Disney Dreamlight Valley’s character roster has rapidly expanded since the game’s release in 2022. Surprisingly, some villains from animated Disney films have secured a spot in Disney Dreamlight Valley before their corresponding heroes.
Considering Disney Dreamlight Valley’s gameplay loop, which requires players to develop relationships with the game’s characters, this choice from Gameloft essentially allows players to rehabilitate Disney villains. Still, even with this being an interesting approach, it is a bit of a surprising one given how iconic Disney’s heroes and heroines are.
Related
Disney Dreamlight Valley Should Be Watching an Upcoming Movie Very Closely
If Disney Dreamlight Valley adds more content from one upcoming Disney Animation Studios film, there’s no telling how far the game will go.
Which Dreamlight Valley Villains are Missing Their Heroes?
There are a handful of villains that have beat their heroes to the punch. These villains include Hades, Jafar, and Maleficent. However, this trend of villains being added before their heroic counterparts has been part of Disney Dreamlight Valley since release.
Mother Gothel was introduced to Disney Dreamlight Valley alongside the game’s Early Access launch in version 1.0. This is years before her adoptive daughter Rapunzel was added to Disney Dreamlight Valley in the A Rift in Time expansion pass. While this was certainly a daring choice by Disney and Gameloft, it is different from the other villains in Disney Dreamlight Valley that feature this same unique detail.
Unlike Hades, Jafar, and Maleficent, Mother Gothel is available in Disney Dreamlight Valley’s base game. These three other villains have been introduced in DLC, Jafar in A Rift in Time, Hades in Storybook Vale’s “Welcome to the Vale” chapter, and Maleficent, slated to be added to Disney Dreamlight Valley in Storybook Vale’s second chapter in Summer 2025, “The Unwritten Realms.”
It seems that Gameloft and Disney want to at least mediate how relatable they can make Disney’s villains by placing them behind this pay wall. Disney villains have essentially become their own branded IP, rivaling that of the official Disney princess roster. These characters have their own merch and separate special events like Oogie Boogie Bash. It makes perfect sense that Disney and Gameloft would want to capitalize on this branding and incorporate these villains into Disney Dreamlight Valley in some way.
Dreamlight Valley’s Villains Are Holding Out For a Hero
With these villains already in Disney Dreamlight Valley, many wonder when their heroes will show up in the game as well. Mother Gothel’s counterpart, Rapunzel, is already available in the game. However, Hades, Jafar, and Maleficent have yet to meet their respective heroes, Hercules, Aladdin, and Aurora.
Images from Disney Dreamlight Valley’s 2025 free content roadmap suggest that Jafar will have to interact with not just Aladdin, but Princess Jasmine in the next few months. The “Early 2025” image depicts Jasmine’s jeweled turquoise headband and Aladdin’s vermillion fez. With both of these images on clear display, it seems that both characters will be added to Disney Dreamlight Valley soon. Additionally, these heroes will be added to the base game, separating the heroes from Jafar similar to how Mother Gothel and Rapunzel are. It will be interesting to see if Gameloft and Disney continue to separate heroes and villains between free-to-play content and DLC going forward.
The rest of the free content roadmap does not tease any information about Hercules or Princess Aurora being added to the game. However, a special edition of Disney Dreamlight Valley that was available prior to the release of the Storybook Vale DLC included a Baby Pegasus companion and other Hercules themed items. Considering the effort afforded to these items, it would make sense for Hercules to be introduced to the game at some point.
The same can be said for Aurora, though her addition will likely be even further down the line. Maleficent is not slated to join Disney Dreamlight Valley until Summer 2025 as part of “The Unwritten Realms” chapter of the Storybook Vale expansion pass. Considering this date, Aurora won’t get to face off her villain for a while.
Undoubtedly, Disney Dreamlight Valley will continue to add villains to the game, as they have served as a great way to extend the game’s story thus far. Hopefully, preexisting villains will get the chance to see their heroes again in Disney Dreamlight Valley, soon.
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.