Disney Dreamlight Valley finally adds Belle - and Beast - in today's update
And there's a spooky new Star Path too.
Over a year after Beauty and the Beast's Belle first starting popping up in promotional images for developer Gameloft's Disney Dreamlight Valley, the avid book-reader, Gaston-snubber, and dinner-enjoyer will be joining the village sim today, 13th September.
Belle will be accompanied by her furry boyfriend Beast, and both will be introduced though a new Realm adventure set in the Beast's castle, with new Friendship Quests and items becoming available once the pair move village-ward.
Additionally, players who've been progressing through Dreamlight Valley's overarching story will be able to settle The Forgotten into the Valley over a series of quests, and - good news for the completionists out there (hello, it's me) - the spooky candy event is back from 24th October to 1st November, meaning you can tidy up any seasonal Dreamlight Duties you missed last year.
And continuing the spooky theme, today's new Enchanted Adventure update adds a Halloween-inspired Haunted Holiday Star Path featuring various seasonal costumes and decor. That includes the pipe organ from the Disneyland's Haunted Mansion, which - speaking as a Haunted Mansion nerd - makes me way happier than I can reasonably convey.
Other spooky stuff - including "an iconic hill, some Disneyland staples, and much more" - is also promised for the premium store. And if any of those mean I get to use the Haunted Mansion/Phantom Manor exteriors for my house, I may finally be forced to open my wallet in weepy-eyed gratitude (sorry, it's a whole thing).
Full patch notes for today's update - which includes various bug fixes - can be found on the Disney Dreamlight Valley website. And that takes us almost to the end of Gameloft's previously released early access development roadmap, implying a version 1.0 mightn't be too far away. Recent unconfirmed store listings have suggested the studio is targeting mid-October for a full launch - despite the likes of a new story chapter, more characters, new frontiers, and multiplayer still due before the end of 2023 - so news on an early accesss departure date could be near.