Mintrocket has shared a closer look at Dave the Diver’s upcoming In the Jungle DLC, offering fresh details on what the studio describes as the game’s largest story expansion to date. The new information comes from the latest Dev Dive video, which reflects on the past year of development while breaking down the new gameplay systems, locations, and mechanics arriving in the roughly 10 hour long expansion.
According to Mintrocket, In the Jungle represents a significant shift from previous content updates. Dave leaves the familiar Blue Hole behind and ventures into a freshwater environment, taking on new responsibilities in an entirely different setting. The DLC introduces a jungle village called Utara, which acts as a new hub for exploration, social interactions, and progression. Time in the village flows in real time, allowing players to freely choose how they spend each day, whether that means diving, gathering resources, or helping local residents through tasks and side quests.
Building relationships plays a central role in Utara. As Dave earns the trust of villagers, new opportunities gradually open up, with benefits that extend beyond the jungle and back into his broader business ventures. Mintrocket says these connections are designed to create lasting effects, tying character progression more closely to the world and its inhabitants than in previous updates.
One of the most notable additions is Bancho Grill, a new restaurant located in the jungle village. Unlike Bancho Sushi, which limited movement to a single plane, the Grill allows Dave to move freely throughout the space, serving customers across multiple areas. The menu focuses on fully cooked freshwater dishes, reflecting the shift in environment. As relationships with villagers deepen, they begin visiting the restaurant themselves, turning Bancho Grill into a social and economic centerpiece that links Dave’s work to the community around him.
The DLC also introduces a new freshwater lake filled with unfamiliar aquatic life, new ingredients, and increased danger. To deal with these challenges, Dave gains access to the Jungle Gun, a flexible weapon that can transform into different configurations, including net guns, shotguns, sniper rifles, and standard firearms. This system is designed to let players adapt quickly to changing situations and experiment with different combat approaches.
Gameplay changes go beyond equipment. In the Jungle moves away from strictly horizontal exploration and adopts a more open, isometric perspective. Combined with real-time progression, this encourages players to manage space, time, and priorities more carefully. Mintrocket also teased new minigames, jungle-specific activities, and cooperative moments with other characters, all of which feed back into improving Bancho Grill or supporting the village as a whole.
Beyond the DLC itself, Mintrocket confirmed that Dave the Diver is also heading to mobile platforms. Rather than a direct port, the mobile version is being rebuilt and optimized specifically for touch-based devices. The studio shared examples such as using device tilt for certain actions, signaling a more tailored approach to mobile play. The mobile release will debut in China first, with a global launch planned for later in 2026.
Dave the Diver is currently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S with Xbox Play Anywhere support, macOS, and Windows PC via Steam and the Epic Games Store. Mintrocket also confirmed that a physical edition of the game is in development in partnership with Silver Lining Interactive. The retail release is planned for 2026 on PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2 and will include the full In the Jungle DLC, with preorder details to be announced at a later date.
