The DREDGE crossover in Dave the Diver is one of those content packs that can feel like it is “not working” the first time you install it, because it does not immediately pop a giant quest marker on your screen. Instead, it is tied to in game progression and a specific weather condition that only appears on certain days. Once you know what the game is waiting for, though, triggering it becomes simple, and you can start hunting the creepy aberrations and meeting the crossover character right away.
What the DREDGE DLC actually is
On Steam, the crossover is distributed as the DAVE THE DIVER: DREDGE Content Pack, and it is a free DLC that requires the base game. In practice, this pack adds a spooky, fog focused loop where you can sail out at night, encounter aberrated fish, and unlock DREDGE flavored content through that system. The first time you successfully trigger it, the game introduces the concept via an encounter with the Traveling Merchant character and then the DLC becomes part of your normal rotation whenever the right conditions show up again.
Step 1: Make sure the content pack is installed and active
Before you troubleshoot anything in game, confirm the DLC is actually enabled on your platform.
- Steam: Right click the game in your library, open Properties, then DLC, and confirm the DREDGE Content Pack is checked.
- Nintendo Switch and consoles: Ensure the content pack is downloaded for your user profile and the game is fully updated.
A quick in game sanity check that many players use is looking at your save entries and verifying the DLC marker is present on new saves once the pack is active.
If you are playing on PC and the DLC page says it is in your library but nothing changes in game, a restart of the game client can help, because the DLC flag sometimes does not apply to a running session until you relaunch.
Step 2: Reach the progression point that allows the DLC to trigger
This is the part that trips people up. The DREDGE crossover does not reliably start in the very early story. Multiple community answers and guide write ups point to needing to progress far enough to unlock the Chicken Farm, after which foggy nights begin appearing and the DLC can finally trigger.
You may also see people mention needing to be somewhere around Chapter 5 or Chapter 6. The important practical takeaway is that if you are still very early and have not unlocked the Chicken Farm yet, do not expect Thick Fog days to show up. Keep playing the main story and side content until your farm systems open up, then start checking weather daily.
Step 3: Watch for the “Thick Fog” forecast on your phone
Once your save is far enough along, the actual trigger is weather based. You need a day where the forecast shows Thick Fog (sometimes people just call it “foggy weather”). This is not something you force with a menu toggle. It is an in game day state that appears periodically.
Open your phone and check the Weather app. When you see Thick Fog coming up, that is your green light. Several guides specifically call out that the DLC begins by waiting for that fog forecast rather than by talking to an NPC in town.
Personal tip from the way this system behaves in game: if you are eager to trigger it quickly, focus your next couple of days on shorter dives and restaurant nights so you can roll the calendar faster and re check weather. You are not missing anything by speeding through a few routine days to chase the fog cycle.
Step 4: Wait until nighttime on a Thick Fog day
Even if you see Thick Fog on the forecast, the crossover is primarily a night event. You generally need to reach the nighttime segment of that foggy day for the proper introduction scene to occur.
In other words, do your daytime dive as normal, run through your daytime errands, and then when night arrives on that same Thick Fog day, the game should pivot into the DREDGE setup.
Step 5: Look for the Traveling Merchant, then choose “Explore” at the boat wheel
On the first foggy night where the DLC triggers, the Traveling Merchant appears and explains the aberrated fish concept and what you are supposed to do. After that conversation, you can interact with the boat’s wheel menu and select Explore to sail around during the fog event.
This “Explore” option is easy to miss if you are expecting a traditional quest log entry. Think of it as an alternate night activity that becomes available when conditions are right, similar to how Dave the Diver often gates special content behind time of day.
What to do once you are in the DREDGE night zone
The DLC loop revolves around encountering and catching aberrated fish. These are more aggressive and visually unsettling variants, and the overall feel is closer to dangerous night diving than relaxed daytime harvesting.
A few practical strategies that tend to make the first couple of fog nights smoother:
- Treat it like a combat dive. Bring a weapon you are comfortable with and do not be shy about playing cautiously.
- Prioritize survivability over greed. It is tempting to overfill your inventory on your first DREDGE night, but getting out safely is more important than maxing profit.
- If a target is giving you trouble, reposition and reset. Many players lose time by tunneling on a single aggressive fish instead of backing off and approaching from a better angle.
After your first successful night, the DLC becomes a repeatable part of your file whenever Thick Fog returns, so you do not need to worry about “missing” it if you are not ready the first time.
Common problems and fixes if the DLC will not start
If you have installed the pack and still cannot trigger it, the cause is almost always one of these:
You are not far enough in the story yet
If you have never unlocked the Chicken Farm, keep progressing. Fog events tied to the DLC are commonly reported to start only after that point.
You are checking during the day instead of at night
Thick Fog can appear on the forecast, but the actual introduction and “Explore” selection are centered on the nighttime phase. Make sure you reach night on that fog day.
You have not actually had a Thick Fog day yet
This one sounds obvious, but it is the most frequent real world issue. People install the DLC and then play two or three in game days without ever seeing Thick Fog, assume something broke, and stop. Guides and community answers consistently point to simply waiting until that forecast appears.
The DLC is not enabled in your platform settings
Double check your Steam DLC list or your console download management. On PC, relaunching Steam and the game can help force the DLC entitlement to apply if it was added while the game was running.
How to tell you have successfully activated it
Once you have seen the Traveling Merchant on the first foggy night and you can pick Explore at the wheel during future fog events, you are good. From that point forward, Thick Fog becomes a recurring opportunity for the crossover content, and you can engage with it whenever you feel like a change of pace from standard dives and sushi nights.