Planet Zoo 2 is out on PC: 42,687 players and the GPU you need to run it

Planet Zoo 2 launched today, October 13, on Steam. It unlocked at 3PM BST and costs $49.99. As we write this, it already has 42,687 concurrent players. On October 12 we covered its requirements and which GPUs clear them. Now that the game is out, here is what’s worth knowing before you buy. It’s Windows only. The recommended spec asks for an SSD and Windows 11. On Steam Deck, Valve rates it Verified.

What Planet Zoo 2 brings

You’re back to building zoos around the globe. This time there are fully aquatic and flying species, plus a big new feature: Wildlife Reserves, large areas beyond the zoo where you can release your animals. In the final Zoopedia drop, Frontier added six species: the siamang, the red-eyed tree frog, the Javan green magpie, the grizzly bear, the greater flamingo and the North Sulawesi babirusa. The game also has a Photo Mode for shooting your animals, revealed alongside WWF UK.

Planet Zoo 2 PC requirements

These match the Steam listing we covered before launch:

Both tiers need DirectX 12. A note on Windows 10: it’s still in the minimum spec, but Frontier says Microsoft has ended support for it, so the studio can’t guarantee ongoing compatibility.

Which GPUs run it

The minimum is demanding for a management game. Here is where popular GPUs land on canirun, with grades measured against the recommended requirement:

• RTX 2060 and RX 6600 XT: clear the minimum but grade D. The game runs, with little headroom.
• RTX 3060, RTX 4060 and RX 7600: clear the minimum and grade C. They sit between the minimum and the recommended.
• RTX 3070, RTX 4070 and RX 9070 XT: clear the recommended and grade B.
• RTX 5070 and RTX 5080: comfortable, with an A.

Below the minimum are the GTX 1660 Super, the RTX 3050, the GTX 1060 6GB and the RX 580. The jump over the first game is big: canirun gives Planet Zoo a recommended GPU score of 12,550, and Planet Zoo 2 a score of 21,750.

Steam Deck, Mac and Linux

Valve tested Planet Zoo 2 on Steam Deck and rates it Verified. You can see the details on its Steam Deck page. There is no native Mac or Linux version on Steam, though: the game is Windows only.

Can your PC run Planet Zoo 2?

Here is how your rig grades against Planet Zoo 2 and the original Planet Zoo:

Game	Rec. GPU score	Rec. RAM	Min. RAM	Your PC
Planet Zoo 2	21,750	16 GB	16 GB	?
Planet Zoo	12,550	16 GB	8 GB	?

If you fall short, the full Planet Zoo 2 page shows which upgrade raises your grade the most.

Sources: Planet Zoo 2 on Steam, Steam: release timing, Steam: Photo Mode, Steam: Zoopedia