Disney Dreamlight Valleyeffectively combines two unbeatable selling points: cozy life-simulation gaming and Disney’s sprawling assortment of legacy IP. In many ways, the gameplay ofDisney Dreamlight Valleyis nothing to write home about, and has even been criticized for being too derivative of its obvious influences,includingAnimal CrossingandStardew Valley, but its access to classic Disney animated films and Pixar characters make it an easy sell for countless fans, regardless of its flaws.
But like a lot of Disney projects,Disney Dreamlight Valleyhas a fine line to walk with its virtual memorabilia. As most informed media aficionados have long been aware, Disney is not only the proprietor of family-favorite animated films, but alsoStar Warsand Marvel properties—two franchises that are quite different from the likes ofWALL-EandMonster’s Inc.The media conglomerate has historically kept these franchises separate from its Pixar and classic animated properties, likely to preserve this tonal and stylistic distinction. This is the reason whyStar Warsand Marvel characters appearing in the nextKingdom Heartsgame is still a big question mark, despite the fact that countless other narratively distinct Disney brands have appeared in the crossover franchise. But in the case ofDisney Dreamlight Valley, a unique opportunity to introduce these IP may have presented itself.
Disney Dreamlight Valley’s Floating Islands May Be the Perfect Venue for Marvel and Star Wars
Why It Might Be Hard to Incorporate Marvel and Star Wars in Disney Dreamlight Valley
It’s not just that Marvel andStar Warsare tonally distinct from Disney’s other properties, but the ways in which they are distinct. After all,Moanamight be different fromToy Story, but they are both “kid’s movies” at the end of the day: they both center on easy-to-understand themes and lack graphic content, both implicit and explicit.
Now, Marvel andStar Warsaren’t Jodorowsky levels of complex by any means, nor are they as violent as flicks by the likes of Tarantino, but they are decidedly more severe and dark with their stories. These universes are defined by existential threats, with the heroes and villains both leveraging violence, up to and including murder, to achieve their goals. This makes them fundamentallydifferent from the more pacifistic worlds of Disney and Pixar.
There’s also the issue of crossover fatigue and shattering the illusions so central to narrative immersion. Lore may not matter so much forThe Nightmare Before Christmas, but it does for something likeThe Avengers. Long-form storytelling is central to the superhero genre, as it is to space operas, so watchingSpider-Man and Luke Skywalker interactwith the likes of Mickey Mouse and Donald Duck could be a bridge too far for many audiences.
Relegating Star Wars and Marvel Properties to the Floating Islands Could Be a Good Middle Ground
Putting Marvel andStar Warscharacters, settings, and other iconography on the Floating Islands, or something similar to them, could negate, or at least assuage, the aforementioned concerns. Through this method of separation,the worlds of Marvel andStar Warscan remain intactand not “jump the shark,” so to speak. After all, once Captain America starts crossing paths with Buzz Lightyear, it could be tough to walk back.
Such a method may not completely eliminate potential narrative, world-building, or continuity issues related to these IP. The difference between putting these characters inDisney Dreamlight Valleyversus something likeFortniteis the inherently intimate nature of cozy and life-simulation titles: players will have to interact with key characters for low-stakes tasks, which risks trivializing their stories. But giving them their own space, away from the more thematically and tonally similar spate of Disney properties, could definitely be a good start.
Disney Dreamlight Valley
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.
