Planet Zoo maker Frontier Developments' adjusted operating profit jumps 62

Diego Argüello,Contributing Editor, News,GameDeveloper.com

September 9, 2026

2 Min ReadImage via Frontier Developments

Frontier Developments, known for the Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster series, celebrates multiple "company records" in its FY2026 financial report.

As per the company's June trade update, its adjusted operating profit increase by 62 percent to £21.4 million (about $25 million) in FY 26, which marks an all-time high.

On a similar vein, IFRS operating profit grew 97 percent to £25 million, and cash increased by £19 million. In total, revenue grew 16 percent to £104.8 million, which was driven by Jurassic World Evolution 3 as well as the Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster series.

The studio mentions the growth comes from "strong trading, disciplined cost control, and higher tax and expenditure credits."

Frontier also outlines its leadership changes since last year. In June 2025, an executive board as established, and Jo Cooked joined as CMO two months after. Throughout 2026, Jonny Watts stepped down as CEO with Cooke being promoted to that position. Then, Dan Lazarides joined as CMO, and David Braben is set to transition to a non-executive role role next month.

"I am immensely proud of what our talented teams have achieved together since I founded Frontier in 1994, and excited about the opportunities ahead," Braben said in a statement, as per GamesBeat. "I have tremendous confidence in Jo as CEO to build on Frontier's strong foundations and deliver long-term success, together with the excellent leadership team."

"This transition allows me to concentrate on what I can do to help that journey, including oversight of our games, and I look forward to continuing to support Frontier and Jo in the years to come."

Looking ahead, the company is set to release Planet Zoo 2 in October and Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate - Deathwatch within FY27. Earlier this month, Frontier also signed an agreement with Disney to "develop and publish a new game" which will draw on the company's "iconic portfolio of IP."

"FY26 was a landmark year for Frontier," Cooke said in the announcement. "We delivered record financial performance, demonstrated the strength of our [content management system] strategy, and continued to invest in the world-class franchises our players love, supporting vibrant communities and long-term engagement across our portfolio.

"With a strong balance sheet, a talented team, and an exciting roadmap ahead, we are well positioned to deliver sustainable growth, enduring player value, and long-term returns for our stakeholders."

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About the Author

Diego Argüello

Contributing Editor, News, GameDeveloper.com

Diego Nicolás Argüello is a freelance journalist and critic from Argentina. Video games helped him to learn English, so now he covers them for places like The New York Times, NPR, Rolling Stone, and more. He also runs Into the Spine, a site dedicated to fostering and supporting new writers, and co-hosted Turnabout Breakdown, a podcast about the Ace Attorney series. He’s most likely playing a rhythm game as you read this.

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