Deep sea exploration and restaurant management game Dave the Diver has achieved a significant commercial success, selling over 10 million copies across all platforms. The game's recent "In the Jungle" expansion, released in June, has also surpassed one million sales.
Dave the Diver emerged as a surprise hit in 2023, earning widespread critical acclaim, including a 91% review score from PC Gamer. The game achieved initial success by selling over a million copies within its first 10 days of release. A nomination for Best Indie Game at the 2023 Game Awards sparked some discussion, as developer Mintrocket is a division of Nexon, a large publishing company, and thus not technically an independent studio. However, this distinction had minimal impact, especially as Game Director Jaeho Hwang has stated he does not consider the game to be indie.
The continued success of Dave the Diver can be attributed to its quality and ongoing post-launch support, which has included well-integrated crossover events. The "In the Jungle" DLC was particularly praised, with PC Gamer scoring it 90% and describing it as "just as charming and surprising as the base game."
"Everyone here at Mintrocket continues to be blown away by the passion and love that Dave the Diver attracts even years after launch," Hwang stated regarding the sales milestone. "We are looking forward to expanding the Dave the Diver franchise in the future, including the upcoming cooking simulation and adventure spin-off, Bancho The Chef. We want to thank everyone who has shown their faith in us, and we can’t wait to share our future plans."
Bancho The Chef, a prequel to Dave the Diver, focuses on the younger years of Bancho, the restaurant chef, as he embarks on his journey to become a sushi master. While a release date has not yet been announced, the game is currently available for pre-purchase on Steam.