One of the best parts of Disney Dreamlight Valley is its character additions. Since launching into early access in 2022, Disney Dreamlight Valley has added forty-seven characters, with several more characters confirmed to be on the way in 2025. However, Disney Dreamlight Valley could explore the realms both players and its characters travel to if it leaned into promoting one specific Pixar film.
Some Disney fans are frustrated by the studio’s direction for new content in the next few years. Across all properties, from Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Studios to Star Wars and Marvel, the large majority of the studio’s upcoming projects are either reboots, spin-offs, or sequels. Fortunately, a few upcoming movies will be entirely original stories, with one upcoming original Pixar film hitting the screen this June.
One of Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Deepest Post-Launch Additions Would Fit Animal Crossing, Tales of the Shire Perfectly
One Disney Dreamlight Valley mini-game could be the perfect inspiration for simulation games like Animal Crossing and Tales of the Shire.
Elio Should Beam Up to Disney Dreamlight Valley
Pixar’s Elio was originally slated to release in March 2024, but was pushed to June 13, 2024, due to the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike and Pixar leadership changes, according to Pixar CCO Pete Docter. The new and original Pixar film follows a space-loving and alien-obsessed boy named Elio. His world, and his aunt’s, is turned upside down when he is abducted by aliens, and Elio must represent Earth in front of the Communiverse. As Earth’s sole representative, and supposed leader, Elio must explain everything about his home planet to the interplanetary organization.
Though the hit game features eight villagers from the animation studio, most character additions from Pixar in Disney Dreamlight Valley have been as additional content, like clothing, motifs, and furniture items. Two entire Star Paths have been dedicated to the animation studio, the Pixar Fest Star Path and the Wonder of Pixar Star Path. It seems that Disney Dreamlight Valley is using Star Paths to help players get their Pixar fix, which is understandable considering the vast amount of films Walt Disney Animation Studios has produced in comparison, but it can leave players frustrated.
There are plenty of fun additions that Elio’s addition could implement into Disney Dreamlight Valley. In fact, using Elio as a gateway in Disney Dreamlight Valley could expand interactions and exploration for villagers already included in the hit simulation game.
Disney Dreamlight Valley Should Take to the Stars
Outer space and sci-fi are severely underutilized and under-represented in Disney Dreamlight Valley. The main representation for these genres in Disney Dreamlight Valley is WALL-E. While both of the film’s loveable leading robots are villagers in the game, WALL-E is part of Disney Dreamlight Valley’s base game, whereas EVE is only available through the A Rift in Time Expansion Pass. Buzz Lightyear is technically the other sci-fi character in Disney Dreamlight Valley, though the game’s version of the character is obviously based on his role in Toy Story rather than the 2022 prequel Lightyear.
This gives Elio a unique opportunity to expand Disney Dreamlight Valley with more sci-fi elements, as the game tends to focus on fantasy and fairy tales. While this focus certainly makes sense given Disney’s output, the studio does have several sci-fi films that could benefit from Disney Dreamlight Valley’s expansion into outer space. After all, an outer space biome, or a biome based on an alien planet, would diversify Disney Dreamlight Valley’s current map.
Adding Elio as a character, unfortunately, does not seem to be in the cards for 2025. Disney Dreamlight Valley released a base game roadmap for this year in November 2024 that outlines the game’s base game output till Summer 2025. With the film releasing in June, and Peter Pan related content teased for this coming summer, it seems unlikely that Elio will be dropped off by his alien pals in the Valley when his film debuts. Nevertheless, Disney Dreamlight Valley should expand into sci-fi, within reason, and Elio would be the perfect avenue to do so.
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 75 /100 Critics Rec: 77%
WHERE TO PLAY
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a hybrid between a life-sim and an adventure game rich with quests, exploration, and engaging activities featuring Disney and Pixar friends, both old and new.
Once an idyllic land, Dreamlight Valley was a place where Disney and Pixar characters lived in harmony—until the Forgetting. Night Thorns grew across the land and severed the wonderful memories tied to this magical place. With nowhere else to go, the hopeless inhabitants of Dreamlight Valley retreated behind locked doors in the Dream Castle.Now it’s up to you to discover the stories of this world and bring the magic back to Dreamlight Valley.
Free the Dream Castle from the insidious grip of the Forgetting, and unlock the unique Realms of well-loved Disney and Pixar characters, including great queens and kings such as Anna and Simba. Each Realm contains unique challenges with puzzles to solve in the quest to bring friendship back to the Valley.
You’ll start your adventure in the Valley, but your journey will take you to infinity… and beyond! Explore what lurks in the Forest of Valor and brave the deepest caverns as you take on challenges from iconic Disney and Pixar heroes and villains. Who knows who—or what—you might discover.
- Engine
- unity
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Cross-Platform Play
- All platforms
- Cross Save
- All platforms (requires purchasing the game separately on each platform)
- Franchise
- Disney
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Verified
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, PC, iOS
- Genre(s)
- Life Simulation, Casual
- How Long To Beat
- 33 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- yes
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
