Ah! Great, so we should potentially know more this month. It seems like a money maker so it would make sense to continue. I was struck when Foundry closed down due to Frontier focusing on IP products which I assume includes their own IP’s.
Fall DLC 2023 Speculation
- Thread starter Leaf Productions
- Start date
The way I see it, I think they will continue to make DLCs in 2024 so I expect 6 more DLCs counting the 2 last from 2023. And I can see Frontier finishing with a big aviary pack in the first half of 2025. This is the way I'd do it. And if the aviary packs gives some new fresh air to the game and brings a lot of players, then maybe they can consider to make some more (birds) DLCs.
Of course my opinion is biased by what I want in the game.
That is very optimistic and I wish I could be as optimistic as that.
The game still seems to have a stable good player count on Steam Database which is a good indicator. There could be many factors to consider - whether it’s viable business wise, if players still buy DLC as they continue to release and if they want to have two Planet games out simultaneously (if Planet Coaster 2 is coming). I really hope we keep getting PlanZoo DLC as long as possible. At this point DLC into 2024 would be bliss.
I hope Planet Zoo has many more years to come, I’ll still be playing and buying all the DLC I can get my hands on! There’s so much I still haven’t done in this game yet, and I love it so much.
I think the Meta wishlist shows just how much more can be added. I wish we could have an early hint before the 11th!
I think the Meta wishlist shows just how much more can be added. I wish we could have an early hint before the 11th!
It's hard to say because, as others have noted, there are a lot of factors. But looking at their roster of active games they have Warhammer, F1, JWE2, Planet Zoo, and Elite: Dangerous.
F1 kinda tanked relative to expectations. Warhammer hasn't released yet so there's no way to know what it's going to do (though I'd imagine it'll do fine). JWE2 is doing really well across platforms still but it's not really Frontier's call as to how long they develop that. And Elite: Dangerous has about 50% of the player base that Planet Zoo has ATM (based on SteamCharts stats, anyway; though this seems to peak a bit with new content).
So with all that in mind... It would be a risky move for them to stop supporting their strongest performer without having a new, similar game announced to take its place. I don't think it's unreasonable to expect we might see more DLC in 2024 given all of the above. There's other factors too, of course... But they'd be leaving money on the table if they stop with Planet Zoo DLC now.
This is why I'm really curious about that financial report that's coming next week...
Thanks for posting this! I had been wondering when those results were going to drop... Very interesting that the DLC is likely to announce the day before it releases. I'm not sure how tied it is but TBH, I also wonder if this might be one of the reasons they're announcing earlier than usual. It would probably sound/look better on paper to be able to say "will continue to be supported with DLC including the X pack."I think the game will continue to get support in 2024. But the September report would clarify things.
FULL YEAR RESULTS
September 2023
Latest news states:
Frontier Developments plc (AIM: FDEV, 'Frontier' or the 'Company'), a leading developer and publisher of video games based in Cambridge, UK, provides notice that it expects to publish its full-year financial results for the 12 months ended 31 May 2023 at 7am (BST) on Wednesday 13 September 2023.
Management will host a presentation for analysts and institutional investors at 9.30am (BST) that morning. To register, please contact frontier@teneo.com
So two days after the special livestream
Either way, I would be shocked if this report didn't give us some indication of what to expect in 2024. It almost always does. And in the mid-year report they highlighted JWE2 and Planet Zoo as their two biggest profit-makers.
If they’d continue to follow their “nurture and grow” strategy game would be safe for another year.
Report may not say how long support we can expect but it will indicate what are the plans for the next financial year.
In the last report they’ve mentioned “long-therm sustainable growth” on the site dedicated to PZ so for me that means that the game won’t go anywhere for a very long time. Not just another financial year.
Report may not say how long support we can expect but it will indicate what are the plans for the next financial year.
In the last report they’ve mentioned “long-therm sustainable growth” on the site dedicated to PZ so for me that means that the game won’t go anywhere for a very long time. Not just another financial year.
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Exactly. And there's been no indication they'll be deviating from that strategy. And it would be a weird look to stop "nurturing and growing" the one game that's really doing gangbusters ATM for which you own the IP. There's always other factors that might lead into it but given the current circumstances it would be surprising to me.
