Does Disney Dreamlight Valley need combat?

2025 is marking Disney Dreamlight Valley coming into its third year of existence. While the updates keep coming, and there’s certainly no shortage of Disney characters as of yet to keep introducing; it is definitely starting to feel like the game really has plateaued in terms of what it can offer.

The next set of characters or even a whole new land isn’t drastically different from the last in terms of what you are doing. Even new items that introduce new mechanics such are your time staff in the Rift in Time expansion was more of iteration on things you can already do and was more a way to introduce new materials and currency rather than something truly new to the game. I haven’t personally played the Storybook Vale expansion as of yet but it also appears to be the same deal with nothing significant in new mechanics. The biggest changeup gameplay-wise for Disney Dreamlight Valley thus far was the introduction of Scramblecoin, a little mini-board game you can play with the residents.

Disney Dreamlight Valley is what is considered a “cozy game” where it’s supposed to be relaxing, pretty stress free and not much if any action. You farm, fish, and do favors for friends that usually involving gathering materials, building things, cooking, maybe taking a couple photos, etc. But many cozy games have one thing Disney Dreamlight Valley is lacking: combat!

I’m not talking about beating up Mickey and his pals or anything like that, but it wouldn’t be out of the question to have explorable dungeons where you can fight enemies with some fairly basic combat mechanics. Other games in this genre such as Stardew Valley have this to great effect as did what could be considered a spiritual predecessor to Disney Dreamlight Valley, the Disney Magical World series.

It can and should be a completely optional side thing for sure but there’s a ton of potential there. Especially if say you can take a companion with you and they can give you some kind of assist or boost if not directly attack enemies. It’s a pretty drastic changeup but could be a really refreshing shot in the arm for the game.

Can Disney Dreamlight Valley simply keep doing as it has been? Probably for at least a little while longer, but especially with continually adding on paid expansions there are going to be diminishing returns on that path if there isn’t already. Maybe that’s fine, maybe Gameloft just wants Disney Dreamlight Valley to run its course and eventually just kill it when it falls off enough. But if they want it to go for years and years and be a long-term game, they need to change it up more than just introducing new lands and characters. While not the only thing that would help with that, dungeon exploration and combat, even in some basic form, is a proven welcome addition to these kinds of game as long as its fairly optional.

That’s it for today, not exactly sure when but I plan to have another post next week so see ya real soon!