Nintendo Switch versions of Dispatch launch with mandatory censorship

GAMING NEWS Rine Ikarus - 4 hours ago

AdHoc Studio’s breakout hit Dispatch has made its debut on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2—but not without a wave of criticism from fans. The stylish superhero narrative adventure, praised for its humor, sharp writing, and branching storylines, arrives on Nintendo platforms with enforced censorship that players cannot disable, marking a notable difference from its releases on PlayStation and PC.

Dispatch originally launched episodically in 2025 and quickly became one of the year’s biggest surprises, selling over three million copies across its first months. Its mature themes—including brief nudity, exposed body parts, and occasional vulgar gestures—were part of the game’s comedic tone and character interactions, and in previous versions, players had the option to turn on a censorship filter that adds black bars to cover these moments.

On Switch and Switch 2, however, this setting is locked on. Scenes involving visual gags—such as a moment where superhero Blonde Blazer’s wardrobe malfunction prompts humorous dialogue choices—now feature large black bars that can obscure the subtlety of the original writing. Fans argue this affects comedic timing and slightly diminishes character expression in key narrative beats.

AdHoc Studio Says Story Remains Intact Despite Edits

AdHoc Studio confirmed the mandatory censorship in a statement to Eurogamer, noting that platform content criteria were the deciding factor. While they didn’t name specifics, the studio emphasized that “the core narrative and gameplay experience remains identical to the original release.”

Many players suspect that Japan’s ratings board, CERO—known for strict policies around nudity and dismemberment—may be the root cause. Because Nintendo often distributes a single unified digital version across its global eShops, a game restricted by CERO may need to remain censored worldwide unless separate region-specific releases are created. Independent studios like AdHoc typically avoid this route to reduce costs and streamline patching.

Whether the censorship impacts your enjoyment or not, the debate has reignited discussion about Nintendo’s inconsistent content policies and how global storefronts complicate age-rating standards. The studio has not ruled out providing further clarification, but for now, players will need to accept the censored Switch versions as they are.

Despite the controversy, Dispatch’s arrival on Switch 2 is expected to boost its already impressive sales. And if you’re planning to pick up the game, you can use our price comparator to find the best deal on Dispatch across platforms, making it easier to choose where you want to experience the story in full.