Frontier Developments has secured a partnership with The Walt Disney Company to produce a brand‑new video game that will draw on Disney’s extensive catalogue of characters and settings. Under the terms of the agreement, Frontier will act as the sole financier, developer and publisher of the project, applying the studio’s deep‑rooted know‑how in the creative‑management simulation (CMS) genre to bring a fresh interactive experience to life.
The Cambridge‑based developer is best known for its award‑winning simulation franchises such as Planet Coaster, Planet Zoo and Jurassic World Evolution. Those titles have established Frontier as a leader in games that let players design, build and manage complex virtual worlds. In addition to those well‑known series, the studio is currently working on an as‑yet‑unnamed Planet‑themed game that will be built around its own intellectual property.
"We are thrilled to announce this collaboration with Disney, which further reinforces our clearly defined strategy of developing and nurturing world‑class creative‑management simulation game franchises," said Jo Cooke, Chief Executive Officer of Frontier Developments. "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." The announcement arrives at a time when Frontier is enjoying a period of robust financial performance. The company recently disclosed that its most recent fiscal year produced the second‑highest revenue in its history, with total earnings climbing 16 percent to £104.8 million. Operating profit surged 44 percent to £19 million, surpassing the previous record of £15.9 million set in fiscal year 2029.
Frontier attributes much of this success to its "strategic focus" on CMS titles, a segment that now accounts for roughly 90 percent of the firm’s FY26 revenue. Frontier’s pivot toward the CMS space began in 2023, when the leadership team decided to concentrate resources on a genre that offers "stronger and more predictable returns" compared with other types of games.
The company’s long‑term roadmap calls for the release of "one CMS title per year," a cadence that is intended to sustain a pipeline of evergreen franchises capable of delivering steady cash flow and ongoing player engagement. The upcoming Disney‑based project is expected to follow the same design philosophy that has defined Frontier’s previous hits. Players will likely be given a suite of tools to design attractions, manage staff, and curate experiences that reflect Disney’s signature storytelling and magical atmosphere. By blending Frontier’s sophisticated simulation engine with Disney’s rich narrative universe, the game aims to appeal both to hardcore simulation enthusiasts and to casual fans of Disney’s movies, theme parks, and characters.
Industry observers note that the partnership could open new avenues for cross‑media integration. For example, in‑game events might tie into upcoming Disney film releases or park promotions, while user‑generated content could be showcased on Disney’s digital platforms, creating a feedback loop that benefits both parties.
Moreover, Frontier’s experience in delivering post‑launch content—such as expansions, seasonal updates and community‑driven challenges—should help keep the Disney title fresh and engaging long after its initial release. From a business perspective, the collaboration aligns with Frontier’s ambition to build "high‑quality, evergreen game franchises" that generate recurring revenue streams.
By securing a globally recognized brand like Disney, the studio mitigates some of the market risk associated with launching entirely new IPs, while still preserving creative freedom to innovate within the simulation framework. The development timeline has not been disclosed, but Frontier typically follows a multi‑year production schedule for its flagship titles, incorporating extensive beta testing phases and community feedback loops. Given the scale of Disney’s intellectual property and the expectations of its fan base, it is reasonable to anticipate a similarly rigorous development process, potentially involving close coordination with Disney’s own creative teams to ensure brand fidelity. In summary, Frontier Developments is set to leverage its proven expertise in creative‑management simulation games to produce a new Disney‑themed title that promises to blend deep, sandbox‑style gameplay with the enchantment of Disney’s beloved worlds.
The partnership underscores Frontier’s strategic emphasis on CMS titles as a driver of sustainable growth, while offering Disney a fresh interactive platform to extend its storytelling legacy. As the project progresses, fans of both simulation games and Disney magic can look forward to regular updates, behind‑the‑scenes insights, and eventually, a game that invites players to build, manage, and experience their own piece of Disney wonder.