Since its early access release back in 2023,Disney Dreamlight Valleyhas been making a lot of big promises. The community has voiced its thoughts consistently in response to criticisms, and those voices have not gone unheard. For better or worse, Gameloft listened. Mostly for the better, though.

Since the conclusion of Dreamlight Valley’s first act (the base region), Skull Rock has remained a mystery. There are already a handful of caves and mysterious locations around the Valley, but this one feature remained a stoic reminder of what was to come.

Peter Pan Might Never Land, But Dreamlight Valley Does

The Skull Rock location remained untouched until the most recent update, where Peter Pan joined the village and caused some childish mischief. The inside of this cove perfectly captured the classic animated movie’s magic while adding puzzles, exploration, and satiating our own curiosity.

Especially when there’s an error in pricing and one of the largest bundles is a steal, but I digress.

Not only did we get a childhood friend as a villager, but The Forgotten – the antagonist of the first act – became the first official original villager. Complete with friendship levels and unique rewards, they finally leave their dark past behind and embrace life with others in the village instead of lurking in the shadows and creepily whispering horrid nothings in the mist of morning.

It feels like the base game is fully, finally complete – for now. I’m sure there will be more later, as Gameloft is committed to providing consistent free updates to keep the game alive and expand on the already extensive roster. Did it take a while to get here? Yes, but after almost two years since its early access release, Disney Dreamlight Valley is going strong.

At least according to my wallet, which has numerous transactions littered across the year for additional Moonstones. I’m not one to make microtransactions part of my monthly budget, I swear, but the seasonal packages for Disney Dreamlight Valley are too good to pass up.

Pets Now Have Purpose

Aside from looking cute, my ever-growing list of animal companions were just for show. Now they finally have a purpose. With the latest update, all companions receive a major overhaul complete with friendship levels, specific roles, and naming capabilities. Finally, I can have all three of my actual pet rabbits running around outside my castle just as god intended.

My Moonstones went directly into purchasing the new companion bundle with Price Eric’s dog Max. I would have been content enough with the giant sheepdog and his unique ability to dig up treasures in the overworld so I don’t have to, but there’s surprisingly more to it than that.

Max is essentially a villager in his own right - he’s been wandering around my village completely on his own, unassigned to me or any dog house in the village. The other characters comment on how adorable he is, check up on him, and play with him. Eric will rush right to his furry friend and start playing fetch. It feels so natural, whereas other pets from the premium store are just for show.

While I have mixed feelings on microtransactions as a whole, Disney Dreamlight Valley knows that players want the latest items and offers weekly opportunities to earn plenty of Moonstones by submitting a photo. The challenges feel more like a collaboration between the community and the developers to generate ideas than a cash grab (though make no mistake, they do want your money).

Bundles like the one with Max, however, highlight the developers taking into consideration what players ask for. No longer will I need to dig up the glowing holes in the ground myself when it’s the most tedious task to do – Max will take care of it!

I don’t really want to spend money on an expensive seasonal bundle (except that one time the pricing error made it much more affordable), but it’s cheaper than buying a real dog and I don’t have to deal with the fur. My real rabbits are enough of a handful, and they don’t give me magical crystals when I pet them.

Tedious Collecting Is Improved

I’m here to make memories, not money, and this tweak means I can finish my collections much faster and with less frustration. It doesn’t make it easier, mind you, it just maintains the whimsy of the initial feature that dulled over time. When the core of the game is about undoing the Forgetting and bringing everyone together again, it’s hard to accomplish that goal when you have no memories to work with.

I’ve still gotten those god-awful coins from memories, but far less often.

The Future Is Bright, And The Clock Is Ticking

The latest roadmap teases at a range of characters, from Inside Out’s critical emotions to the drop-dead gorgeous Cinderella. My prayers are for the legendary Jennifer Hale to make a triumphant return and voice the most iconic Disney Princess, but there’s no official announcement yet.

Additionally, the roadmap hints at returning to older Realms to unlock more characters, like Lumiere and Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast – which highlights the idea that previous Realms, particularly the larger ones, have much more planned for the future.

Disney Dreamlight Valley has a lot to live up to, with the community as active as ever. Nothing feels better than being heard, and Gameloft seems to understand that players hold the power.