Summary
The Game Awards host Geoff Keighley has recently talked about the nomination ofDave the Diverfor 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 aboutDave the Diverbeing nominated for Best Indie Game at The Game Awards, and the debate is far from over.
Dave the Diveris a single-player adventure RPG about fishing and preparing sushi that was released in June. WhileDave The Diverreceived glowing reviewsand 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.
Now, Geoff Keighley talked more about the decision to includeDave the Diverin 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 thanDave the Diver. The host seesDave the Diveras “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, asDave the Divermay win Best Independent Game at The Game Awards, where it’s competing againstCocoon,Dredge,Sea of Stars, andViewfinder.
In the same video, Keighley also took some time to explainchanges 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 whenElden Ringwon the GOTY award.
Dave the Diver
WHERE TO PLAY
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!
