If relentlessly piling on sticks and hitting rocks is starting to seem a little stale in Disney Dreamlight Valley, there's something new on the horizon. Developer Gameloft has unveiled The Storybook Vale, a second paid expansion for the rural life simulator, which will take players into a world of Greek myths, Scottish folktales and more when it launches on November 20.
Storybook Vale, which follows last year's A Rift in Time expansion, introduces another world for Dreamlight Valley players to explore in the form of the titular Vale. Described as “the place in your heart where all your most treasured stories live,” it is said to have previously hung in the sky above Dreamlight Valley, but was stolen by Maleficent and Hades and eventually fell into disarray when the pair began arguing. And that's where players come in, embarking on a quest for the Lorekeeper, an enchanted book that holds the world together, to recover its scattered pages and restore peace.
And all of this takes place in the three new biomes of The Storybook Vale. There's The Bind, inspired by “dark academia” and the “fresh but cozy atmosphere of an autumn forest”; Mythtopia, which is themed around “Greco-Roman culture and ancient myths” (and even has its own Mount Olympus), plus Everafter, a mix of “dark enchanted mushroom forest and windswept wastelands” inspired by the “Scottish and Scandinavian folklore”.
The Storybook Vale will be released in two parts: the first will arrive on November 20 and the second will arrive next summer. The first part introduces three new villagers: Merida from Brave, Hades from Hercules and Flynn from Tangled (who will be able to meet Rapunzel if players have last year's A Rift in Time expansion), along with new collectibles, tools, resources and “dozens” of new recipes. Players can fish for koi fish, for example, or collect ragweed, and there are new animal companions in the form of owls, mini dragons, and mini winged horses.
Additionally, the expansion introduces Trials, special quests inspired by fairy tales and myths that players must decipher using their new and old tools. One of those new tools is Royal Net, used to capture the Lorekeeper's scattered pages, which come to life as ancient origami creatures known as Snippets, which can then be assembled into puzzle-like tapestries and hung in the game's houses. And that's just the first part, with next year's second part, The Unwriting Realms, in which players will “adventure into a strange world beneath the Storybook Vale.” [to] solves the mystery of the missing princess,” alongside Maleficent and a second, currently unannounced character.
Both parts of The Storybook Vale are included in the second Disney Dreamlight Valley Expansion Pass, launching on November 20. Purchases also include 5,000 Moonstones, as the game's premium currency is known, and there's a Magical Edition, which includes 10,000 Moonstones, the Autumn Manor House stye, the Storybook Vale dress and outfit, plus her Baby Pegasus companion and house. Alternatively, the Storybook Bundle includes the base game, the new expansion, and 13,000 Moonstones, while the Enchanted Edition bundles the base game, both expansions, 18,000 Moonstones, plus “exclusive rewards.” Gameloft hasn't announced prices for any of these at the time of writing, but last year's A Rift in Time expansion cost £24.99, so expect things to pick up from there.
Additionally, builders who feel limited by the game's current four rotation points will soon see them increased to 16, opening up new decorating possibilities. Gameloft says the improved placement system applies to furniture, buildings, landscaping items, resources, and even dropped items like prepared meals, with support for fences and paths coming at a later date.
Expect more details as their respective releases get closer.