Dreamlight Valley's In-Game Currency Issues Continue to Escalate

Disney Dreamlight Valley, initially planned as a free-to-play title, has retained several features typical of that model, even after transitioning to a purchasable game with a mainline story and paid expansions. One of the most prominent carryovers is its complex currency system, which is now causing frustration among players. While updates are technically free, they require Dreamlight, an in-game currency that is becoming increasingly scarce and difficult to acquire.

The Dreamlight Drought During the early access phase, Dreamlight was primarily used to unlock biomes within the valley. While the process was still somewhat tedious, the limited number of things to unlock made it manageable. Once players had opened all the biomes, Dreamlight accumulated naturally through daily duties, with little else to spend it on besides a few crafting recipes.

However, the game has evolved since then. While no new biomes have been added, several realms have been introduced, each requiring a significant Dreamlight investment. Initially priced at 3,000 Dreamlight, the cost of new realms has steadily increased, now reaching 15,000 Dreamlight – equivalent to a full biome. This price hike, coupled with a growing number of Dreamlight sinks, has created a currency crunch for players. Examples of these Dreamlight sinks include the Floating Islands, which also cost 15,000 Dreamlight, new crafting recipes, and items like the slow cooker and the Uncrafting Machine introduced in the Wonderland Whimsy update. With Dreamlight reserves dwindling, many players are now dreading updates, as they often necessitate extensive grinding to unlock new content.

Star Coins: Abundance Without Value In contrast to Dreamlight, Star Coins, the game's primary currency, are relatively easy to acquire. Early on, Star Coins might seem scarce, but as players progress and unlock more biomes and crops, earning them becomes significantly easier. By selling unwanted items and dedicating a few hours to crop farming, especially with a companion character, players can amass millions of Star Coins in a short amount of time.

Dreamlight, on the other hand, is primarily earned by completing duties, which typically reward between 50 and 250 Dreamlight. Considering the high cost of realms and other items, building up a substantial Dreamlight supply requires hours of dedicated grinding. And even then, a new update might arrive, requiring players to spend all their accumulated Dreamlight to unlock the latest features. While players can craft Dream Shards into Dreamlight, the conversion rate is low, and Dream Shards are also needed for quests.

Potential Solutions for Dreamlight Valley's Currency Problem Addressing the growing Dreamlight scarcity requires implementing new ways to earn it or establishing conversion options with other currencies. The simplest solution would be to increase the base Dreamlight rewards for completing duties. Another option, given the abundance of Star Coins, would be to introduce an ATM system, similar to Animal Crossing: New Horizons, where players could exchange Star Coins for Dreamlight vouchers and vice versa. The game's expansions already offer a glimpse of potential solutions.

Each expansion features a unique currency—Mist in A Rift in Time and Storybook Magic in The Storybook Vale—earned by completing tasks within that expansion. While this system currently exacerbates the problem by dividing the currency pool, it also demonstrates the potential for easier earning methods. A Rift in Time allows players to use Timebending to find Mist in decent quantities, while Storybook Vale lets players exchange continuously respawning Snippets for Storybook Magic. Perhaps the ultimate solution would be to allow players to exchange these expansion-specific currencies for Dreamlight, adding further value to the paid expansions and alleviating the Dreamlight drought.