Frontier is facing financial failure following Planet Coaster 2’s rough launch
Planet Coaster 2 was supposed to be a moneymaker, but it looks like Frontier Developments is still losing cash. What's next for them?
In May 2024, Frontier Developments revealed Jurassic World Evolution 3, set to launch in 2026. With Planet Coaster 2 falling short financially, there’s a lot riding on its success. So, what can we expect this year from the creators of one of my favorite classics (which I still have in a Big Box – weird flex, I know), RollerCoaster Tycoon? Let’s take a closer look.
Frontier's survival depends on Jurassic World 3 and their legacy titles
Planet Coaster 2 was released on November 6th, 2024, and although it received mixed reviews on Steam and PlayStation, it made a solid start, selling over 400,000 copies and earning more than $12 million in its first two months. While it did better than Warhammer Age of Sigmar Realms of Ruin, it's still not profitable, according to Zeus Capital investor analysis report from January 16, 2025, by Carl Smith.
Frontier is now busy with updates and fixing bugs to improve player feedback, which means new DLC is on hold for now. The game’s revenue is expected to drop off faster than usual for Frontier’s titles, partly due to the reviews, early price discounts, and its simultaneous launch on PC and consoles. This puts a lot of pressure on their next big game, Jurassic World Evolution 3, but that one won't make as much money compared to Frontier’s own original titles due to its licensed IP.
To make up for it, Frontier is lowering their revenue expectations for PC2 but hoping to sell more of their older games like Planet Coaster and Elite Dangerous, plus release more DLCs. They also cut back on marketing costs, but costs for research and development are higher since the team is focused on updates for PC2 instead of new games.
What does the future hold?
Planet Coaster was a big win for Frontier, filling a gap in modern coaster tycoon games at that time. But Planet Coaster 2 hasn’t lived up to the hype for many fans. While it added some new features, players felt it wasn’t a big enough leap from the original, more like a polished upgrade than a true sequel. Its high hardware demands also frustrated players without top-tier PCs. Reviews highlighted issues with pacing, economic management, and mechanics that felt clunkier than the first game.
What’s next for Frontier? It’s hard to say. For now, let’s hope they steer clear of more layoffs, like the ones in October 2023 after the underwhelming performances of F1 Manager 2022 and F1 Manager 2023.
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