Unlocking the Potential of the Descendants Franchise in Disney Dreamlight Valley

As Disney Dreamlight Valley continues to expand its roster, it’s worth remembering that Disney’s collection of animated characters isn’t endless. Eventually, the game might need to branch out beyond just Walt Disney Animation and Pixar Studios for new characters. Instead of diving into big live-action franchises like Star Wars or the Marvel Cinematic Universe, focusing on something closer to Disney’s roots, such as the Descendants series, could be a smart move for Disney Dreamlight Valley.

Disney Channel Original Movies (DCOMs) and animated series from the Disney Channel bring a wealth of content recognizable to Disney Dreamlight Valley’s audience. Many of these shows and movies incorporate fantasy elements or exist within the fantasy genre, making them more fitting for the game’s environment compared to live-action, non-fantasy series like Hannah Montana. Among DCOM franchises, Descendants stands out as one of the most successful and could be a fantastic choice for the game.

The Descendants series centers around the offspring of famous Disney villains. The main characters are the children of Maleficent (Mal), the Evil Queen (Evie), Jafar (Jay), and Cruella DeVille (Carlos). Exiled to the Isle of the Lost, these children get a chance to mingle with the rest of society when Prince Ben, the son of Belle and the Beast, invites them to study at Auradon Prep. While their villainous parents encourage them to stay true to their roots, Mal and her friends ultimately embrace goodness by the end of the first movie. With three main films and a prequel, Descendants: The Rise of Red, scheduled for release on Disney+ in Summer 2024, the franchise offers rich storytelling that aligns well with Disney Dreamlight Valley.

For players already engaged with Disney Dreamlight Valley, the narrative of Mal and her friends’ redemption resonates with the game’s themes. Just as in the Descendants series, the game places a strong focus on redeeming villains. Players, however, can decide whether or not to redeem the villainous villagers, making Descendants a perfect thematic fit for the game.

Introducing Descendants into Disney Dreamlight Valley may raise some concerns, especially about including characters that already have animated counterparts. However, there’s a way to navigate this by using Descendants: Wicked World, an animated short series, as the basis for character design. This approach would avoid any awkward transitions typical of adapting a live-action series without animated references. Characters like Jafar and Maleficent are already in or soon joining the game through expansions, so introducing a Descendants realm could provide a clear separation and maintain consistency within the game’s universe.

Disney Dreamlight Valley’s lore can cleverly accommodate multiple versions of characters, making the case for adding the Descendants franchise even stronger. While the game may primarily stick with Disney and Pixar’s animated line-up for now, integrating Descendants seems like a promising and logical step forward.