Dave the Diver Director Drops Truth Bomb: 'We're Not Indie, Mate!'
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
The director of Dave the Diver officially declared that his game isn't indie, putting an end (hopefully) to a long-standing debate, but it's still a cracking game regardless of its label. So, let's all just chill out and enjoy the gaming.
Alright, so remember back in '23 when everyone lost their minds arguing whether *Dave the Diver* was actually an indie game? Yeah, good times. Turns out, the director himself, Jaeho Hwang, has finally weighed in and, well, the case is officially closed (again!).
According to an interview with 4Gamer (cheers to Automaton for the translation), Hwang straight-up said, "We did not intend for it to have an indie game feel. It's made by Nexon, so there's nothing indie about it". BOOM. Mic drop. Or, you know, flippers drop, given the whole diving thing. Nexon, for those blissfully unaware, is a *massive* company, not exactly the picture of a plucky team coding in a garage.
But what sparked this whole kerfuffle in the first place? Well, *Dave the Diver* got nominated for 'Best Independent Game' at the Geoffrey H. Video Game Awards. Which, let's be honest, threw a spanner in the works. Folks were all like, "Hang on, isn't that a Nexon game?" Fair dinkum, it's a valid point.
Hwang reckons people might've been fooled by the smaller team size and the game's unique style. He also pointed out that they didn't actually apply for the award – nominations are chosen by a panel of over 100 international media outlets. So, no sneaky applications here.
Now, I'm not here to relitigate the great indie debate of '23. We’ve all got better things to do, like, I dunno, playing *Dave the Diver* (it’s got Godzilla!). But it does highlight how blurry those lines can get. What *is* an indie game these days, anyway? Is it about funding? Team size? Sheer, unadulterated vibes?
Ultimately, does it even matter? *Dave the Diver* is a bloody good game. Genre labels are for the birds. Just enjoy the underwater antics, eh?
Tags: Dave the Diver, Indie Games, Gaming News, Nexon, Game Awards
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun