A brand-new gameplay trailer offers a deeper look at the game ahead of launch
Montpellier, France – June 1, 2026. Independent French studio Drop Rate Studio and French publisher Dear Villagers, have announced during the Midsummer Night’s Scream and the AG French Direct that 2D Lovecraftian underwater roguelite DIVE or DIE – Children of Rain will release on July 21st, 2026 on PC (Steam, Epic Games Store). A new trailer showcasing gameplay has just premiered for the occasion.
Years of the eerie “Black Rain” drowned the entire world, and few survivors remain. A race against time has started, as the Rainmaker, an Eldritch Divinity, has given humanity one final choice: recover its sacred idols hidden deep within the “Abyssal Pool” in under 40 days, or face extinction in the final Flood.
Players will lead a desperate camp of survivors clinging to the last remnants of land. To succeed, they will balance brutal realities: managing their fragile camp on the surface and making deadly descents into the Abyssal Pool below. Every dive is a gamble against dwindling oxygen, physical injury, and creeping madness as otherworldly horrors lurk in the darkness.
On the surface, players will rebuild infrastructure, assign survivors to vital roles, and upgrade diving gear. Each decision is a trade-off between immediate survival and long-term preparation. Below, prudence and efficiency are required to navigate among the ever-somber depths and its dwellers, while hoping to return to the surface with much-needed resources and live to dive another day.
A demo is available on Steam for players who wish to dip their toes into DIVE or DIE – Children of Rain right away.
Dear Villagers is currently running its Publisher Sale on Steam, with discounts of up to 90% across the indie publisher’s entire catalogue, from June 1st to 14th.
About Drop Rate Studio
Drop Rate Studio is a French indie game development studio founded by two former industry producers. After a first successful release with Wantless, Drop Rate Studio is now working on DIVE or DIE – Children of Rain, another project true to their mantra: challenging games that reward players for their involvement.
About Dear Villagers
Based in the South of France, in sunny Montpellier, Dear Villagers is a boutique publishing label composed of a team of twenty people. Open-minded and versatile, Dear Villagers offers handcrafted marketing and production guidance. Their mission: to tell memorable stories through memorable games.