I just hope it says they will "continue to support the game with PDLC throughout the remainder of FY24." If it says "and into FY25" that'll be a big bonus! Haha. Like you said, it won't tell us for how long but it means there's more coming!]
EDIT: I also don't want to get too excited but I have myself convinced that the timing of the DLC announcement has something to do with the report. Maybe it's something they expect will bolster sales? I don't really know... But it just seems strange to announce the stream so early, have the DLC likely announced on Tuesday, then this report thing on Wednesday. I need to take my tinfoil hat and ease up on the coffee, I think. LOL
I may be looking into this too much and being overly optimistic but if the new DLC adds a significant new mechanic which could boost sales and engagement of Planet Zoo further, this would be a strong detail to include in an investors report right? I.E In X DLC we introduce the much requested aviary or marine mechanic, opening up new possibilities within the game. We anticipate this enhancing our player base. Just a thought.
I don't know if I'm optimistic but it doesn't seem unrealistic to me. Also, the scenario I exposed is just what I feel is the perfect scenario for me. I don't want the game to become too big but I want a fair and "realistic" representation of each part of the world. I think max 250 species in the game is more than enough. Following my ideas, I'm expecting the game to reach 220 to 230 species. And as I think the community here has some pretty great ideas concerning the themes of those future DLCs, here is what I would do:
Fall 2023: Temperate Forests Pack (I would make it an animal pack but a lot of people seems to disagree)
Winter 2023: Highlands Animal Pack
Spring 2024: Tree-Climbers Animal Pack
Summer 2024: Coastal/Island Pack
Fall 2024: Children's Zoo Pack
Winter 2024: I will go the easy way and say surprise pack because I have no idea. A few people seems to want a safari pack but I don't know if I would be happy with another Africa focused DLC. Plus safari doesn't match winter vibes for most of the players.
Spring - Summer 2025: I dare to dream - Big Aviary Pack with 15-20 birds species.
And as I already said, I would chose the American Black Bear for 2023 anniversary animal and Serval for 2024.
PS: if it was only for me, all the packs from now on would be animal packs except maybe for children's zoo pack that could bring some very interesting stuff.
If we get it like a scenery pack, it's just gonna be another tropical pack where pretty much no-one is satisfied completely. Temperate has a huge amount of animals still to add which is why we keep arguing over bears and whatever else someone has to have instead.
Chester zoo is amazing. I love that they tend to keep same animals at the different parts of the zoo. I do it all the time in PZ.
We're both probably being too optimistic and looking into it a bit much.
But I think there's an outside chance this could be part of the reason. A new addition to the game that will broaden possibilities for players, bring new people in, and so on would definitely look strong in a report like that. They'd need to be sure it's something people are really wanting and that it's implemented in a way people would react positively too, as well.But it could also just be a total coincidence and it means nothing.
We're deviating from speculation of any sort here, but I have to say: I really love this approach! Doing it with certain species keeps things realistic and can help to build lore if that's your vibe.
I'm also a fan of putting animals in areas that don't make sense from an organizational perspective and just saying: "Meh! It's where we had the space and a habitat suitable for this particular animal." Kinda like how the Bronx Zoo has their tree kangaroo in an Asian tropical rainforest building. To me, it just adds to the story and keeps things fun and realistic (while also taking some of the stress out about where to fit certain animals in).
An Exploration Pack would work: explore the Amazon rainforest, join an expedition to the Arctic tundra, deep into the European forests, discover the Outback, climb the mountains of the Himalayas, tour the African savanna and sail accross the Caribbean. That way you cover all continents and all biomes
It sounds very cool but at the same time this kind of "all over the world without a real common theme" DLC smell like Last Pack™ where they throw all the leftovers and I don't like that, zoo party must continue.
Poor spectacled bear, smuggled from the only mountain in the southern hemisphere 
I think I'm going to post this in every new DLC speculation thread until I am proved wrong:
Saw those yesterday too! Saw two of them sitting on their nest in monsoon forest dome and saw other one in Tropical Realm, it makes me want to have them in Planet Zoo. Tropical Realm is so inspiring, it's full of life and beautiful, lots of herptiles and free flight birds, saw Aye-Ayes in there too as well. PZ should have something like that.
Yup, hah! The 2023 hasn't come out yet but... According to what somebody posted in here (found on some random investor/stock site) the presentation will be happening next Wednesday (9/13).