Frontier Developments grew adjusted operating profit 62% to £21.4 million in FY26, the highest figure in the Cambridge-based studio's history, on revenue up 16% to £104.8 million. The Planet Zoo and Planet Coaster developer attributed the gains to "strong trading, disciplined cost control, and higher tax and expenditure credits."

The results, which follow a June trade update, push the company's statutory operating profit up 97% to £25.0 million. Frontier said that figure "reflect[ed] strong underlying trading performance alongside a one-off transitional tax credit of £4.4 million." Strip out a one-time £3.9 million publishing rights sale from the prior financial year, and adjusted operating profit "more than doubled year-on-year."

Revenue growth came from Jurassic World Evolution 3 and the Planet Coaster and Planet Zoo franchises — the core of what Frontier calls its creative management simulation (CMS) strategy.

Who is running Frontier now?

Leadership is reshaping on two fronts. Dan Lazarides joined as chief marketing officer last month. More significantly, founder David Braben moves to a non-executive director role on October 1, 2026, while retaining his title of president.

CEO Jo Cooke, who framed the results as validation of the studio's strategy, said: "FY26 was a landmark year for Frontier. We delivered record financial performance, demonstrated the strength of our CMS strategy, and continued to invest in the world-class franchises our players love, supporting vibrant communities and long-term engagement across our portfolio." She added that with a strong balance sheet and an "exciting roadmap ahead," the company is positioned "to deliver sustainable growth, enduring player value, and long-term returns for our stakeholders."

Braben, who founded Frontier in 1994, said: "I am immensely proud of what our talented teams have achieved together since I founded Frontier in 1994, and excited about the opportunities ahead. 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." He described the transition as allowing him to concentrate on "oversight of our games" and continuing to support Cooke "in the years to come."

What is in the release pipeline?

The roadmap behind the FY26 numbers includes:

• Planet Zoo 2, launching October 13, 2026
• Warhammer 40,000: Chaos Gate – Deathwatch, due before the end of FY27
• An untitled Disney-licensed game, following a recently signed agreement to develop and publish a new title based on the company's portfolio and IP
• A new CMS game built on Frontier's own IP, described as "in full development and is on track"

That internal IP project anchors a stated cadence target: an average of one CMS game release per year.

What changes for the business?

The numbers mark a turnaround in operating discipline. A 62% adjusted profit jump on 16% revenue growth means margin expansion came from cost control and credits rather than pure top-line scaling — though roughly £8.3 million of FY26's profit performance sits in one-off items: the £4.4 million transitional tax credit and the prior year's £3.9 million publishing rights gain.

The Braben transition formalizes a structure already in motion under Cooke, handing day-to-day leadership fully to the CEO while keeping the founder close to game oversight. The Disney agreement, meanwhile, extends a licensing playbook that has already produced revenue with Jurassic World Evolution 3 and the Warhammer title in development.

The near-term test is execution: whether Planet Zoo 2 lands strongly on October 13, 2026, and whether the studio holds its one-CMS-game-per-year cadence into FY27.