The first smattering of Jurassic World Evolution gameplay debuted last weekend during Frontier Developments’ inaugural Frontier Expo, but we still know surprisingly little about what players will do when Jurassic World Evolution releases in 2018. The dinosaurs look really good though.
It’s been around two months since Frontier announced its first fully-licensed video game -- a major step up from the licensed tie-in material that hit Planet Coaster earlier this year -- so it’s kind of shocking we’re still waiting to learn what the studio has planned for Jurassic World Evolution. We know JWE will give players a chance to build their own dinosaur-focused theme parks, complete with prehistoric creatures of all shapes and sizes, but we don’t know anything about the goals of the game. Are there scenarios to complete? Are we competing against other Jurassic World Evolution players to see who can make the most money? And how are we supposed to keep our visitors safe as the number of dinosaurs in the park continues to grow?
The Jurassic World Evolution stage presentation offered a few answers. JWE Lead Designer Andy Fletcher confirmed players will get to explore Muertes Archipelago (a.k.a. the Five Deaths), the five-island chain where inGen bred its dinosaurs in Jurassic Park and Jurassic World. The studio isn’t saying exactly how each island fits into the game but Fletcher did say each island would challenge players in unique ways. So it’s possible we’ll be tasked with building a park on each island or figuring out the circumstances under which certain dinosaurs can breed.
Game director Mike Brookes also offered some thoughts on the goals and motivations we’ll be chasing in Jurassic World Evolution. Brookes says players have three goals: Entertainment, Security and Science. But there are going to be times where growth in one area requires some sacrifices in another. And it’ll be up to the player to decide how those situations shake out.
For an early look at Jurassic World Evolution, check out the Frontier Expo footage and/or the entire JWE presentation. Then head down to the comments and let us know what you’re hoping to see in the park builder when Jurassic World Evolution debuts next year.
Jurassic World Evolution is in development for PS4, Xbox One and PC. The game is scheduled to emerge in Summer 2018.
Be sure to check back with Player.One and follow Scott on Twitter for more Jurassic World Evolution news in 2017 and however long Frontier supports Jurassic World Evolution in the years ahead.
