Planet Zoo 2 multiplayer and co-op explained

Does Planet Zoo 2 have multiplayer or co-op?

No. In the official FAQ, Frontier answers the question "Will Planet Zoo 2 support multiplayer?" like this: "While there is no multiplayer in Planet Zoo 2, players will be able to share their creations and download others' parks and blueprints via the in-game workshop, across platforms." In other words: no multiplayer, but you can share what you build through the Workshop, across platforms too.

The FAQ was written before the October 13, 2026 launch, but Frontier has not announced anything since that would change this answer. The Steam store page says the same. Its features list Single-player, achievements, trading cards, Steam Cloud, HDR and Family Sharing. There is no Multi-player, Co-op, Online Co-op, Shared/Split Screen or Remote Play Together category.

Why does Steam show a "Multiplayer" tag?

Among the popular tags on the Steam page you will see "Multiplayer" next to "Singleplayer". Those tags are added by Steam users, not declared by Frontier: players may be adding it because of animal trading in Franchise mode. The game's actual modes are shown by the categories set by the publisher, and the only one there is Single-player.

Franchise mode: what connects you with other players

Franchise is the only mode with online features. You build a network of connected zoos and Wildlife Reserves around the world. According to Frontier's "The Basics" guide, in this mode:

• you trade Habitat Animals with other players via Animal Trading,
• you take part in Community Challenges,
• Conservation Credits (CC) are shared between all zoos in your Franchise, but Cash is not,
• you have to be online: "You must be online to play this mode".

To start, you sign in with your Frontier account (if you don't have one, you will have to sign up), then set up your Franchise and first zoo via Start New Franchise +.

Animal Trading

• You need a functional Trade Centre building in the zoo you are in.
• You can only list healthy and stable adults. Animals that are Juvenile, Gestating, Elderly, Sick or Injured cannot be traded.
• You set the CC price yourself. Other players can adopt the animal for that price while the listing is active. If nobody adopts it before the listing expires, it returns to Animal Storage.
• Next to player listings (for CC), the market has animals from "Frontier's Zoos" for cash. Update 1.0.5 increased their number and improved the balance of males and females.

Higher Accreditation Tiers unlock new species in Trading and more storage. In Franchise, your accreditation progresses separately from Career: read more in our guide to accreditation and Conservation Credits.

Community Challenges

These are weekly challenges that players around the world contribute to. When milestones are reached, rewards unlock "for everyone". You take part once you have a Franchise zoo. It is a shared goal for the whole community, not a challenge for a group of friends.

Frontier Workshop: blueprints and entire zoos across PC, PS5 and Xbox

The Workshop is a library of player creations shared by PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S ("from across platforms", as Steam puts it). Every item shows platform icons and a Sharecode in the XXX-XXX-XXX format, for example 76T-GMD-1SY. A blueprint is a saved collection of objects: usually scenery, a Habitat, or both.

You can open the Workshop:

• in the game: from the pause menu or with the Open Workshop button in the Blueprint tab of the Browser,
• on workshop.frontier.co.uk, on your PC or your phone.

Downloading and uploading need an internet connection. Frontier does not say directly whether downloading alone requires signing in with a Frontier account.

How to play "together" without co-op

You cannot build a shared zoo, but you can swap what each of you builds in your own game. Everything below is an official game feature.

Send a blueprint to a friend

1. Select objects with Multi-Select and choose Save Selection as Blueprint.
2. Click + New Blueprint and fill in the name, description and type (all required), plus tags if you like. The camera screenshot becomes the public image in the Workshop.
3. Choose Create and Upload Blueprint instead of Create Blueprint. You can also upload a finished blueprint later: Frontier Workshop → My Content → Upload to Workshop → Upload as new → Upload New Creation to Workshop.
4. Give your friend the Sharecode from the item's Workshop page. You will find your uploaded creations under My Uploads.

Download a blueprint from a friend

1. Type the code into the Sharecode field on workshop.frontier.co.uk, or find the creation in the in-game Workshop (Featured, Creators, Browse).
2. In the game choose Install Blueprint, on the website subscribe to the creation. Either way the blueprint is added to the game and ready to use immediately.
3. Downloaded blueprints appear in the Frontier Workshop section of the Blueprint menu, and your installs are listed under My Installs.

This works across platforms: a blueprint built on PC can be downloaded on PS5 or Xbox, and the other way round.

Share an entire zoo

You can share any zoo saved as a Sandbox level. In the Sandbox Hub, select the zoo on the globe and click Upload to Workshop, then Upload as new, add the details and confirm with Upload New Creation to Workshop. Your friend can then download your zoo in their own game.

A Career or Franchise zoo has to be exported to Sandbox first. Updates 1.0.4 and 1.0.5 fixed exactly this export: terrestrial animals were disappearing from exported maps, and the Terrain Only option was not working.

Trade animals and play the same challenges

In Franchise, your friend is one of the "other players" to the game: they can adopt an animal you list on the market. However, the sources do not describe sending a listing to a specific person, so anyone can buy it. Frontier also does not say directly whether the market is shared between PC, PS5 and Xbox.

You can also contribute to the same Community Challenge, although there is one counter for all players.

What works offline and what needs the internet

The FAQ says: "Once downloaded, you'll be able to play Planet Zoo 2 offline". You need the internet for the Workshop and for Franchise.

Franchise and the Workshop depend on Frontier's servers. Ahead of the maintenance window on October 15, 2026, Frontier warned that "online features, such as Franchise mode and the Workshop will be unavailable". Frontier does not say whether the very first launch of the game needs a connection.

Connection problems in Franchise

After the October 13, 2026 launch, Frontier wrote that the game had smashed the studio's previous record for concurrent players online, so you might see an error when connecting or a shortage of animals on the Franchise market. In Update 1.0.5 (October 16, 2026) the studio extended the login window, increased server capacity and added more animals to the market.

You can report bugs at issues.frontierstore.net. Other known issues are covered in our bugs and known issues guide.

Will co-op come in an update?

Nothing suggests it. No Frontier source announces multiplayer or co-op, and on future content the FAQ only says the team "don't have anything to share regarding future content". Under a Frontier post on Reddit, a player asked for cooperation features in Franchise, such as sharing a park or visiting other parks. Frontier did not reply in that thread.

Frequently asked questions

Is there crossplay?

For the Workshop, yes: blueprints and zoos are shared between PC, PS5 and Xbox Series X|S. Frontier does not say directly whether the Franchise animal market connects all platforms.

Is there multiplayer on PS5 and Xbox?

No, just like on PC. The Workshop on consoles is the same as on PC, so blueprints and zoos move between platforms. We cover the differences between versions in our PS5 and Xbox guide.

Can I share the game with family on Steam?

Yes, the Steam page lists Family Sharing. That shares your library, though, not a game session.

Do I need a Frontier account?

For Franchise, yes: you sign in with it when you enter that mode, and if you don't have one, you will have to sign up. Career and Sandbox work offline.