AsDisney Dreamlight Valleycontinues its constant character addition, players and Gameloft should remember that Disney’s animated output has a limit. With this in mind, there will likely be a day whenDisney Dreamlight Valleymay have to turn to other properties outside of Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Studios when it comes to new characters in the game. Rather than turning to popular live-action moneymakers likeStar Warsor the MCU, sticking closer to the original Disney brand through a franchise likeDescendantscould be the right choice forDisney Dreamlight Valley.
Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMS) and other Disney Channel animated properties are excellent content that would be easily recognizable byDisney Dreamlight Valley’s playerbase. Both DCOMs and animated Disney Channel shows feature fantastical elements or are part of the fantasy genre, which would be better options forDisney Dreamlight Valleythan a live-action non-fantastical show likeHannah Montana. As one of the most profitable DCOM franchises ever,Descendantsis theperfect candidate out ofDisney Dreamlight Valley’s DCOM options.
Disney Dreamlight Valley Has a Soft Spot for Villains
Descendantsfollows the children of iconic Disney characters, with its main protagonists beingthe children of villains Maleficent(daughter Mal), the Evil Queen (daughter Evie), Jafar (son Jay), and Cruella DeVille (son Carlos). Separated from society at birth on the Isle of the Lost, Prince Ben, the son of Belle and her Beast, invites the children of four villains to be integrated into the mainland through Auradon’s premiere school, Auradon Prep. Mal and her friends are encouraged by their parents to remain villainous, but throughout the first film, they turn to the side of good. The franchise has three mainline films with a prequel,Descendants: The Rise of Red, released in Summer 2024 direct to Disney+.
Players familiar withDisney Dreamlight Valleycan see the redemption of Mal and her friends and easily compare it to the hit simulation. Like theDescendantsfranchise,Disney Dreamlight Valleyplaces heavy emphasis on redeeming villains. However, players ultimately have the choice if they want to redeem the villainous villagers. This theme is yet another reason whyDescendantsshould be chosen specifically, as it reinforces this key theme of the game.
How Disney Dreamlight Valley Could Add in The Descendants
Some players may be hesitant to embrace a live-action property or a property related to different versions of characters already present inDisney Dreamlight Valleyinto the game. These are understandable concerns, butDescendantsskirts these issues in some key ways. Firstly,Descendants: Wicked Worldcould serve as the basis of theDescendantscharacters’ designs as this short-form series is animated.Disney Dreamlight Valleyhas had a history of distorted character designsbased on their animated characters in the past. Adapting a live-action property without an animated reference could make theseDisney Dreamlight Valleycharacter designs even worse. This makesWicked Worlda surprisingly important aspect ofDescendantsthatDisney Dreamlight Valleyshould review before adapting the property.
Currently, two of the four children from the Isle of the Lost have parents who are present, or expected, to joinDisney Dreamlight Valley.Jafar was added to the gamethrough the A Rift in Time Expansion Pass and Maleficent will join the game this summer in the second chapter of the Storybook Vale expansion. These versions of the characters are based on their source material, not theDescendantsfranchise. Adding aDescendantsRealm to show a clear separation from preexisting characters in the game could be the perfect distinction.
Disney Dreamlight Valley’s lore also acts as a way to wave away multiple versions of characters. Though Disney Dreamlight Valleymay not be pulling outside of Walt Disney Animationand Pixar Studiosanytime soon, the case for theDescendantsfranchise being added toDisney Dreamlight Valleyis solid.
