Gameloft has announced major changes for Disney Dreamlight Valley, which will no longer be free-to-play after it exits early access on 5 December 2023, as originally planned. Rather, the game will continue to be a paid adventure, with players able to optionally fork out for premium content, and upcoming paid expansions.
Per Gameloft, the decision was made after a year of analysing and learning from the success of Disney Dreamlight Valley to date, with player behaviour and investment informing the choice.
“As we look ahead to the official launch, with the learnings we’ve gained from Early Access, we’ve made the decision to remain a paid game for the foreseeable future,” Gameloft said in a blog post. “This means we will not make the transition to be a free-to-play game when we leave Early Access on 5 December. This choice ensures that Disney Dreamlight Valley will be able to continue delivering on a premium game experience for all players.”
Gameloft has promised to continue providing free content updates (characters, realms, clothing, furniture, and more surprises) to all players, but will now also pursue more premium content going forward.
Read: Disney Dreamlight Valley is getting a physical release
The first major, paid expansion for the game has also been detailed alongside this announcement. ‘A Rift in Time’ will feature new friends (Gaston, Rapunzel, EVE) new biomes, and new gameplay features – with these set to be fully revealed in a special Disney Dreamlight Valley showcase airing on 1 November 2023 at 1:00 pm ET (6:00 pm CET | 4:00 am AEDT on 2 November 2023).
The expansion pass will cost US $29.99 at launch, and it will come with 5,000 Moonstones, the digital currency used to unlock items on the premium Star Path track.
Disney Dreamlight Valley: Launch Editions
Gameloft has also detailed the upcoming release editions of Disney Dreamlight Valley, which are set to replace the current early access tiers on 5 December. Here’s the full rundown:
- Disney Dreamlight Valley (Base Game) – US $39.99, digital release that comes with 8,000 Moonstones.
- Disney Dreamlight Valley: Cozy Edition – US $49.99, physical release that comes with 14,500 Moonstones, the Cottage House Skin, 5 Raccoon Companion Skins, Cheshire Cat Sweater, 1 of 6 posters, and a sticker sheet.
- Disney Dreamlight Valley: Gold Edition – US $69.99, digital release that comes with 15,000 Moonstones, a Flowery Capybara Animal Companion, a Flowery Summer Cottage House Style, and an Artist’s Overalls Avatar Costume.
Anyone who already owns the early access version of the game will get all the cosmetic items included with the Gold Edition on launch, and they will also get 2,500 Moonstones as a bonus for supporting the game.
After more than a year in early access, it appears changes are finally on the way for Disney Dreamlight Valley. Stay tuned to hear more about the full release of the game.
