Dave the Diver is a classic deep-sea cozy adventure, fishing and restaurant management game. It’s a calm and meditative loop where you spend your days diving for fish in the mysterious Blue Hole, then serving up your haul at your sushi restaurant at night. It’s a wonderful RPG game that came out in 2023, and I still play it on repeat every so often.
Last year, developers Mintrocket announced the In the Jungle DLC, the largest story expansion yet—packing roughly 10 hours of fresh content, brand-new fishing mechanics, a completely revamped restaurant, and more. While we don’t have an exact release date, it’s currently floating towards an early 2026 launch.
Update: Dave the Diver: In the Jungle DLC has an updated launch date of the 18th of June 2026.
For all of us lying in wait, here’s everything we know that’s coming to the Dave The Diver: In The Jungle DLC.
From The Sea To The Lake: A New Adventure Awaits
The ‘In the Jungle DLC’ brings Dave from the oceanic Blue Hole to a massive, unexplored freshwater lake. Moving from saltwater to freshwater changes the fauna and flora that you’ll be used to encountering. The jungle waters are packed with new aquatic life, from tasty fish to formidable dangers like piranhas and crocodiles.
To survive, Dave gets a powerful new tool: the Jungle Gun. This versatile weapon can transform on the fly into net guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, and more, offering unprecedented combat flexibility to tackle the lake’s threats.
Welcome to Utara
At the heart of your Jungle adventure is the quaint jungle village of Utara. In this jungle village, Dave can spend his days freely diving underwater, gathering fruits and resources—and, naturally, building relationships with the locals by completing tasks and side quests.
For fans of Dave the Diver, you know that its charm lies not just in the fishing but in the people you meet along the way. The core loop hooks you, but it’s the quirky characters, unfolding friendships, and discovery of the world’s stories and mysteries that make you stay. In the Jungle honours this perfectly, introducing a host of new villagers to meet, befriend, and serve. Win them over with delicious meals, complete their quests, and unlock unique stories and opportunities that deepen your connection to Utara.
Going to town In The Jungle introduces a major gameplay shift from the original Dave the Diver. While you’re in Utara, you’ll be wandering around in an isometric view with real-time progression, compared to each activity taking up a specific chunk of time. In this way, you’ll need to carefully balance priorities and make smarter use of space and time. Think Animal Crossing meets Dave the Diver.
Fully Cooked Fish At Bancho Grill
One of the most significant changes in the new DLC comes with the introduction of Bancho Grill, a new restaurant in Utara featuring a fully cooked freshwater fish menu. There’s new kitchen equipment, menu items, minigames, and new diners. But the biggest departure of all from the main game comes with the removal of movement limitations. In the original game, Dave could only move back and forth to serve sushi; you’ll be able to move freely around Bancho Grill, serving customers across multiple areas.
New Systems & Mechanics
Changes to expect in the Dave the Diver: In the Jungle DLC:
- Isometric Exploration: A shift from horizontal side-scrolling to a more open, isometric view in the village and likely on land.
- Real-Time Management: Time management becomes crucial as day and night cycle in real-time, requiring strategic planning.
- Expanded Activities: Expect new minigames, jungle-specific adventures, and activities that benefit both Bancho Grill and Utara village.
Dave The Diver On Mobile
Alongside the DLC news, developers Mintrocket confirmed plans for a mobile version of Dave the Diver in 2026. The game is being fully optimised and redesigned for touchscreens, with features like tilting your device to pour tea. The mobile launch will begin in China, followed by a global release later this year.
Dave the Diver is available to play now on the PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and PC.
