One of 2023’s Highest-Rated Games Has Reportedly Flopped on Xbox

Dave the Diver, one of the most highly rated games of 2023, has reportedly flopped on Xbox, according to a newly published third-party estimate. While the exact methodology behind the data is not fully disclosed, the conclusion is supported by one piece of circumstantial evidence that’s publicly available on the Xbox Store.

Developed by South Korean studio Mintrocket, Dave the Diver is a genre hybrid blending management sim, action-adventure, RPG, and roguelite elements. It was first released for PC in June 2023 before making its way to the Switch in October of the same year, with its PlayStation ports materializing in spring 2024. Dave the Diver received outstanding reviews at launch, as reflected in its “Mighty” rating on OpenCritic, with a mean score of 90/100 and a 100% recommendation rate. Its user reviews were comparably favorable, making Dave the Diver one of the highest-rated games of 2023 by virtually every meaningful metric.

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Dave the Diver Xbox Port Has Reportedly Flopped

A new version of Dave the Diver was shadow dropped on the latest two generations of Microsoft’s consoles earlier this month, immediately following the November 20 Xbox Partner Preview event. However, the port appears to have failed at generating any kind of early commercial momentum on Xbox. According to TrueAchievements, which tracks a representative sample of approximately 3.1 million active Xbox accounts via Game Trends, Dave the Diver debuted as only the 421st most-played Xbox title during its release week, spanning November 17 to 23.

Dave the Diver Possibly Sold Under 10,000 Copies on Xbox During Launch Week

For comparison and some added context, Final Fantasy 16 also struggled on Xbox following its belated June 2025 launch on Microsoft’s consoles. However, TrueAchievements reports that Square Enix’s port debuted as the 119th most-played game on the platform during its launch week. Separately, an Alinea Analytics official estimated that Final Fantasy 16 sold approximately 22,000 copies on the Xbox Store over the same period. Given that Dave the Diver debuted with a popularity ranking more than 3.5 times lower, it is possible the game failed to surpass 10,000 copies sold during its release week. That’s in spite of launching at a 60% more affordable price of $20, which is at the lower end of the current pricing spectrum for new Xbox games.

Given this reported underperformance, it’s unlikely that the Xbox launch significantly contributed to Dave the Diver‘s lifetime sales, which stood at 5 million as of November 2024, as per Mintrocket’s latest official update. By contrast, both the Switch and PlayStation ports were previously associated with notable sales spikes. TrueAchievements’ findings are further supported by the complete absence of Dave the Diver user reviews on the Xbox Store as of November 29. While the ratio of user reviews to sales varies wildly by genre and platform, even many niche titles with minimal sales typically attract at least some player feedback on the Xbox Store.

Dave the Diver Lifetime Sales History

Why Dave the Diver May Be Underperforming on Xbox

Several factors may have contributed to Dave the Diver underperforming on Xbox. Shadow dropping a title carries inherent risk and typically works best for well-established IPs, as demonstrated by the success of The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered earlier this year. While Dave the Diver‘s critical acclaim may have generated some interest despite zero marketing investment, its Xbox release came just one day before the more high-profile Silent Hill 2 remake appeared on the platform. Additionally, it shared its spotlight window with CloverPit and Total Chaos, both of which were also shadow dropped on not just Xbox consoles but also Xbox Game Pass on November 20.

This unfavorable market timing and lack of marketing likely contributed to Dave the Diver‘s slow start within the Microsoft gaming ecosystem. However, given the game’s strong long-tail performance on other platforms, a modest launch does not necessarily preclude it from gaining commercial momentum on Xbox in the future.

Released

June 28, 2023

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ Due To Fantasy Violence, Use of Alcohol, Mild Blood

Developer(s)

Mintrocket

Publisher(s)

Mintrocket