Summary

  • The inclusion of Dave the Diver in the Best Independent Game category at The Game Awards has sparked debate due to its association with a larger publisher.
  • Geoff Keighley believes that the term "indie" is broad and can be interpreted differently by different people in terms of budget, financing, team size, and independent spirit.
  • Despite being developed by a studio belonging to a big publisher, Keighley sees Dave the Diver as "Indie in spirit" due to its small size and budget, but the debate is ongoing.

The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley has recently talked about the nomination of Dave the Diver for Best Independent Game at The Game Awards, explaining that he believes indie is a broad term, and it’s up to the industry to define it. Many gamers have complained about Dave the Diver being nominated for Best Indie Game at The Game Awards, and the debate is far from over.

Dave the Diver is a single-player adventure RPG about fishing and preparing sushi that was released in June. While Dave The Diver received glowing reviews and uses a pixel art style that is very common in indie games, the title was developed by Mintrocket, a studio that belongs to Nexon, a huge South Korean publisher. So, technically, it’s not an independent game, as its studio belongs to a larger company.

Nakwon Lost Paradise player with backpack
Dave the Diver Dev Shows Off New Zombie Game

Mintrocket, the developer of one of the 2023’s highest rated titles, Dave the Diver, shares gameplay footage of its upcoming zombie survival game.

By 

Now, Geoff Keighley talked more about the decision to include Dave the Diver in the Best Independent Game category in a recent Q&A. According to Keighley, the whole idea of indie means different things to distinct people, so he considers the term to be very broad. In the video, he asked “Does independent mean the budget of the game? Does independent mean where the source of financing was? Is it based on the team size? Is it the kind of independent spirit of a game, meaning kind of a smaller game that’s different?” Keighley defended the inclusion of the game by saying that the TGA deferred to the opinion of their jury, which includes 120 media outlets, to pick the game as a contender.

Does independent mean the budget of the game? Does independent mean where the source of financing was? Is it based on the team size? Is it the kind of independent spirit of a game, meaning kind of a smaller game that’s different?

Keighley also mentioned another high-profile game of 2023, Baldur’s Gate 3, which many people consider to be indie, due to Larian Studios self-publishing the title. However, the game had a huge budget, much larger than Dave the Diver. The host sees Dave the Diver as “Indie in spirit,” considering that despite having a large publisher, it’s a small game with a relatively small budget. In any case, the debate is far from over, as Dave the Diver may win Best Independent Game at The Game Awards, where it’s competing against Cocoon, Dredge, Sea of Stars, and Viewfinder.

In the same video, Keighley also took some time to explain changes that will happen in this edition of The Game Awards. The show will move away from labeling reveals as “World Premieres,” and will have enhanced security to prevent incidents like the one that happened last year when Elden Ring won the GOTY award.

Rating block community and brand ratings Image
Dave the Diver Tag Page Cover Art

Dave the Diver
Display card tags widget
Simulation
Adventure
Display card system widget
Systems
super greyscale 8-bit logo PC-1 PlayStation-1
Display card community and brand rating widget Display card open critics widget
Top Critic Avg: 90 /100 Critics Rec: 100%
Display card main info widget
Released
June 28, 2023
ESRB
E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol, Mild Blood
Developer(s)
Mintrocket
Publisher(s)
Mintrocket
Engine
Unity
Display card main info widget end Display card media widget start Display card media widget end

WHERE TO PLAY

SUBSCRIPTION
DIGITAL
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info

Dive by day! Serve by night! The best diving, harpooning, action-adventuring, and sushi restaurant managing experience you'll ever have. DAVE THE DIVER is a casual, single-player adventure RPG featuring deep-sea exploration and fishing during the day and sushi restaurant management at night. Join Dave and his quirky friends as they seek to uncover the secrets of the mysterious Blue Hole.

Explore and unravel the mysteries in the depths of the Blue Hole by day and run a successful exotic sushi restaurant by night.

Dive into the ever-changing Blue Hole and use a harpoon and other weapons to catch fish and various creatures. Upgrade and forge equipment with collected resources and sushi restaurant profits to prepare for the dangers that lurk in the unknown. Running out of oxygen means leaving collected items and fish behind!

Genre(s)
Simulation, Adventure