Disney Dreamlight Valley was initially marketed as a free-to-play game, but Gameloft recently announced that it will now be a paid game. This change has sparked controversy within the game's community.
The base game of Disney Dreamlight Valley currently costs $29.99, with additional editions and DLC available at higher prices. The first expansion pack, A Rift in Time, will cost an additional $29.99, but it is not required to play the base game.
Gameloft stated that the decision to make Disney Dreamlight Valley a paid game was made to ensure a premium gaming experience for all players. However, updates and improvements to characters, realms, furniture, and more are still planned for the game.
Although Disney Dreamlight Valley was initially marketed as a game that would eventually become free-to-play once it exited its early access period, Gameloft recently confirmed that this is no longer the case. Needless to say, the October 27 announcement was shocking to some players. The circ*mstances as to why the studio is changing course have sparked some controversy in Disney Dreamlight Valley's community, as some people are defending the switch, while others are giving voice to disappointment.
When Disney Dreamlight Valley first launched in early access in September 2022, it was quickly labeled as one of the best cozy games on Xbox Game Pass. Unfortunately, for those without an Xbox Game Pass subscription, the base game's current price is $29.99, the cozy edition is $49.99, and the gold edition is $69.99. When the title leaves its trial period on December 5, the first expansion pack, A Rift in Time, will be an extra $29.99.
The Disney Dreamlight Valley A Rift in Time expansion pack will not be required to play the base game. However, players must have the base game to unlock the expansion.
RELATED: 5 Characters That Should Be In Disney Dreamlight Valley's Next Expansion Pass
Disney Dreamlight Valley Heads in a New Direction
As expected, Gameloft shared details as to why Disney Dreamlight Valley is retracting its free-to-play promise. The official site states that the game will remain paid for the foreseeable future because the developers believe it "will be able to continue delivering on a premium game experience for all players." According to this update, moving forward with the original free plan no longer aligns with the company's vision. However, along with the expansion pack, updates are expected to come to each of the following:
Disney Dreamlight Valley's Early Access Period is Ending
Since the early access trial is coming to a close, it appears Gameloft wanted to reevaluate its model. As the global launch of December 5 draws closer, Disney Dreamlight Valley's content roadmap in 2024 is projected to grow rapidly.
While some people in the community are happily waiting for the release of the Apple Arcade version, characters like Rapunzel and Jafar, and new biomes, others are unhappy with the shift, especially after the microtransaction controversy Disney Dreamlight Valley has already been involved with. YouTuber and Twitch streamer Freckxi commented on the situation, stating that this announcement seemed "shady."
Disney Dreamlight Valley Could Still Be Free-to-Play
It's important to note that Gameloft has only canceled the free-to-play feature indefinitely. Considering the fact that the developers have only recently committed to a paid model, it's possible they will change their minds again. After all, this isn't the only cozy life simulation game on the market. Major contenders such as Animal Crossing could capitalize on Disney Dreamlight Valley's new direction and go free-to-play themselves. Unfortunately, it's too soon to tell if these updates will have a significant impact on Disney Dreamlight Valley or its concurrent playerbase.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney Dreamlight Valley offers players a mix between a life sim and an adventure game, all within the magical world of Disney! Surrounded by fan favorite characters like Wall-e and Belle, players can do quests and explore new areas to help out around town. When there isn’t an adventure going on, players can take a break by changing up their style, going fishing, cooking, crafting, and more. The ultimate edition of the game is an especially good deal, as it includes every exclusive cosmetic item from the standard and deluxe editions, and starts players off with an extra 20,000 Moonstones.
Platform(s)
PC , PS4 , PS5 , Switch , Xbox One , Xbox Series X , Xbox Series S , Apple Arcade
The first expansion pack, A Rift in Time, will cost an additional $29.99, but it is not required to play the base game. Gameloft
Gameloft
Gameloft SE is a French video game publisher based in Paris, founded in December 1999 by Ubisoft co-founder Michel Guillemot. The company operates 18 development studios worldwide, and publishes games with a special focus on the mobile games market.
Free? It was announced in October that Dreamlight Valley would no longer be going free to play and would remain as a paid title. There are pros and cons to that, but it isn't worth debating at this point as the decision was made and it is what it is.
Will Disney Dreamlight Valley remain available on Xbox Game Pass after the game leaves Early Access? Yes.Disney Dreamlight Valley will still be available to download and play on Xbox Game Pass after leaving Early Access on December 5, 2023.
Nope! You'll be grandfathered into the new Gold ($70) tier minus the moonstones. Only thing you'll have to buy is the Expansion if you want when it comes out.
Will there be any paywalls, micro-transactions, real-time timers or energy systems that I can spend real money on to accelerate? Disney Dreamlight Valley will not monetize any core gameplay mechanics. There are no paywalls and no "pay-to-win" mechanics.
Microtransactions will remain in the game after launch despite the fact that Disney Dreamlight Valley is no longer a free-to-play game. Gameloft says in-game purchases “will remain optional, fair, and match the level of quality players have come to expect.”
Completing Dreamlight Duties is the simplest and easiest way to earn Dreamlight in Disney Dreamlight Valley. These are simple tasks that, upon completion, reward players with Dreamlight. Six such tasks are available at any given time, and they are reset every day.
With the conclusion of the arc of the Forgotten in Disney Dreamlight Valley, many players may feel that there's nothing left to be done. However, just because story quests have come to a close does not mean that nothing is left to be done in the Valley.
Disney Dreamlight Valley launched in 2022 as a game planned to become free-to-play eventually, and at one point that seemed slated to occur in 2023. Most recently, however, the team has revealed that the free-to-play economy previously planned for the game is no longer in the works.
5 global launch, Disney Dreamlight Valley will be offered at multiple paid tiers, with the higher levels offering the core game, plus additional features. On its own, the core game, which includes no exclusive content and no access to new story-progressing expansion packs, will cost $39.99.
Dreamlight Valley is being developed as a free-to-play live service game. If all goes to plan, the story will continue via new content updates released every couple months and will essentially never end.
Gameloft stated that the decision to make Disney Dreamlight Valley a paid game was made to ensure a premium gaming experience for all players. However, updates and improvements to characters, realms, furniture, and more are still planned for the game.
Like the items received when purchasing the Founder's Pack, the items purchased in the Premium Shop are applied to your user account. If you start a new game, they will be available in your inventory.
Two to four friends, including yourself, will be able to experience Disney Dreamlight Valley together via online multiplayer. Do I need to subscribe to Xbox Game Pass, PlayStation®Plus, or Nintendo Switch Online to use the multiplayer feature? Yes.
Disney Dreamlight Valley is officially coming out of its early access period, which means big things are coming to the Valley! In Holiday 2023 and early 2024, new content for Disney Dreamlight Valley will be split into free content arriving for the base game, and the new "A Rift in Time" paid expansion.
Please note that Disney Dreamlight Valley Arcade Edition on Apple Arcade does not contain in-app purchases. As such, Star Path seasons and the Premium Shop are not found in this version. Subscription required.
5 global launch, Disney Dreamlight Valley will be offered at multiple paid tiers, with the higher levels offering the core game, plus additional features. On its own, the core game, which includes no exclusive content and no access to new story-progressing expansion packs, will cost $39.99.
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