Nintendo Switch Ports of Dispatch Launch with Censored Content: Official Statements Clarify Policy
When Dispatch, the narrative-driven title developed by AdHoc Studio, arrived on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2 earlier this week, fans quickly noticed that the game was only available in a censored version.
This decision drew immediate attention, especially in light of other mature-rated titles found on Nintendo's hardware, such as CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077, which has released with regional content adjustments in the past.
The situation became more complex as both the developer and Nintendo issued statements regarding the game's altered content, offering some clarification but leaving certain questions unanswered. Background: Dispatch and Nintendo’s Evolving Content Guidelines Published and developed by AdHoc, Dispatch brings intense storytelling to the Nintendo Switch family of systems, expanding its reach to new audiences through the Nintendo eShop.
The surprise, however, was not the game's release, but its censored content across the Switch platforms.
Players familiar with Nintendo’s maturation over recent years, notably in allowing games with M and CERO Z ratings, questioned the necessity behind Dispatch's restricted version as compared to the flexible content policies that allowed other mature titles, such as Cyberpunk 2077, to launch with selective, region-specific edits. Official Statements on Dispatch Censorship In response to inquiries from GoNintendo regarding the censorship, Nintendo provided a measured statement: "Nintendo requires all games on its platforms to receive ratings from independent organizations and to meet our established content and platform guidelines.
While we inform partners when their titles don’t meet our guidelines, Nintendo does not make changes to partner content.
We also do not discuss specific content or the criteria used in making these determinations." This response emphasizes Nintendo’s long-standing policy that content decisions are ultimately the responsibility of the game's developers and publishers.
Nintendo noted that while it communicates with partners if a submission does not meet platform standards, final content changes are left to the discretion of the developer.
The company reiterated its noninvolvement in directly modifying game content, nor did it provide details on the specific guidelines that may have influenced the decision in Dispatch’s case. Regional Release Complexities: Dispatch, Cyberpunk 2077, and Content Versions The reasoning behind the across-the-board censorship in Dispatch’s Switch and Switch 2 releases appears to stem from the logistical realities facing smaller studios.
Unlike larger developers like CD Projekt Red, which created separate versions of Cyberpunk 2077 to accommodate varying regional standards—such as an M-rated edition for the US and a more heavily censored CERO Z edition for Japan—AdHoc opted to launch a single, universally approved build of Dispatch across both the US and Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop. Community reports on Reddit further highlighted that the Japanese PlayStation 5 release of Dispatch, which launched simultaneously with the Switch ports, was subject to similar content modifications.
This suggests that AdHoc’s approach was to deliver a single version that cleared all regional guidelines, rather than developing unique editions for each market. Looking Ahead At present, AdHoc has not publicly committed to releasing an uncensored version of Dispatch for specific regions, and neither Nintendo nor the developer has confirmed plans to revisit the content decisions.
The case of Dispatch illustrates the complex interplay between platform policies, independent ratings boards, and the operational limits developers face when publishing across global digital storefronts like the Nintendo eShop. For more information and updates on content guidelines affecting Nintendo Switch game releases, stay tuned to our ongoing coverage.
This decision drew immediate attention, especially in light of other mature-rated titles found on Nintendo's hardware, such as CD Projekt Red’s Cyberpunk 2077, which has released with regional content adjustments in the past.
The situation became more complex as both the developer and Nintendo issued statements regarding the game's altered content, offering some clarification but leaving certain questions unanswered. Background: Dispatch and Nintendo’s Evolving Content Guidelines Published and developed by AdHoc, Dispatch brings intense storytelling to the Nintendo Switch family of systems, expanding its reach to new audiences through the Nintendo eShop.
The surprise, however, was not the game's release, but its censored content across the Switch platforms.
Players familiar with Nintendo’s maturation over recent years, notably in allowing games with M and CERO Z ratings, questioned the necessity behind Dispatch's restricted version as compared to the flexible content policies that allowed other mature titles, such as Cyberpunk 2077, to launch with selective, region-specific edits. Official Statements on Dispatch Censorship In response to inquiries from GoNintendo regarding the censorship, Nintendo provided a measured statement: "Nintendo requires all games on its platforms to receive ratings from independent organizations and to meet our established content and platform guidelines.
While we inform partners when their titles don’t meet our guidelines, Nintendo does not make changes to partner content.
We also do not discuss specific content or the criteria used in making these determinations." This response emphasizes Nintendo’s long-standing policy that content decisions are ultimately the responsibility of the game's developers and publishers.
Nintendo noted that while it communicates with partners if a submission does not meet platform standards, final content changes are left to the discretion of the developer.
The company reiterated its noninvolvement in directly modifying game content, nor did it provide details on the specific guidelines that may have influenced the decision in Dispatch’s case. Regional Release Complexities: Dispatch, Cyberpunk 2077, and Content Versions The reasoning behind the across-the-board censorship in Dispatch’s Switch and Switch 2 releases appears to stem from the logistical realities facing smaller studios.
Unlike larger developers like CD Projekt Red, which created separate versions of Cyberpunk 2077 to accommodate varying regional standards—such as an M-rated edition for the US and a more heavily censored CERO Z edition for Japan—AdHoc opted to launch a single, universally approved build of Dispatch across both the US and Japanese Nintendo Switch eShop. Community reports on Reddit further highlighted that the Japanese PlayStation 5 release of Dispatch, which launched simultaneously with the Switch ports, was subject to similar content modifications.
This suggests that AdHoc’s approach was to deliver a single version that cleared all regional guidelines, rather than developing unique editions for each market. Looking Ahead At present, AdHoc has not publicly committed to releasing an uncensored version of Dispatch for specific regions, and neither Nintendo nor the developer has confirmed plans to revisit the content decisions.
The case of Dispatch illustrates the complex interplay between platform policies, independent ratings boards, and the operational limits developers face when publishing across global digital storefronts like the Nintendo eShop. For more information and updates on content guidelines affecting Nintendo Switch game releases, stay tuned to our ongoing coverage.
