Developer AdHoc Studio has apologized for the poor placement of a disclaimer about censored content in its game Dispatch on Nintendo Switch, insisting it was not an attempt to hide the changes. The studio acknowledged the error occurred after the game's launch on January 28, 2026, and is working with Nintendo on an update to restore some uncensored elements. Nintendo reaffirmed that all games on its platform must comply with its content guidelines.
Dispatch, a critically acclaimed title from AdHoc Studio, launched on PlayStation 5 and PC in October 2025, earning a 96% recommendation rate from critics on OpenCritic and nominations for game awards. The game quickly sold over 1 million copies in just 10 days, prompting considerations for a second season with potentially more explicit content due to fan enthusiasm.
On January 28, 2026, Dispatch arrived on Nintendo Switch, but players discovered significant censorship applied to explicit elements, including black boxes over graphics and toned-down sex noises, with no option to disable it. This led to widespread disappointment and backlash, as the changes were not clearly communicated upfront.
AdHoc Studio issued a statement on January 31, 2026, explaining that the game did not initially meet Nintendo's content guidelines, unlike titles such as The Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk 2077, which feature uncensored mature content on the platform. "Nintendo has content guidelines. Our game didn't meet those guidelines, so we made changes that would allow us to release on their platform," the studio wrote. They added a disclaimer to inform buyers of the differences but placed it in the 'Disclaimer' field on the eShop rather than the more visible 'About The Game' section, making it seem hidden.
"It was our intent to go out of our way to tell people looking to buy the game that the content was censored. Wires got crossed and we put the disclaimer in the field literally titled 'Disclaimer'... It technically has been the entire time, just in the absolute worst spot that makes it look like we were trying to hide it," AdHoc stated, taking full ownership of the mistake. The disclaimer was relocated shortly after launch in the Americas, with other regions following.
Nintendo's statement emphasized: "Nintendo requires all games on its platforms to receive ratings from independent organisations and to meet our established content and platform guidelines."
The studio is collaborating with Nintendo on a future update to address at least some censored content, though it may take several weeks due to approval processes. "To our fans who were looking forward to playing the uncensored version on Switch, we're truly sorry. People have a right to be pissed," AdHoc concluded. "Lots of lessons learned here." The core gameplay and narrative remain unchanged across platforms.
