‘Dave the Diver’ gains popularity in U.S., U.K. gaming circles

Dave the Diver

Aquatic adventure RPG ‘Dave the Diver’ from Nexon’s Mint Rocket garnered high praise in both the United States and the United Kingdom. The Economist named the South Korean game in its “favorite video games of 2023,” list, while The New York Times, Financial Times, and The Washington Post hailed it as the standout game of the year.

What sets the game apart is its departure from typical shootouts, an aspect that is appealing to consumers in the United States in particular. It is a “life adventure simulation” that appeals to those yearning to escape urban life, offering a meticulously crafted gaming experience.

“With unparalleled gameplay and high-quality content, we took the top position in global sales on the Steam platform within a day of the simultaneous worldwide release, ranking first among paid games,” Nexon said, with the game surpassing 2 million units in cumulative sales as of September 2023.

In the United States, the game draws comparisons to the 2000s hit ‘Diner Dash,’ a restaurant management game reminiscent of the part-time jobs held by those in their teens and twenties and which involving seating guests, taking orders, and serving food. Dave the Diver not only captures the essence of Diner Dash but also appeals to the nostalgia felt by those in their 30s and 40s for Diner Dash.

Gaming media outlet IGN showered praise on Dave the Diver, describing it as “wholesome, wonderfully complex, and delightfully hard to put down.”

The game encompasses elements such as deep-sea creature hunting, sunken treasure exploration, and encounters with the Sea People village, adding a fantastical dimension to its gameplay.