Dispatch's Switch release censored; fans demand refunds and protest

Dispatch’s release on Nintendo platforms today shipped with automatically censored versions of scenes that are explicit on other systems, and players say there is no in-game option to restore the original content. AdHoc confirmed the censorship to Eurogamer, saying, “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.” Fans reacted angrily: social media campaigns urging returns, reports of successful refunds on the Switch storefront, and players choosing not to play the version they bought have proliferated online.

One fan wrote, “Really annoyed that they chose not to mention this until release day,” while another said they stopped playing within the first explicit scene after encountering large black bars. Observers are puzzled why Dispatch was censored on Switch while some other big-budget games have depicted sexual content on Nintendo platforms; VGC noted that Cyberpunk 2077 shipped two different versions in Japan, one censored.

Dispatch has sold three million copies as of early January 2026, and some analysts point out that an independent studio like AdHoc may face practical limits in producing multiple certified versions, though AdHoc has not confirmed that explanation.

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