Disney Dreamlight Valley Exits Early Access in December, Ditches Free-to-Play Launch Plan

ign.com:

Disney Dreamlight Valley will exit Early Access and have its official launch on December 5, 2023. It will also no longer launch as a free-to-play game so the team can "continue delivering on a premium game experience for all players."

In addition to all this big news, it was revealed that Disney Dreamlight Valley's first-ever showcase will take place on November 1 at 10am PT/1pm ET/5pm GMT. This stream will reveal details on A Rift in Time, the game's first paid expansion that will cost $29.99, will get you an extra 5,000 Moonstones (in-game currency), and will require the base game to play.

The team will also be giving a glimpse at future updates during the stream and will "unveil much-anticipated multiplayer features."

As to the decision to no longer become free-to-play, the team shared their reasonings and why it was important to do so. "As we look ahead to the official launch, with the learnings we've gained from Early Access, we’ve made the decision to remain a paid game for the foreseeable future," Disney Dreamlight Valley developer Gameloft Montreal said in a blog post. "This means we will not make the transition to be a free-to-play game when we leave Early Access on December 5th. This choice ensures that Disney Dreamlight Valley will be able to continue delivering on a premium game experience for all players.

"It's important to us that we maintain our promise to keep delivering free content updates that add new characters, realms, clothing, furniture, and more surprises to your Valley. Purchases requiring moonstones will remain optional, fair, and match the level of quality players have come to expect. Players will still be able to collect free Moonstones via Dream Snaps and Chests, or optionally choose to purchase