Dispatch, the hit narrative game from AdHoc Studio (made up of former Telltale developers), has been censored on Nintendo Switch.
The episodic game was recently released on Nintendo Switch 1 & 2, and players were quick to notice some pretty obvious censorship that can’t be turned off, including black bars covering nudity. The PS5 and PC versions of the game do feature a “Visual Censorship” setting that can be toggled, mostly for streamers not looking to get banned. But the Switch versions have clear, unalterable censorship.
Shortly after release, AdHoc released a statement on the versions, saying “AdHoc Studio has 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.”
Now, Nintendo itself has shared a statement with GamesRadar, citing that the change wasn’t on its part. Here’s what it says:
“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.”
Now, you might think that’s a little goofy considering Switch 2 has games like Cyberpunk 2077, which does feature full nudity in many cases. But there might be a reason for that. As VGC explains, Nintendo eShop games are sold across different regions, and oftentimes the shop only hosts a single version of the game across multiple languages, simply changing the language based on the system settings of the console.
Japan’s CERO rating board has extremely strict guidelines when it comes to things like nudity and dismemberment, so that could be the “criteria to release” that was necessary for Dispatch. One way to get around that is to release two versions of the same game on the eShop, which Cyberpunk 2077 did. The version you purchase in the West is not the version available on the Japanese eShop; that’s a stricter CERO Z-rated version that has removed all nudity and decapitations.
Dispatch is available on PS5, PC, and Nintendo Switch 1 & 2.
It’s great to see Nintendo addressing important issues like censorship. The conversation around creative freedom in gaming is crucial, and it’s nice to see developers and platforms taking a stand. Looking forward to more updates on how this unfolds!
I completely agree! It’s encouraging when companies take a stand on such significant topics. It also highlights how the gaming industry can influence broader discussions about creative freedom and expression.
adds an interesting layer to the gaming experience, as players can engage with narratives that challenge societal norms. It’s great to see developers prioritizing storytelling that resonates with real-world issues.
I completely agree! The narrative depth really enhances player engagement. It’s fascinating how censorship can shape storytelling in games, prompting players to consider the implications of narrative choices and the broader context of freedom in gaming.