Will Disney Dreamlight Valley be worth playing after early access?

❘ Published: 2023-01-03T10:06:42

Disney / Gameloft

Since its release into early access in September 2022, Disney Dreamlight Valley has taken the gaming world by storm, gaining unprecedented popularity that continues to grow as time goes on – but will it be worth playing after it leaves early access? We’ve broken it all down here.

Early access is a way for players to enjoy the game they’ve been looking forward to while still allowing developers the chance to make improvements and ensure their title is totally ready for general release. Disney Dreamlight is a perfect example of this, but its position in early access also produces a few concerns.

Typically, when games leave early access, they’re in their final stage and will likely not go through any more significant changes. However, for a game like Disney Dreamlight Valley, it feels necessary to see the new characters, quests, and constant changes present in its early access phase. With that in mind, we’ve done a deep dive into whether the game will be worth playing after early access as well as what makes players constantly come back for more.

Alternatively, if you’re wondering if Disney Dreamlight Valley is worth paying for while it’s still in early access, check out our early access review here.

Events, Characters, Quests, and more

Disney Dreamlight Valley update patch notes date

Dreamlight Valley regularly adds new Disney characters.

Before assessing if the game will be worth playing after it leaves early access, we must first look at why it’s so successful now. The clearest reason for Disney Dreamlight Valley’s popularity is the game’s regular updates. Each update reignites the community’s passion and places the game back on the map with critics, players, and fans alike enjoying the new features.

These updates, which arrive with new characters, quests, seasonal events, Star Paths, and so much more are the perfect way to capture an audience and keep them playing. The conversation regarding Disney Dreamlight Valley increases tenfold every time there’s an update and, while it does perhaps dwindle a month in, the discussion is quickly turned over to when the next Disney Dreamlight update will be coming and what it may hold.

A lack of potential replayability

Disney Dreamlight Valley may lack the replayability to keep its popularity going.

With the conversation surrounding fans in mind, we can’t help but notice how it considerably drops after fans have completed the new quests, found and made friends with their favorite characters, and completed their duties for the Star Path and seasonal event.

The main issue regarding Disney Dreamlight Valley is its replayability factor. Only a few months in and most players have got all of the current characters to their highest level of friendship, unlocked all the recipes, explored all the regions, and are now simply doing their daily activities and playing the game like a traditional life sim.

While there’s nothing wrong with that, it does feel like the game drops off a little when waiting for a new major update. Between updates, Disney Dreamlight Valley can get a little tedious once you’ve got nothing else to do, leaving a lot of players to wonder when they’ll see the next update.

Moreover, while other life sim games feature plenty of replay value, like Stardew Valley which actively promotes trying new farms or Animal Crossing which ignores quests and adventure to prioritize calm gameplay, Disney Dreamlight Valley doesn’t offer much reason to start all over again.

The collectibles, quests, and layout of Dreamlight Valley are exactly the same each time, meaning players will likely stick with their first valley for good, which does remove that replayability factor.

Such a lack of replayability causes a few concerns regarding the game leaving early access. The question, ‘Will Disney Dreamlight Valley still get its major updates after it leaves early access?’, is all the more prominent and introduces a fear of this wonderful game struggling when it fully releases.

Disney Dreamlight Valley’s life depends on the developers

Disney Dreamlight Valley’s future is directly in the hands of the developers.

Ultimately, Disney Dreamlight Valley’s success will depend on the way Gameloft handles its increasingly popular title. If they continue to produce high-quality updates along with meaningful content then players will keep coming back, but if they leave the game as it is once it leaves early access, it’s likely to drop off quickly.

Currently, Gameloft is using community feedback, the many characters in the Disney franchise, and themed events to keep players engaged and ensure the life of Disney Dreamlight Valley, but it often feels that as soon as this attention is dropped, the community may just head back to life sims like Stardew Valley.

As long as Disney Dreamlight Valley continues as it is currently, the game will keep welcoming new players and gaining a considerable amount of traction in the gaming world.

Will Disney Dreamlight Valley be worth playing after it leaves early access?

If Disney Dreamlight Valley continues to capture the hearts of players through its well-thought-out updates and exciting content then the game will undeniably be worth playing for years to come.

However, the game lacks the replayability similar titles like Stardew Valley contain, meaning Gameloft will need to consistently update and introduce new quests, characters, and events to keep the game relevant.

That’s our prediction on whether Disney Dreamlight Valley will be worth playing after it leaves early access. While waiting for the next update to surface, take a look at some of our helpful Disney Dreamlight Valley guides: