Is support ending? What do you think?

[jcp011c]

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.

Yup! Essential has kind of become a meaningless word since it's used so much. Sure everyone's got their favorites that they want in. and for that person there may be a handful of what they consider essential. When I see of list of 100 animals that someone considers "essential" at this point in the game, I kind of feel like the meaning of the word has lost its context.

The only thing I would have considered essential, is not coming (obviously, flying birds). I've made my peace with that, and the fact that I'll never be able to create a zoo I would call fully realistic. Of all the other wants especially with mammals, the New World primate situation comes closest to being essential that we get at least two more species. But I'd call that a high priority need, but not essential. I'm not going to be able to create a realistic South American section without them, but I can still look at the zoo overall and be very happy with the mammal roster. Of course, that's all just my opinion.

 

[Tatanosaure]

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.

It is a hot take but I would buy easily even at high price an "exhibit pack" with different size offering looped fishes, snapping turtles, manatee, and birds as a final pack.
With this roster:
Manatee
Arapaima
Piranha
Koi
Snapping turtle
Mixed small aquarium fishes (angel fishes, discus, rainbow fishes following the butterflies idea)

2 eagles (bald, golden)
2 vultures
2 owls
macaws (same than butterflies)
parakeets
toucan
kalao
red ibis
and three others species that I am still not decided.

 

[TheHippoGirl]

Everything is possible but I have the feeling this isn't the last DLC. However, I think support is unfortunately going to end soon, probably around the time the next Planet game launches. Here are the two scenarios I tend to believe in the most :

1) 1 more DLC next spring and a farewell bigger DLC in summer 2024.

2) 2 more DLCs (spring and summer 2024) and a farewell bigger DLC in November 2024 to also celebrate the 5th anniversary of the game. Which would be a nice end to a beautiful story.

 

[NachoB]

Everything is possible but I have the feeling this isn't the last DLC. However, I think support is unfortunately going to end soon, probably around the time the next Planet game launches. Here are the two scenarios I tend to believe in the most :

1) 1 more DLC next spring and a farewell bigger DLC in summer 2024.

2) 2 more DLCs (spring and summer 2024) and a farewell bigger DLC in November 2024 to also celebrate the 5th anniversary of the game. Which would be a nice end to a beautiful story.

I feeling scenario number 2 as well tbh. I think one more warm weather and one more cold weather DLCs (LAM and Taiga/Tundra) and a last bigger DLC (maybe 10-12 animals) for anniversary. And done. Good bye.

I would love 4 more DLCs though, and i deffinetly think this one we just got is not the last one.

 

[TheHippoGirl]

I feeling scenario number 2 as well tbh. I think one more warm weather and one more cold weather DLCs (LAM and Taiga/Tundra) and a last bigger DLC (maybe 10-12 animals) for anniversary. And done. Good bye.

I would love 4 more DLCs though, and i deffinetly think this one we just got is not the last one.

Oh don't get me wrong, I would like 10 more years of DLC But at some point, we have to admit that support will not last forever.

 

[Hugo98]

Wow, this discussion got a little bigger than I expected! But thank you all for your posts, although I haven't read every post in detail yet (just too many, it's nothing against you).
Thank you especially @Iben for your detailed post (which I read every word of), this is probably the best and most objective point of view.
I want to make clear that I didn't want too doompost but Rudi's video (whom I didn't want to doom either) really left me thought-provoking and I was really curious about your opinion because as the consensus seems to be here that we are nearing support ending and this is indeed sth that we should discuss and be aware of. I'm also aware of this but I have to admit that a part of me still hopes for way longer support and this part of me got a little too worried yesterday.
BUT if support ends with this DLC, then I'll be sad but I'll accept it and still enjoy the game and I'm happy for any DLC that still may come.

P.S. Planet Zoo is already the best zoo game ever, despite lacking birds and aquariums. A few years ago after I stopped playing Zoo Tycoon 2 I've never expected to see such a good game in this genre again, not to speak of a zoo game with red river hogs, fossas, Tasmanian devils, brachiating gibbons, burrowing meerkats, porcupines or other great stuff.

 

[AndyZoos]

I'm split now. The DLC itself is fantastic but the animal roster just... Doesn't feel like the sort of pack to end things on. On the flipside, the update itself was massive and definitely has a "let's tie a few things up" vibe to it. It's not quite the "let's give the players the keys to the building" update I would have expected (e.g., scaling, a TMTK) but it added a very key feature and a ton of super useful new props. And as per some of what Iben has said... Maybe those key features won't ever come.

We heard them say in the financial presentation that the DLC for this game still gets them a very good ROI so there's no reason to think it's not profitable, or that they're even close to a break-even with it but... If they aim to release a new CSM game one year from now that could arguably require them to shift resources elsewhere to get the new game ready but they would still continue making money on the existing PZ content (because that's not going anywhere).

There's also still a solid 3-4 animals that, by my read, could serve as strong pack "headliners." There's also plenty of new features that could be added to get people really amped up again. But again, it's not even a question of if they want to do it but... Does it make sense to? And we just don't know.

All that said, my guess is that we'll get two more DLC packs. A themed scenery pack in the spring (Latin America would make sense) with a more general/broader themed animal pack in the summer to get in the smattering of species remaining high-up on the wishlist (earlier than usual; probably late May to hit that end of financial year). Obviously I'm hoping for more but... That's what I'm feeling is going to happen today. That'll probbably change as time goes on. LOL

 

[nutrit]

Some people are predicting the end of the game for at least 2 years now. And thankfully there were never right.

Of course that the game is gonna end one day, but for now nobody knows when exactly. Nothing lasts forever, but at this moment more things indicate that it’s going to be supported for a longer time than may 2024.

Let’s enjoy the amazing roster that we have right now and hope for the best.