Planet Zoo 2 accreditation tiers
Five tiers, two star systems, and one rule that trips people up: accreditation is separate per mode. Franchise uses zoo reputation and reserve biodiversity.
Frontier's 14 October 2026 post settled the mechanism: in Career Mode the accreditation tier rises with medals from scenario zoos and Wildlife Reserves; in Franchise Mode it rises with zoos at high zoo reputation and Wildlife Reserves at high biodiversity rating. Progressing in one does not advance the other.
The tier table
| Tier | Requirement | Species unlocked | Notable reward |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Starting tier | +32 | Observation Platform, +1 Bronze marketing slot |
| 2 | 1 zoo at 3 Reputation Stars | +33 | Camera Trap, +2 Bronze marketing slots |
| 3 | 2 zoos at 3 stars + 1 reserve at 3 Biodiversity Stars | +31 | Acoustic Monitor, +1 Bronze +1 Silver slot |
| 4 | 2 zoos at 3 stars + 2 reserves at 3 Biodiversity Stars | +30 | +50 animal storage, +1 Bronze +1 Silver slot |
| 5 | 2 zoos at 3 stars + 3 reserves at 3 Biodiversity Stars | +10 | +1 Silver +1 Gold marketing slot |
What accreditation actually gates
- Species availability — the species pool in the animal market grows per tier.
- Marketing slots — the tier table lists Bronze, Silver and Gold slots as rewards.
- Animal storage — tier 4 lists +50 capacity, the usual answer to a breeding bottleneck.
- Research equipment — Observation Platform, Camera Trap and Acoustic Monitor by tier.
Tier detail pages
- Tier 1 — starting tier, +32 species
- Tier 2 — one 3-star zoo, Camera Trap
- Tier 3 — first reserve requirement
- Tier 4 — +50 animal storage
- Tier 5 — Gold marketing slot
How to plan the next tier
- Count your zoos that are already at 3 Reputation Stars.
- Count your Wildlife Reserves at 3 Biodiversity Stars.
- Compare both against the target tier's requirement — the larger gap is your bottleneck.
- Fix the bottleneck first: reputation comes from zoo quality, biodiversity from reserve restoration.
- Use the planner to see the species and storage rewards you are buying with that work.
Run the numbers
The planner takes your current tier, your star counts and your target tier, then names the bottleneck and lists the unlocks between them.
FAQ
Common questions about this topic.
Does Career progress increase Franchise accreditation?
No. Frontier confirmed the two are independent on 14 October 2026.
What raises a Franchise zoo's reputation?
Zoo quality: welfare, guest experience and the state of the zoo. The reputation star rating is the value accreditation reads.
What raises biodiversity rating?
Wildlife Reserve restoration and releases. Reserve stars are the second requirement of the higher tiers.
Is tier 5 worth rushing?
Tier 4 is usually the priority because it adds animal storage; tier 5 adds the Gold marketing slot and the last species group.
Are these thresholds official?
No — they are cross-checked community values, and Frontier has said the requirements are under investigation. Treat them as planning aids and confirm in game.