'Dave the Diver' tops 10 million in a Korean first

By Kim Dong-young Posted : September 9, 2026, 10:47 Updated : September 9, 2026, 10:50
Commemorative image made by Mintrocket for celebrating 10 million Dave the Diver sales/ Courtesy of Nexon
 
SEOUL, September 09 (AJP) - South Korean studio Mintrocket said that its diving-and-sushi adventure "Dave the Diver" has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, the first domestic single-player packaged game to cross that mark.

The milestone announced Tuesday comes as Korean developers, long dominant in free-to-play online titles, increasingly bet on premium single-purchase games for console and PC.

"Dave the Diver," released in full in mid-2023, casts players as a diver who harvests marine life by day and runs a sushi restaurant by night, blending exploration, collection and management.

Sales have kept climbing three years after launch on the strength of new content, platform expansion and outside collaborations, Mintrocket said, evidence that the title has matured into a durable franchise rather than a one-off hit.

The game debuted on PC before reaching PlayStation, Nintendo Switch and Xbox, and a mobile version launches globally on Apple's App Store and Google Play on Sept. 17.

The "In the Jungle" downloadable content released in June sold about 1 million copies in roughly two months, while cameo appearances in "Fortnite" and franchise collaborations with China's KFC and Sushiro have widened the game's reach.

The success arrives amid a broader shift that has drawn government notice, following Pearl Abyss's "Crimson Desert," which sold 5 million copies within 26 days of its March release, and earlier console breakthroughs from Neowiz's "Lies of P" and Shift Up's "Stellar Blade."

Nexon, Mintrocket's parent, has separately leaned into single-player development with titles including "The First Berserker: Khazan."

AJP Takeaways

- Mintrocket, a Nexon studio, said on Sept. 8, 2026, that "Dave the Diver" has sold more than 10 million copies worldwide, the first South Korean single-player packaged game to reach that level.

- The game's "In the Jungle" expansion sold about 1 million copies in roughly two months after its June 2026 release, and a global mobile version arrives Sept. 17, 2026.

- The milestone reinforces a Korean industry pivot toward premium console and PC games, alongside Pearl Abyss's "Crimson Desert," which sold 5 million copies within 26 days of its March 2026 launch.

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