Disney Dreamlight Valley to leave Early Access as a paid game

Disney Dreamlight Valley is leaving Early Access on December 5. And when it does, players will have to pay money for it. 

The life-sim game was originally meant to transition to a free-to-play model with its 1.0 release, but Gameloft has now said that is no longer be the case. The developer stated the non-move will allow the game to "continue delivering on a premium game experience."

While it varies whether a game will be paid or free-to-play after exiting Early Access, it isn't often that a developer says their game will be free-to-play and then reverses that stance. Currently, the game is priced at $30 on PC, Mac, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. 

On December 5, its retail versions will range from a digital-only $40 (for the core game) to $70 (includes an Expansion Pass, in-game cosmetics and currency). That expansion will also be available separately for $30.

Regarding the in-game Moonstones, Gameloft assured that players' purchases requiring the currency will "remain optional, fair, and match the level of quality players have come to expect." 

While in Early Access, Disney Dreamlight Valley reached over a million players in 10 days. It's also notably one of the first big recent video games centered on Disney characters rather than the brands owned under the Disney umbrella.