It is an unexpected success story, the result of an agreement between a French mobile game publisher and an American entertainment giant. For 10 years now, Gameloft and Disney have definitely been a successful business. Since the first knew how to seduce the second with games inspired by its multiple universes, capable of capturing the attention of young and old, behind a falsely innocent appearance.
After Disney Magic Kingdom in 2016 and before Disney Speed Storm In 2023, Gameloft scored quite a coup with Disney’s Valley of the Light of Dreams end of 2022. And a very simple concept: in a magical valley reminiscent of the Disney universes, we must come to the aid of the most iconic characters (Mickey and his friends, Merlin the Charming, the many princesses – Elsa, Ariel, Moana – and their cronies, Rémy de RatatouilleWall-E…). In the menu: tasks to complete such as fishing, mining or farming, decorating places, completing missions, etc. to unlock new areas and new characters. The game also has a strong narrative component with a main story, as well as quests and puzzles.
The game was an immediate success and was even the most downloaded title on Steam after its launch in September 2022. Until now best known for its mobile games (more than 180 in its catalogue), Gameloft sees, thanks to Valley of the light of dreamsIts turnover increases almost 50% in a year and its desire to diversify consoles/PC takes shape. All this while the game is only in early access and will only be officially finished a few months later. Since then, the title produced by the Montreal studio Gameloft has been periodically enriched with other Disney-Pixar characters (Toy Story, The Lion King, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Monsters Inc., Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Vice Versa…).
A mix of Animal Crossing and The Sims with a Disney touch
This cozy simulation game smells good animal crossing for its contemplative and relaxing side, The Sims for its building pleasure and quests with interactions, all sprinkled with Disney magic. And that is undoubtedly its strong point. How can we resist a spell that has shaken generations for almost 100 years? The coat attracts young and old with the same appeal, and the pleasure of meeting such emblematic characters adds to the seduction plan.
“I always say that Disney’s Valley of the Light of Dreams “It’s about reconnecting with the child within us through the love of Disney,” Josh Labelle tells us. The creative director of Disney’s Valley of the Light of Dreams He has been working for three years to respect the licenses, bringing the Gameloft touch to this revision of stories. “Every time I see Buzz and Woody in the Valley, it reminds me of when I was a kid and played the VHS tape of toy storythe one where I knew all the lines from Aladdin,” he laughs.
This personal connection of the game team members with the Disney universe turned out to be important and a driving force in the development of the title, but also in the relationship with the American company. “A very positive and supportive relationship,” says Josh Labelle. It must be said that if Gameloft chose the characters, it is Disney who has the final say on the choice, content and form.
“We seek, on both sides, to capture the character as accurately as possible so that it is faithful to the way it is presented in the films,” he proclaims, explaining that frequent contact with Disney has provided “really good ideas on how to portray the characters.”
An importance given to fidelity essential for the success of the game and its appropriation by players who want to rediscover the reassuring universe of their favorite heroes (and their best antagonists also present (Maleficent, Jafar, Scar, Mother Gothel, etc.). But the growing community of players is also an important source of inspiration for Gameloft. This is how Alice, Aladdin and Jasmine appeared in 2025.
“It helped me get through a very difficult time”
Because since then they have understood the special bond that Disney establishes with its fans and have done everything possible so that their story, the secondary missions, take up the comforting codes of the most famous mouse and his companions. “It helped me get through a very difficult period of my pregnancy in which I couldn’t do much else,” explains one player on Reddit, while another, a “big Disney fan,” slips that it has more than one hundred hours and that what he appreciates above all is the arrival of new content to this “constantly evolving” game through free updates almost every two or three months.
Players who had requested improvements in their quality of life Valley of the light of dreams invest even more and that were heard with two enormous extensions (A crack in time AND Storybook Okay) that had brought new valleys with different biomes (the port ofAtlantisthe dunes ofaladdinthe County of Tales inspired byAlice in Wonderland and of sleeping beauty of the forestetc.), new resources, new characters and additional missions in particular. And players may be delighted, because Gameloft has announced a third expansion with Wishbloom Ranch It is expected in November and will be revealed in depth this October 15 at 7 p.m. during a dedicated exhibition.
“We have listened to players and tried to respond to their requests, in particular greater freedom of decoration, the possibility of placing diagonal paths, an improved photo mode. They will even be able to benefit from a new main story to discover,” announces Josh Labelle. But the great news about this DLC that it will offer Valley of the light of dreams A new dimension is the arrival of frames.
It will now be possible to ride an ultra-customizable mount, which can help you, or choose from some Disney luminaries like Maximus, Rapunzel’s horse. It will be possible to gallop through the valley, jump over obstacles, extract mines or water the plantations without disassembling. New characters such as Snow White and Tinkerbell also appear.
his imagination and artistic creativity. Enough to make the former Ubisoft studio, sold in 2016 to Vivendi after a hostile takeover bid and which was feared in difficulties, a video game that remains as solid as ever and that has managed to diversify and no longer limit itself only to the license. Asphalt.
Source: BFM TV
