Dave the Diver is packing-up the harpoon and trading the wetsuit for… hiking boots? Our favourite deep-sea diver is taking a detour into the treeline!
Developer, Mintrocket, has finally pulled back the curtain on the next major chapter for Dave the Diver. The “In the Jungle” DLC is officially set to drop on June 18, 2026, and it looks like a massive departure from the Blue Hole we’ve grown to love.
Here at The Ninja Refinery, we’ve always had a soft spot for Dave’s “just one more dive” gameplay loop. This isn’t just a small collaboration like the Godzilla or Dredge crossovers we’ve seen previously, either. This is a full-blown expansion that Mintrocket is calling their most ambitious yet.
What’s New in the Jungle?
Instead of the usual saltwater depths, Dave is heading to a lush jungle biome surrounding a freshwater lake.
Here’s the breakdown of what to expect in Dave the Diver’s:
A New Village: You’ll be exploring the lakeside village of Utara. It’s populated with a fresh cast of NPCs (and some familiar faces) and features a real-time system where you’ll build relationships and complete tasks for the locals.
Freshwater Diving: Trade the sharks for freshwater wildlife. Dave will have a whole new ecosystem to explore, requiring new weapons and tools specifically designed for the jungle’s unique hazards.
Bancho’s Grill: Don’t worry, Bancho is coming along. But since we’re away from the ocean, the sushi is being swapped for “Jungle Cuisine.” The restaurant gameplay is also getting a tweak, with Dave moving freely through the Grill to serve customers across multiple areas.
10 Hours of Content: This is a meaty expansion. Expect roughly 10 hours of new story content, minigames, and systems that branch away from the core loop.
Physical Editions for the Collectors
If you’re the type who likes to keep your games on a shelf, there’s even more good news. Alongside the DLC release, a Complete Edition and a Collector’s Edition are coming to PS5 and the Nintendo Switch 2.
The Collector’s Edition of Dave the Diver is particularly tempting for fans, packed with:
- An acrylic standee of Bancho Sushi
- Metal pin badges and an acrylic keyring
- A dolphin pendant necklace
- Marinca cards, a poster, and postcards
Normally I’m not one for collector’s editions these days. But I would love that Bancho Sushi standee!
Let’s go!
Dave the Diver has always been about that satisfying blend of cozy management and tense exploration. While some players felt the late-game of the original got a bit “busy,” the prospect of a brand-new biome with fresh mechanics is hard to ignore.
One of our contenders for Game of the Year in 2023, Dave the Diver is special, and any more of that good stuff, is a good reason to be excited. With plenty to go at in the main game, still. The wait won’t feel too long, and we’ll all be singing praises for The Jungle, soon enough.
The question we have now, is can a DLC be considered for Game of the Year? Moreso, in a year where Grand Theft Auto is going to be released as well. We’ll consider it, if it’s worthy, for sure. AAA games are great, but those AA Indies and those smaller, artisan creations are sometimes better. The soft, cozy, compelling game loop can out-weigh gloss and chaos.
2026 is a big year for gaming, but let’s never count the little guy out. Dave the Diver will probably scratch an itch that a lot of other games can’t.
The “In the Jungle” DLC will be available on all platforms—PC, Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch—on June 18th. It’s priced at $19.99, which seems like a fair ask for 10 hours of new Dave adventures.
