Ever dreamt of managing Jersey Zoo? Well, now’s your chance.
The world’s most popular zookeeping simulation game series has announced that its latest release will feature an all-new Channel Islands map for its players to enjoy.
Visuals for the new Jersey-inspired map were released for the first time yesterday as part of a trailer for Planet Zoo 2, which is due to launch on PC, PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series SIX on October 13.
Its predecessor, Planet Zoo, was released on Windows on 5 November 2019 and sold over a million copies by May 2020.
The game, which was widely praised for its attention-to-detail and emphasis on wildlife conservation, won the “Best Simulation Game” at Gamescom 2019.
Video game publisher Frontier Developments are now upping the ante for Planet Zoo 2, with users able to build and manage both commercial zoos and wildlife reserves.
“We can’t wait to see how our players creatively use this location”
frontier developments spokesperson
Its new Channel Islands map has already led to widespread excitement online.
“I’m a massive fan of Gerald Durrell,” Reddit user ‘AffableAndy’ told the Bailiwick Express, “so I can’t wait to use it!”
He added: “A Zoo in My Luggage was my favourite book growing up, so my first building project will probably be looking for older maps of the Jersey zoo and trying to build a slightly more modern take on it.
“I’m hoping there are some Durrell related easter eggs on the map.”
A spokesperson for Frontier Games confirmed that the Channel Islands map is “closely inspired by elements of Jersey and Guernsey”.
He added: “The location and landscape itself is actually even more closely based on Herm.
“A member of the team is actually from the area and contributed his expertise to ensuring that we replicated the region in a considered way, taking into account the incredible landscape.
“We can’t wait to see how our players creatively use this location as they build breathtaking zoos, aquariums and aviaries, before releasing their animals into our stunning Wildlife Reserves!”.
