How to go online
Last verified 2026-10-14
GuidesFranchise requires an internet connection and a Frontier account. Offline Career or Sandbox does not turn into an online Franchise save.
Source-based instructions checked on 14 October 2026, not a hands-on play report. Menu names follow Frontier's English guides; custom bindings and platform layouts may differ.
Start a Franchise zoo
Connect to the internet and choose Franchise. Enter your Frontier account details or sign up if needed.
Choose Start New Franchise +, then confirm the name, banner colour and sticker. Select the biome and continent, name the zoo and create it. You can now participate in community challenges and use Franchise animal trading.
Trade and share
Build a functional Trade Centre and open Trading & Storage for adoption and listings. Conservation Credits are shared across the Franchise, while each zoo's Cash is separate.
For blueprints, open Frontier Workshop from the pause menu or Blueprint browser and install a selected creation. Workshop sharing needs a connection, but is not co-op or a shared live zoo.
If sign-in fails
Record the exact message and check the official update notes. Do not share passwords, disable account security or edit hosts files to bypass sign-in. Career and Sandbox provide offline alternatives while investigating, but do not prove a global outage or guarantee a workaround for your account.
Questions people ask
Does Franchise need a Frontier account?
Yes. The Basics guide explicitly instructs you to enter your Frontier account details and says this mode requires online access.
Is online co-op?
No. Frontier's FAQ says there is no multiplayer; trading and Workshop sharing are separate features.