Disney Dreamlight Valley Reverses Course on Free to Play Despite Previous Promise

Since its official early access launch in September 2022, Disney Dreamlight Valley has cultivated a reputation as a cute, relaxing life simulation game full of magic, wacky adventures, and well-known Disney characters who you help regain memories following The Forgetting Curse. Over one year later, the game is ready to launch globally this upcoming holiday season on December 5, 2023, but will remain a paid game rather than switching to free-to-play.

As a recent Disney Dreamlight Valley news post describes, the game will officially leave early access during its launch on December 5, 2023. The game’s first paid expansion, Disney Dreamlight Valley: A Rift in Time, will also launch.

From now until December 4, Founder’s Packs will still be available to purchase. Following this, the following editions and expansion will be released:

• Disney Dreamlight Valley – $39.99
• Disney Dreamlight Valley Cozy Edition – $49.99
• Disney Dreamlight Valley Gold Edition – $69.99
• Disney Dreamlight Valley: A Rift in Time Expansion – $29.99

Gameloft is also offering exclusive cosmetics to anyone who purchases Disney Dreamlight Valley’s founder’s packs, with items ranging from a new capybara companion to a flowery cottage house style, among other items.

However, the announcement highlights the decision to keep Disney Dreamlight Valley as a paid game rather than transitioning to free-to-play as initially intended. Currently, there are no details on when it will switch to free-to-play, as it’ll remain a paid game “for the foreseeable future”. The post also describes that, like before, free content updates and Moonstones will still be available regularly.

For those eager to purchase Disney Dreamlight Valley on the Nintendo Switch, the announcement also provides an update on its launch date, with it available in North America now and a global launch on PlayStation, Xbox, and Switch consoles on November 10.

On November 1 at 1 PM ET, the Disney Dreamlight Valley team will stream a showcase on Twitch, YouTube, and Facebook Live to highlight this information further, presenting the expansion pass, multiplayer features, and future update plans along the way.