Dispatch'in Switch sürümünün beklenmedik bir sansürle gölgelenmesi

The release of the point-and-click superhero comedy Dispatch on Nintendo platforms was overshadowed by platform-specific differences. The excitement for fans hoping to play the episodic series on the go was replaced by campaigns against the game’s censorship. Players began returning their purchases or refraining from playing the game.

The game, created by AdHoc Studio, which reached 3 million sold copies this year, normally contains nudity and sexually explicit scenes involving its cast of ex-villains. On most platforms, AdHoc allows players to toggle this sexual content off. The newly-released Switch and Switch 2 versions automatically depict censored versions of these scenes with large black bars. There is no option to turn this setting off.

AdHoc confirmed the censorship but noted that the core narrative and gameplay experience would remain the same for Switch players.

"Different platforms have different content criteria, and submissions are evaluated individually. We worked with Nintendo to ensure the content within the title met the criteria to release on their platforms, but the core narrative and gameplay experience remains identical to the original release." — AdHoc

Earlier, EGW.news reported that the idea of cutting Dispatch scenes has been settled. According to the developers, the content players hoped to see was never made, animated, or existed in a form that could be restored. The scenes were planned but ultimately not included in the final game.

Fans did not accept this explanation. There is a lot of confusion as to why Dispatch was apparently pushed to censor its game while other big-budget games depict sexual content without similar constraints. The Switch has also seen some hentai-themed or AI-generated games hinged on sexual content. AdHoc declined to comment beyond its initial statement. Some players were unhappily stuck with a version of the game they did not want.

"Really annoyed that they chose not to mention this until release day. I pre-ordered and now it's too late to cancel and get it on a different platform."

— wrote one Dispatch fan on Reddit.

Other players reported success in returning the game to Nintendo's storefront. While AdHoc did not share numbers on the frequency of returns, social media posts describing fans' experiences getting refunds and urging others to do the same proliferated online. Unhappy fans also voiced their displeasure directly to AdHoc. Some people did not know about the censorship until they were already playing, finding that the unexpected black bars were ruining the experience. One scene in particular, where a character's nipple is slightly visible, leading to humorous dialogue choices, is affected. The large black bar covering the detail makes the situation appear less subtle.

"I stopped playing right at which is maybe like 10-20 minutes into the game."

— one fan

Since AdHoc is not expanding on the circumstances, the public is left to speculate. A popular theory suggests the decision reflects how different regions, such as Japan, have rating boards with specific criteria about nudity. Japan's ratings board, CERO, has strict censorship around nudity and dismemberment. The eShop often hosts a single game version across multiple languages that changes based on the console's system settings. This could mean the censorship was required to meet CERO's standards for a single worldwide release.

One workaround could be to release two versions of the game, as CD Projekt did with Cyberpunk 2077 on Switch 2. The western version is unavailable on the Japanese eShop, which instead offers a separate, censored version. Dispatch has sold three million copies as of early January 2026, but AdHoc is an independent developer. Juggling multiple versions of the game, each with its own costs and certification processes, might not be feasible. AdHoc has not confirmed this theory. One positive development did come from the anger: the game's Nintendo Switch store description now informs potential customers of its censorship. This may help prevent more people on Nintendo platforms from feeling misled.

Read also, as speculation about future episodes grows, discussion around Dispatch Season 2’s direction is accelerating. The first season offered two romance paths, Blonde Blazer and Invisigal, and the topic has resurfaced with more urgency as players revisit their choices.