Disney Dreamlight Valley

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Disney Dreamlight Valley
Disney Dreamlight Valley Key Art
Information
Developer: Gameloft Montreal
Publisher: Gameloft
Platform(s): Windows
Nintendo Switch
Xbox One
Xbox Series X/S
PlayStation 4
PlayStation 5
iOS
macOS
Apple TV
Written In: Unity
Latest Version: 1.9
Release Date: 6 September, 2022 (PC, Consoles)
5 December, 2023 (Apple Arcade)
Ratings: E (ESRB)
Links: Website

Disney Dreamlight Valley is a life-simulation game developed by Gameloft, featuring characters from Disney and Pixar animated films.

It released into early access on September 6, 2022, on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 (PS5), PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox Series X and Series S, and Xbox One, and for Microsoft Windows on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store. It later received an early access release for macOS via the Mac App Store on December 6, 2022. The game left Early Access and released the first optional paid content expansion on December 5, 2023.

Development and Release

Announcement

Disney Dreamlight Valley's Early Access launch key art

The game was announced by Gameloft on April 27, 2022 alongside an announcement trailer. The announcement outlined the game's original plan to become free-to-play after early access and gave the first description of the world that had been created for the game.

Arriving in the dream world of Dreamlight Valley, players will embark on an enchanting quest to restore a once-idyllic village now desolate and full of Night Thorns after a mysterious event called The Forgetting. Uncover the mysterious secrets that led you to this new world and explore diverse realms inspired by classic Disney and Pixar worlds, while helping the iconic inhabitants of the town recover their lost memories. In this experience, players will meet and build friendships with beloved characters from Mickey & Friends to Disney’s The Lion King, The Little Mermaid, and Moana to Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story and more. Dive in and immerse in a multitude of unique individualized story arcs and enjoy activities with some of the village’s most memorable characters, such as whipping up a delectable Disney-themed dishes alongside Remy from Disney and Pixar's Ratatouille inside of your own village restaurant, fishing at the fishing hole with Goofy, or growing vegetables from Wall•E's garden patch. Players will be able to design the Disney and Pixar villages of their dreams across multiple unique biomes, ranging from the snowy mountains of the Frosted Heights to the Peaceful Meadow and beyond – with a wealth of customization options for their avatars, homes, and villages. The game will feature an ever-evolving list of Disney- princess-inspired ballgowns, Mickey-adorned streetwear, Frozen-inspired antique kitchen designs, and more.[1]

Early Access

The game launched into a paid early access release on September 6, 2022, on Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5 (PS5), PlayStation 4 (PS4), Xbox Series X and Series S, and Xbox One, and for Windows PCs on Steam, Epic Games Store, and the Microsoft Store; a macOS release on the Mac App Store came with the second update on December 6, 2022. To play the game during early access players are required to either a Founder's Pack starting at $29.99 USD, or be a subscriber to Microsoft's Xbox or PC Game Pass (which rewards subscribers the Standard Edition rewards).

During early access, the game added an in-game cosmetic store which uses Moonstones as a currency. Moonstones are purchasable with real money, and also available to collect for free through gameplay.[2]

In addition to content, a number of other major features have been added to the game after the early access launch including character and player house skins, the ability to apply custom patterns to furniture, and "DreamSnaps" - a weekly community photo event.

On August 30, 2023, Gameloft announced that a physical release for the console versions featuring exclusive content and physical extras, titled the Cozy Edition, would be released on October 27, 2023[3]

Until October 27, 2023, Gameloft consistently maintained that after Early Access, the game would become free-to-play, with optional paid content expansions.[4]

Global Launch

On October 27, 2023, Gameloft announced[5] that the game would leave Early Access on December 5, 2023. Departing from previous plans, they announced that the game "will not make the transition to be a free-to-play game" when it left Early Access.[6]. Founder's Packs continued to be available for sale through December 4, 2023. On December 5, 2023, the Gold Edition released, which included access to the paid A Rift In Time Expansion Pass. All unique cosmetic items included in the Gold Edition were given free of charge to any player who purchased and claimed a Founder’s Pack in-game on or before December 4th, no matter the tier, in addition to 2,500 Moonstones.[7]

Reception

Early Access

Review Scores
Publication Platform Score
Nintendo Life Nintendo Switch 7/10[8]
God is a Geek PC 9/10[9]
Twinfinite Nintendo Switch 8/10[10]
IGN Xbox Series X 8.5/10[11]
Pure Nintendo Nintendo Switch 8/10[12]
CGMagazine Nintendo Switch 7/10[13]
Rock, Paper, Shotgun PC --[14]
TheSixthAxis PS5 --[15]
Dexerto PC --[16]
Paste Magazine PC 8.8/10[17]
VGC Xbox Series X 8/10[18]
GamesHub Xbox Series X 10/10[19]
Common Sense Media n/a 10/10[20]
GamesRadar+ PC --[21]

Disney Dreamlight Valley received positive reviews by both critics and players during it's early access period. Many reviewers drew gameplay comparisons to the popular Animal Crossing and Harvest Moon video game series, and noted how effectively the game built on elements from those games by introducing beloved Disney characters and narratives.

Critics praised Disney Dreamlight Valley for its faithful recreation of Disney characters and universes, with Rock, Paper, Shotgun writing "For Disney fans big and small, the ability to dive face-first into magical worlds that defined so many childhoods, to meet all the characters and wear all the outfits, amounts to nothing less than a transcendental experience"[14]. IGN noted the game's emphasis on narrative-driven quests providing players with deep immersion and character development opportunities, and also praised the character designs calling them "impeccably recreated and full of life"[11]. Similarly, VGC highlighted the extensive story content, showcasing the individual quests for each character and highlighting "17 separate quest-based storylines to play through"[18].

