Dave the Diver DLC 'In the Jungle' Launches, Adds RPG Combat and Village Life
The DLC expands Dave the Diver's core loop from two cycles (diving and restaurant management) to three, adding a cozy village life layer that fundamentally changes the game's rhythm and genre identity.
Reporting from 3 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Game Spark.
Nexon and MINTROCKET released the new DLC 'In the Jungle' for Dave the Diver on June 18, 2026. The expansion moves protagonist Dave away from the Blue Hole and Bancho Sushi to the jungle village of Utara, where he explores a polluted lake, runs a grill restaurant, and befriends locals. The DLC introduces a third gameplay cycle: a slow-life village phase where players complete requests and give gifts to raise friendship with villagers, unlocking new items and shops. Underwater exploration now requires a filter to resist hydrogen sulfide, and a new multi-form Jungle Gun can switch between assault rifle, shotgun, sniper, and net gun modes. On land, players can gather resources, catch insects, and explore ruins with turn-based RPG-style combat. The DLC costs 1,200 yen and is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, and Switch 2. A 12-minute live-action short film produced by The Asylum was also released. The DLC requires the base game to be cleared, though a direct start option is available.
Bancho's sushi counter is gone. In the jungle village of Utara, he runs a grill restaurant called Bancho Grill, serving freshwater fish and local ingredients such as calamansi, bananas, and wild vegetables. The shift is explained in the story: freshwater fish carry parasite risks, so raw preparations are off the menu.
The DLC story begins the day after a loud rumbling shakes the Blue Hole. Archaeologist Dr. Bacon arrives on Dave and Cobra's boat and asks for help investigating a lake in the jungle where her research team reported an anomaly. A giant sea dragon carcass has washed up on the lakeshore. Dave, Cobra, Bancho, and Dr. Bacon travel to Utara together. A female researcher named Muna meets them there.
Muna built Dave's new Jungle Gun, which can switch between assault rifle, shotgun, sniper, and net gun modes. Each mode has its own upgrade tree. She also provides the initial filter that lets Dave resist hydrogen sulfide in the polluted lake. The filter has its own gauge that depletes over time; running out in a sulfide zone drains oxygen rapidly.
The village exploration uses a quarter-view perspective. The day is split into three phases: morning and night for free exploration and diving, and evening for running Bancho Grill. The restaurant management minigame now includes tasks such as cutting coconut shells and operating a wire grill. Gifts and requests raise villager friendship, which brings new customers to the restaurant.
On land, players can catch insects, chop trees, and mine ore. Beetles and stag beetles must be caught by pitting them against other insects in battle rather than using a net. A turn-based RPG combat system appears during ruin exploration, with leveling and equipment for Dave and Cobra.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 3 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.