Highlights

  • The new armored outfit in Disney Dreamlight Valley's latest teaser may hint at a potential new villain in the upcoming update.
  • Players may see an increase in levels above 40 in the game, while the iconic Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse statues are a highly anticipated decorative item for the Valley.
  • Not only are Monsters Inc. characters set to debut, but answers about the Skull Rock mystery could finally be coming.

An update for life simulator Disney Dreamlight Valley is likely coming soon, adding more Disney and Pixar characters and advancing the game's plot of restoring Dreamlight Valley after it was damaged by the dark magic of the Forgetting. Two teasers for the update have been shown, a still image on the game's 2024 roadmap and a six-second video shared via the official Disney Dreamlight Valley X account. From these brief bits of content, it is possible to identify several new elements making their way to the game in the next update.

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New Armored Outfit May Indicate Plot Direction

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In the six-second video teaser, a character is shown from the waist down. They are wearing a new outfit, a suit of armor in Dreamlight Valley's signature colors of blue, purple, silver, and gold. The armor set seems to include a pair of boots, leggings with attached greaves, a more heavily armored upper piece, and metal gauntlets. Because the top part of the character is not shown, it is unclear whether a helmet or accessories such as a shield or weapon are included.

The presence of armor seems to indicate that the plot may introduce a new villain who the protagonist must take up arms against. Recently, the villain of the first part of Dreamlight Valley's story, The Forgotten, was redeemed. While the paid "A Rift in Time" expansion introduces Jafar from Aladdin as a new antagonist, no new bad guy has taken over in the main plot. Potential Disney villains to take the stage include:

  • Maleficent, who previously led groups of Disney villains in other media, such as Kingdom Hearts and Descendants.
  • Madame Mim, who would fit Merlin's major role in the plot and the medieval aesthetic of the new armor.
  • Pete, who could oppose Mickey and the other Classic Disney characters living in the Valley.
  • Dr. Facilier from The Princess and the Frog, as Princess Tiana is confirmed to be coming later in 2024.
  • A Pixar villain, such as Lotso from Toy Story or Randall from Monsters, Inc., as no Pixar villains have yet been added to the game.

The Armor Could Also Mean More Levels Are Being Added

Currently, the maximum level in Disney Dreamlight Valley is Level 40. Many players who have been playing since Day 1 reached this level a long time ago, as experience is granted by a number of tasks including planting and harvesting crops, foraging, fishing, and more. It is possible that the new armor set indicates that more levels above 40 are being added. Two previous original Dreamlight Valley-themed outfits were awarded to players upon reaching certain levels, one in general Valley colors and one inspired by The Forgotten. The armor, which also features the Valley's general aesthetic and color scheme, could be a reward for higher levels.

A Highly Anticipated Decorative Item Is Being Added

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In addition to the armor, the teaser also provided a brief look at a new decorative item: the iconic statue of Walt Disney and Mickey Mouse side by side. This statue, known as "Partners," was designed in 1993 and appears in several Disney Parks around the world. Players have been eager to decorate their Valleys with this statue since the game first launched. It appears that the Walt and Mickey statue will be fairly large, and will likely be limited to outdoor placement in the Valley. It remains to be seen how it will be given to players: purchased in Scrooge McDuck's store, given as a Star Path reward, or sold for Moonstones in the Premium Shop.

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The New Update May Solve Dreamlight Valley's Biggest Mystery

Taking a photo of Skull Rock in Disney Dreamlight Valley.

The Disney Dreamlight Valley 2024 roadmap revealed a small amount of new information about the upcoming update, which will likely be released in late February or early March. It is confirmed that characters from the Pixar film Monsters, Inc.- Mike Wazowski and his partner James P. "Sulley" Sullivan - will be joining the game, and will be recruited by traveling to the Monsters, Inc. Realm via the Dream Castle. The addition of Mike and Sulley will likely bring with it new Monsters, Inc. themed furniture and clothing items, as well as Friendship Quests for both members of the pair.

However, the scare-loving monsters may not be the only addition to Disney Dreamlight Valley in the next update. On the 2024 Roadmap, behind Mike is a picture of Skull Rock, a location in the Dazzle Beach biome of Disney Dreamlight Valley. The rock cannot currently be opened, but several characters, including Merlin and The Forgotten, have mentioned feeling like someone or something is trapped inside the rock. A quest added in a previous update, "Between a Skull Rock and a Hard Place," had players complete the first step towards opening Skull Rock by channeling the magic of all the other biomes, but the process was halted before it could be completed.

Who Could Be Inside Skull Rock?

Theories about who or what could be located inside Skull Rock have abounded since the game's release. One popular theory is that it could be Peter Pan or Captain Hook from Peter Pan, due to the presence of a similarly-shaped rock in Neverland. Another possibility is characters from the live-action Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, as pirates and skulls are closely associated. The third, although least common, suggestion is that it might be Winnie the Pooh and his friends, as during one adventure they journeyed to the "Skull" looking for Christopher Robin (as they misread the word "school" in his note.)

The reveal of the new armor and the image of Skull Rock definitely suggest that the next Dreamlight Valley update will focus on advancing the main plot, not just character-related content. This will be good to see, as the previous "Pumpkin King Returns" update limited plot content to "A Rift in Time" and "Enchanted Adventure," the update before that, was entirely limited to character content. While the official release date for the new update has not yet been announced, it definitely seems like the mystery of Skull Rock and its contents will be solved at long last.