Dave the Diver: In the Jungle DLC launches June 18 – what the Mintrocket expansion adds and why it matters

Dave the Diver: In the Jungle is finally out. After a long build-up, a delayed release date and a live-action trailer that turned Dave into an actual human, the biggest expansion yet for Mintrocket's cozy hybrid hit went live on June 18, 2026, on PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch/Switch 2.

If you've been waiting to trade the scuba tank for khakis, the wait is over – and the scope is noticeably bigger than the previous Dredge, Godzilla and Ichiban's Holiday add-ons. Here's what the In the Jungle DLC actually adds, what it costs and why it's a meaningful moment for one of Steam's most beloved cozy games.

What you get in In the Jungle

Mintrocket describes In the Jungle as the studio's "biggest DLC yet", and looking at the feature list, the framing fits. The expansion moves Dave out of the Blue Hole and into a land-based biome with its own freshwater lake, locals to recruit, and a second restaurant to manage.

Key additions at launch:

• A new jungle region with its own map, missions and traversal – no more boat-only movement between zones.
• A freshwater ecosystem under the jungle lake, with new fish, creatures and diving gear tuned for shallow water.
• The Bancho Grill, a reworked restaurant that swaps Bancho's raw seafood menu for grilled jungle dishes.
• New villagers with relationship arcs, plus familiar faces returning in supporting roles.
• New combat encounters and boss fights on land, expanding the game's action side beyond spearfishing.
• Roughly 10 hours of story content on a main path, with side activities pushing playtime higher depending on how completionist you get.

Our full take on the expansion is in the Dave the Diver: In the Jungle review.

Price, platforms and physical editions

The DLC is sold separately from the base game and is priced at $9.99 on Steam for PC, with regional pricing applying on consoles. You can buy it directly on Steam, the PlayStation Store, the Microsoft Store and the Nintendo eShop.

Alongside the digital launch, Mintrocket confirmed two physical editions for Q3 2026:

• Dave the Diver Complete Edition for PS5 and Switch 2, bundling the base game with the Dredge, Godzilla, Ichiban's Holiday and In the Jungle DLCs.
• A Collector's Edition with additional physical extras, also for PS5 and Switch 2.

The base game also receives a free patch on launch day (update 1.32 / 1.032) with general bug fixes, so you don't need to own the DLC to benefit from the smoother experience.

Why this expansion matters for cozy and sim fans

Dave the Diver has always sold itself on the gentle loop of dive, manage the sushi restaurant, sleep, repeat. In the Jungle doesn't replace that loop – it stretches it sideways, giving players a reason to spend more time on land without losing the pacing that made the base game a hit.

A few things are worth flagging for bestof.games readers specifically:

• The expansion is a strong fit if you liked the base game's blend of light management and exploration but wanted more to do between dives.
• It's also a useful entry point for newcomers who bounced off the original's heavy intro: the jungle arc is more linear and easier to follow.
• Combined with the recent Steam Next Fest June 2026 demo wave, it's one of the more substantial cozy releases this month, sitting alongside titles like Solarpunk™, Witchspire and MECCHA CHAMELEON in the broader indie calendar.

Reception and what to watch next

Early reviews and first impressions from outlets covering the launch have been broadly positive, with particular praise for the new region, the village characters and the way Bancho's new menu actually changes how the restaurant loop feels. A few critics have noted that the combat encounters are a step up in challenge compared to the base game, which is worth keeping in mind if you're playing purely for the cozy angle.

Mintrocket has also used the launch window to tease more Dave the Diver content: the studio recently announced Bancho the Chef, a cooking-simulation RPG prequel, alongside a separate mobile version of the base game. Neither has a firm release date yet, but together with In the Jungle they signal that the studio is treating Dave as a long-running franchise rather than a one-off.

If you're after a short, charming, low-stress adventure to round out your June 2026 backlog, Dave the Diver: In the Jungle is the easiest recommendation we've made this month.