Players also reviewed the game very positively during the game's early access period - when it left early access it had a 92% positive rating on Steam with over 14,000 reviews.

However, the game did face some criticism for technical issues and repetitive gameplay elements. Nintendo Life pointed out bugs and glitches that hindered the overall experience - highlighting frame rate issues and crashes specific to the Nintendo Switch[8]. Many critics and players also raised questions about the future implementation of monetization strategies, with many reviews cautioning that microtransactions may disrupt gameplay when the game releases.

Despite these criticisms, during early access Disney Dreamlight Valley was widely recognized as a charming and relaxing life sim for Disney fans seeking to immerse themselves in the magical worlds of their favorite characters. IGN called it an "incredibly strong early access start,"[11] while VGC proclaimed it has the potential to be "one of the best Disney games ever made."[18]

Post-Release

Review Scores
Publication Platform Score
Noisy Pixel PC 7.5/10[22]
PC Gamer PC 6.8/10[23]
TheXboxHub Xbox Series X 8/10[24]
Nintendojo Nintendo Switch 6.7/10[25]
Siliconera PC 8/10[26]
GameGrin PC 9/10[27]
Gamespot PC 6/10[28]

Sales

At release on 6 September, 2022 Disney Dreamlight Valley was the top selling game on Steam[29]. On 15 September, 2022 the Disney Dreamlight Valley Twitter account announced that over one million players had played the game in the ten days since release.[30]

When the Arcade Edition launched in December 2023, the developers shared that over five million players had played the game during the early access period[31].

Official Links

References

  1. https://brandportal.gameloft.com/share/01E9822A-3814-492A-9B37B0CB820058CA/
  2. https://gameloft.helpshift.com/hc/en/66-disney-dreamlight-valley/faq/2874-what-is-a-moonstone-and-the-star-path-and-what-are-they-used-for/
  3. https://twitter.com/DisneyDLV/status/1697004421593305558
  4. https://gameloft.helpshift.com/hc/en/66-disney-dreamlight-valley/faq/2883-will-other-disney-and-pixar-characters-eventually-be-sold-separately-1662539227/
  5. https://disneydreamlightvalley.com/news/EarlyAccessUpdate
  6. https://disneydreamlightvalley.com/news/EarlyAccessUpdate#:~:text=This%20means%20we%20will%20not%20make%20the%20transition%20to%20be%20a%20free%2Dto%2Dplay%20game%20when%20we%20leave%20Early%20Access%20on%20December%205th.%C2%A0
  7. https://disneydreamlightvalley.com/news/DisneyDreamlightValleyShowcase
  8. 8.0 8.1 Broadwell, Josh (2022-09-06). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Review (Switch eShop)". Nintendo Life.
  9. White, Chris (2022-09-06). "Disney Dreamlight Valley early access review". God is a Geek.
  10. Ebanez, Kristina (2022-09-09). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Review – I Need a Hero". Twinfinite.
  11. 11.0 11.1 11.2 Reichardt, Roger (2022-09-09). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Early Access Review". IGN.
  12. Northup, Travis (2022-09-09). "Review: Disney Dreamlight Valley (Nintendo Switch)". Pure Nintendo.
  13. De Hoog, Chris (2022-09-10). Disney Dreamlight Valley (Nintendo Switch) Review. CGMagazine.
  14. 14.0 14.1 Hogarty, Steve (2022-09-15). "Disney Dreamlight Valley early access review: a life-sim for Mickey stans". Rock, Paper, Shotgun.
  15. Mount, Reuben (2022-09-16). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Early Access Review". TheSixthAxis.
  16. Thompson-Powell, Ava (2022-09-21). "Disney Dreamlight Valley early access review: Is it worth it?". Dexerto.
  17. Jubbal, Veerender (2022-09-30). "The Engrossing and Endearing Disney Dreamlight Valley Is More Than Just Nostalgia". Paste Magazine.
  18. 18.0 18.1 18.2 Scullion, Chris (2022-10-08). "Review: Disney Dreamlight Valley Is A Wonderful Animal Crossing Alternative". VGC.
  19. McQualter, Christie (2022-10-13). "Disney Dreamlight Valley – Early Access Review". GamesHub.
  20. "Disney Dreamlight Valley Game Review". www.commonsensemedia.org.
  21. Loveridge, Sam (2022-10-26). "Disney Dreamlight Valley review: "A foundation for something rather special"". GamesRadar+.
  22. Buchanan, Colin (2023-12-05). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Review – What Dreams Are Made Of". Noisy Pixel.
  23. Lucas, Daniella (2023-12-18). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Review". PC Gamer.
  24. Ozzy, Dave (2023-12-18). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Review". TheXboxHub.
  25. Angulo, Elexis (2023-12-19). "Review: Disney Dreamlight Valley (Switch)". Nintendojo.
  26. Haddad, Arielle (2023-12-26). "Review: Disney Dreamlight Valley is Filled With Disney Magic". Siliconera.
  27. Plata, Violet (2023-12-28). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Review". GameGrin.
  28. Rodriguez, Jason (2024-03-07). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Review - Great Game, Grueling Grind". Gamespot.
  29. Nelson, Will (2022-09-07). "Disney Dreamlight Valley Steam sales skyrocket to top of the charts". PCGamesN.
  30. Disney Dreamlight Valley [@DisneyDLV] (2022-09-15). "Today we are proud to share that we've welcomed over 1 Million Villagers to #DisneyDreamlightValley! We're overjoyed to see you discover what it means to #LiveMagically. Thank you for your excitement, feedback and sharing the game with your friends. This is just the beginning!✨" (Tweet). Twitter.
  31. Botadkar, Tanish (2023-12-06). "Disney's Dreamlight Valley is now available on Apple Arcade". Pocket Gamer.