Dave the Diver heads to China where players will be first to get their hands on mobile version

• Dave the Diver from developer Mintrocket is set to launch in China
• The territory will be the first to get their hands on the new mobile version, alongside a PC release
• Collaborations are also planned for the launch with restaurant chains KFC and Sushiro

With its mixture of deep-sea diving adventure and sushi restaurant-management simulation, Dave the Diver has been a major hit. And with its hotly anticipated global launch right around the corner, the first lucky customers to get their hands on Dave the Diver for mobile will be those in China!

That's because Dave the Diver will not only arrive for PC in China on February 6th but also become available for mobile ahead of the rest of the world. Chinese players will be the first to experience the newly optimised version of Mintrocket's pseudo-indie hit for smartphones ahead of its expected global release this year.

Dave the Diver sees you step into the shoes of the titular deep-sea explorer when he's contracted to help old friend Bancho and his sushi restaurant. Exploring the Blue Hole, reputed to contain every kind of sea life in one place, you'll find both tasty ingredients for sushi and possibly an even deeper mystery to unravel.

Diving in

The Chinese launch of Dave the Diver is set to be a major event as well, with collaboration slated to take place with restaurant chains KFC and Sushiro. X.D. Network, meanwhile, will handle publishing duties for the country.

It's a dramatic turnaround from a few years ago, when many overseas releases never made it to China thanks to a licensing freeze, meaning foreign games often needed regulator approval. But it means that Chinese players will be the first to find out how well Dave the Diver holds up on a whole new platform, and whether it'll sink or swim.

Recognising major releases such as Dave the Diver is part and parcel of what we do here. But we always let people have their voices heard. So if you want to find out what the mobile gamers of the world thought of 2025's crop of releases, check out the 12th Annual Pocket Gamer Awards airing next Thursday!