdirection was also part of that "Secret" theme, a false answer is a known easy way to keep people from trying to find out about a secret. (3.33% chance of happening randomly, being both pterosaurs of 5 previous update variants, and 1 of 3 enclosure types, but I would assume they know their effect on people, with the constant Pterosaur requests when posting them, and aren't truly random)

 

[CharlieXGaming]

If the next pack is a smaller one in preparation for a bigger finale pack I honestly don’t think it can be that bad, like people didn’t like the JWE2 pack cause it had returning species, it’s impossible for us to get that, the pack had hybrids which aren’t everyone’s thing, we also can’t have hybrids. All of the creatures in that pack were models already used and made better, and there are a lot of animals we want that are direct clones. The worst thing that can happen is no free update which we’ve gotten so many I think we can afford to miss one.

So if we’re looking at something that would be completely unexpected, easiest to make, popular species and can still sell decently, Coastal is back on the table. Beach wood theme scenery, Walrus, Pelican, puffin as the wildcard, sea otter and an exhibit box species. This would act as our “North America Revisit” just like the last 3 packs revisiting continents.

 

[Thylaco]

the pack had hybrids which aren’t everyone’s thing, we also can’t have hybrids.

Hybrid pack, 100%, no doubt

• Tarasque
• Qilin
• Criosphinx
• Griffon
• Cockatrice
• Chimaera
• Jackalope
• Naga [Exhibit]

 

[SivatheriumGuy]

So if we’re looking at something that would be completely unexpected, easiest to make, popular species and can still sell decently, Coastal is back on the table. Beach wood theme scenery, Walrus, Pelican, puffin as the wildcard, sea otter and an exhibit box species. This would act as our “North America Revisit” just like the last 3 packs revisiting continents.

I like how this sounds ehehehe

 

[Captain Callum]

About this thing of losing the CM team, when we first discussed it as a hint about PZ ending or not, it was argued that opening the TikTok account for promoting just the last 1-2 packs was a bit contradictory. Can somebody who is following TikTok tell how active are they being there? They started very active with exclusive clips from Oceania pack, but maybe now without the CM team the console release is getting a different treatment.

Taking a brief look at the website, tiktok has 3 posts for the console version while twitter has 25. I can't say the whole tiktok account equals an active future is true anymore.

 

[RightWhale]

Could it be possible we get a smaller pack than a bigger one? Maybe. Do I still think it’s a possibility we get a regular pack then nothing? Yes. Frontier has had some massive unfortunate changes lately, while I understand the final bigger dlc is how they normally end things I don’t know if we can guarantee anything.

 

[Marvinb]

Could it be possible we get a smaller pack than a bigger one? Maybe. Do I still think it’s a possibility we get a regular pack then nothing? Yes. Frontier has had some massive unfortunate changes lately, while I understand the final bigger dlc is how they normally end things I don’t know if we can guarantee anything.

Actually we can, they already said that they "arent quite down yet" and that we will be happy with them in the stream. So there is atleast 1 more coming

 

[CharlieXGaming]

Could it be possible we get a smaller pack than a bigger one? Maybe. Do I still think it’s a possibility we get a regular pack then nothing? Yes. Frontier has had some massive unfortunate changes lately, while I understand the final bigger dlc is how they normally end things I don’t know if we can guarantee anything.

I still think a regular scenery pack is expected, maybe a bit less scenery like how conservation had 150 instead 180 or 200 pieces. Only thing I can see happening is not getting an update. But 5 species and 150 pieces worst scenario still sounds pretty good.

 

[RightWhale]

I still think a regular scenery pack is expected, maybe a bit less scenery like how conservation had 150 instead 180 or 200 pieces. Only thing I can see happening is not getting an update. But 5 species and 150 pieces worst scenario still sounds pretty good.

Oh yeah anything is better than nothing! Obviously we all have our preferred outcomes though

 

[CharlieXGaming]

and that we will be happy with them in the stream.

Wait if it’s a smaller pack next that’s similar to the quality of the JWE2 last pack, then why would they say it would make us happy? then again this is the same team who thought we’d be happy with 10 ungulates last year.

 

[RightWhale]

Wait if it’s a smaller pack next that’s similar to the quality of the JWE2 last pack, then why would they say it would make us happy? then again this is the same team who thought we’d be happy with 10 ungulates last year.

I know this sounds awful, I don’t take too much stock in the “we think you will be happy”. Of course they would say that! Imagine the PR team saying: be prepared this is gonna blow. You are all gonna hate this. We barely tried with this one it’s gonna suck!

 

[NachoB]

I think we are reading to much into the "being happy" thing. It just means there is at least one more DLC coming and we will be happy about that. I don't think it means anything else than that.

 

[Marvinb]

I think we are reading to much into the "being happy" thing. It just means there is at least one more DLC coming and we will be happy about that. I don't think it means anything else than that.

Yeah that for sure, and thats the reason i mentioned it before

 

[jcp011c]

The worst thing that can happen is no free update which we’ve gotten so many I think we can afford to miss one.

Maybe they could just make the update be flexicolor for a few base game sets, at least the walls, ceilings, statues and the like. Dry Stone and Sandstone, I'm looking at ya'll particularly here.

 

[Marvinb]

Speaking of scenery, what are pieces yall would definetly want before supports end?

Personally i really want:
-Small amount (like 2-3 differnt types maybe) of flexicolor cars to fill parking lots with something else than the safari jeeps or the incredibly piece heavy workshop models.
-different font pieces, especially small ones since its almost impossible to make signs that arent obnoxiously large
-Placeable "ground textures" similar to the mulch pieces, having those for sand and other stuff would be super usefull for many different scenerios.