From Press Release:
SEOUL – June 11, 2026 – Today, Mintrocket, the Seoul-based studio and award-winning developer behind DAVE THE DIVER, revealed a new episode of Dev Dive, a devlog-style event recapping the studio’s latest news, upcoming projects, and some unexpected surprises.
Today’s Dev Dive showcase was loaded with content, including a highlight of the upcoming ‘In the Jungle’ DLC for DAVE THE DIVER, the long-awaited biggest expansion to date, to be launched on June 18. Mintrocket’s CEO, Jaeho Hwang, also celebrated the recent reveal of ‘Bancho the Chef’ and surprised mobile gamers with two exciting announcements.
Bancho the Chef
Following its reveal at the Sony State of Play on June 2nd, Mintrocket recaps the features and storyline of Bancho the Chef, the studio’s new RPG-meets-cooking simulator set in the DAVE THE DIVER universe. The game follows Bancho through his early years of culinary exploration, where he’ll trek across various regions of Asia to master its cuisines and hone his craft alongside lauded master chefs. Today’s feature explained more about this immersive new experience being developed for players, with Mintrocket dialing in on DualSense haptics and adaptive trigger capabilities. In Bancho the Chef, players won’t only cook exotic dishes, they’ll feel every movement and sensation through the invaluable tools of their trade: their hands!
DAVE THE DIVER ‘In the Jungle’ DLC
With the ‘In the Jungle’ expansion release for DAVE THE DIVER only days away, Mintrocket also took special care to highlight the game’s whirlwind success, with June 2026 marking the game’s third anniversary. Players can expect a truly momentous release and re-entry into the world, with the new DLC expansion offering around 10 hours of content, new systems, skills, and minigames to master, and a whole new biome to explore, hunt, fish, and tame. As an extra surprise, Mintrocket revealed that there will be numerous in-game collaborations baked into this DLC, including Cut the Rope, which appeared in the recent launch trailer revealed at PC Gaming Show.
DAVE THE DIVER’s ‘In the Jungle’ DLC launch will feature an accompanying short film created and produced by The Asylum, known for their “mockbuster” horror films, including Sharknado, Meth Gator, and more. The short film will premiere with IGN on June 17th, and release globally on June 18th with the launch of the DLC.
Steam pre-orders for the ‘In the Jungle’ DLC begin today, with a 10% discount available only ahead of the DLC’s official launch. For players who have yet to play or purchase DAVE THE DIVER, the base game will also be available at its deepest discount of 50% off on Steam.
Godzilla Defense Force: X World Premiere
As an unexpected surprise for mobile gamers, Mintrocket has formally unveiled Godzilla Defense Force: X, an upcoming project led by the studio’s own Jaeho Hwang. The game is based on the predecessor released seven years ago and amassed a community of over 10 million players, and will now be built from the ground up with full studio support. Godzilla Defense Force: X is a strategy management game that spans 70 years of Godzilla history, where players will defend cities worldwide from Kaiju using a variety of bases and weapons. They can battle and eventually summon and fight alongside various Kaiju from the franchise’s rich history since 1954.
Closed testing for Godzilla Defense Force: X begins later this year, and the game is expected to release in early 2027. Watch the official reveal trailer here: https://youtu.be/OmTQ0N6qPKE
DAVE THE DIVER Finally Arrives on Mobile
For players anxiously waiting for everyone’s favorite plus-size scuba diver to make his debut on mobile, the time is nigh. Mintrocket confirmed that DAVE THE DIVER launches on the App Store and Google Play in August. Following a successful launch in China, Dave is ready to explore, fish, and serve, all from the convenience of your handheld device across the world this fall. Stay tuned for more information and pre-registration details in the coming weeks.
Merchandise & More
Alongside today’s game announcements, Mintrocket shared several new merchandise items coming to its lineup of DAVE THE DIVER collectibles, including a specialized release with Fangamer, Madrinas, and of course all of the goodies included in the Dave the Diver Collector’s Edition coming to PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch 2. Visit the newly launched merch website to learn more: https://mintrock.et/en/
merch/merch.php
For players seeking even more Dave, Mintrocket shared more about the forthcoming Fortnite collaboration, announcing that Dave cosmetic items will be added to Fortnite. Anyone who purchases DAVE THE DIVER or DAVE THE DIVER – In the Jungle Content Pack on Epic Games Store will be receiving Dave the Diver Outfit and Dave’s Oxygen Tank Backbling in-game cosmetics in Fornite, which can be used starting June 25 5PM PT / 8PM ET.
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For news and updates, follow Mintrocket on X (formerly Twitter) and join the community on Discord.
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About MINTROCKET:
MINTROCKET is a South Korea–based game studio dedicated to delivering fun, memorable interactive experiences. Guided by a passion for creativity across genres, the studio strives to contribute to a world where new, imaginative games can coexist. MINTROCKET believes that great games are defined by the players themselves, a philosophy reflected in the global success of the hybrid marine adventure with a sushi twist, Dave the Diver. With a focus on engaging gameplay and immersive worlds, MINTROCKET continues to develop unique, inspiring titles that resonate with gamers everywhere.
