Mintrocket has finally broken its silence as the year draws to a close, revealing the juicy details of the new 'In The Jungle' DLC for 'Dave the Diver'. Forget your routine of deep-sea exploration and sushi slinging; this expansion drags our hero onto dry land and into the heart of a jungle village, promising a shift in gameplay that feels like a whole new beast.

You can catch the deep dive on the official Mintrocket YouTube channel, released on the 19th. CEO Jaeho Hwang isn't shy about the scale, promising, "We're packing 'In The Jungle' with a solid 10 hours of content. Unlike most DLC that just rehashes the base game's systems, we're flipping the script with entirely different mechanics. We really wanted to drop Dave and his mates into a fresh environment with a lifestyle to match."

In the base game, you were essentially a glorified fish-collector by day and a sushi waiter by night. 'In The Jungle' moves the goalposts to 'Utara Village'. Here, time actually marches on in real-time, and your day is spent running errands for villagers, gathering fruit, and digging up minerals.

Planning leader Chanhee Woo admits it was a bit of a balancing act: "The goal was to layer in these new mechanics without breaking the existing rhythm. We wanted every moment to feel earned. We’re also putting in the work to make sure the new villagers aren't just background noise—they’re characters you’ll want to chat with and actually befriend."

The dining scene gets a makeover, too. Since raw lake fish isn't exactly the standard sashimi fare, Bancho is opening 'Bancho Grill'. "It’s a jungle-side eatery," says Hwang. "Unlike the side-scrolling service of the original, here you're juggling customers from various directions. As you boost your rapport with the locals, they’ll start showing up at your grill." And yes, you can even slice open coconuts to whip up fresh juice.

Art lead Kiyeop Jung noted the technical hurdle: "We've moved beyond simple left-to-right movement. We’ve added depth, allowing for front-to-back navigation. While the base game had a taste of this in the farm or fish farm, here the scope is massive, and the camera now tracks the player fluidly. Managing the real-time flow with more NPCs on screen was a tall order, but it makes for a much more vibrant experience."

The lake is teeming with crocodiles, giant catfish, electric eels, and piranhas—hardly your average catch. To deal with these, there’s the 'Jungle Gun', a versatile tool that swaps between nets, shotguns, sniper fire, and standard rounds. Expect jungle treks with your crew, mini-games, and boss encounters. Oh, and keep your eyes peeled; Hwang hinted at collaborations with other beloved game characters.

On the mobile front, Business Manager Seho Kim clarified that the upcoming version isn't just a lazy port. "We've completely overhauled the UI and controls to ensure it feels intuitive on a smaller touchscreen," he explained, even demonstrating a gesture where you tilt the phone to pour tea. The mobile version is being co-developed with China's XD, with a Chinese launch slated for next year before a wider global rollout.

Since spinning off from Nexon last November and settling into their new office this March, Mintrocket has been busy. "The new Mintrocket has several exciting projects in the pipeline, including this 'In The Jungle' DLC," says Hwang. "We'll share more as soon as we're ready."