Frontier x Disney: The Dream Management Sim Is Coming?

Frontier Developments, the studio behind Planet Coaster, teams up with Disney for a new creative management sim. What could it be?

Ever dreamed of building your own Disneyland, complete with Cinderella's Castle and Space Mountain? That might actually be happening, thanks to a new collaboration between Frontier Developments and Disney.

Frontier, the UK-based studio known for hits like Planet Coaster, Zoo Tycoon, and Jurassic World Evolution, just announced a deal with Disney for a brand-new game. The catch? They're keeping the details under wraps for now.

In a press release, Frontier confirmed the game will be based on "Disney's iconic portfolio of IP" and will be fully funded and published by Frontier itself. That's a bold move, showing they're all-in on this partnership.

Frontier CEO Jo Cooke shared the excitement: "We are delighted to announce this collaboration with Disney, which further reinforces our clearly defined strategy of developing and nurturing world-class creative management simulation game franchises." She added, "Our mission with this game is to connect a passionate creative community of players with one of the world's most iconic and beloved brands, and I can't wait to see what our talented teams will create with this amazing opportunity."

So, what could this game actually be? Given Frontier's pedigree, it's not hard to guess. They're masters of the management sim genre, and Disney just happens to own the most iconic theme parks on Earth. Fans are already theorizing that this could be the ultimate Disney park builder, letting you design and manage your own magical kingdom.

This isn't the first time Disney parks have been turned into games. Remember Adventures in the Magic Kingdom on NES? That 1990 classic had you navigating a virtual park to collect keys for Cinderella's Castle. Or what about Kinect Disneyland Adventures in 2011? Fun fact: that one was also developed by Frontier. And let's not forget Disney Magic Kingdoms (2016), a mobile city-builder where you restored a park after Maleficent's curse, or Toy Story Mania (2009), based on the popular ride.

Disney's gaming division is on a roll, with nine franchises surpassing $1 billion in retail sales. The company has called gaming a "key part" of its storytelling strategy, and new CEO Josh D'Amaro is a vocal advocate for expanding into interactive media.

With Frontier's proven track record and Disney's treasure trove of IP, the possibilities are endless. Will we get to build our own Disney park, complete with beloved characters and attractions? Or maybe something even more ambitious? Only time will tell.

Are you excited about this collaboration? What do you hope Frontier and Disney cook up together? Let us know in the comments!