Nintendo Switch Dispatch Censorship Sparks Global Debate

Fans of narrative-driven games were abuzz this week as Dispatch, the acclaimed superhero adventure from AdHoc Studio, finally landed on Nintendo Switch and Switch 2. But instead of celebration, the release sparked a heated debate over censorship—leaving many players wondering just who was responsible for the changes, and why the Nintendo versions of the game were different from their counterparts on other platforms.

The controversy centers around the fact that Dispatch on Nintendo’s platforms comes with certain mature content—nudity, explicit scenes, and even some curse words—censored by default, with no option for players to disable these restrictions. This stands in stark contrast to the versions available on PC and other consoles, where the game’s adult themes remain intact (and, for some fans, are even a highlight of its tongue-in-cheek take on superhero tropes).

So why the difference? The answer, it turns out, is more complicated than a simple case of Nintendo being squeamish about mature content. According to a statement released by Nintendo on January 30, 2026, and shared with outlets like GoNintendo and IGN, the company clarified its role in the process: "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 statement was echoed by AdHoc Studio, the game’s developer, which acknowledged in a press release and on Discord that they had to make changes for the Nintendo release. "Different platforms have different content criteria, and submissions are evaluated individually," the studio said, adding, "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."

But what exactly was censored? According to reporting from Eurogamer and NintendoLife, explicit scenes such as the character Toxic’s full appendage and a late-game sex scene were removed or altered for Switch players. Even a lighthearted gag involving a character’s exposed areola—a playful jab at superhero costume design—didn’t make the cut. The game’s profanity, however, survived the transition, so players can still expect the occasional swear word to slip through.

For many fans, the situation is especially puzzling given Nintendo’s recent history. The Switch and Switch 2 eShops are hardly strangers to suggestive content—games like Doom 2016, Doom Eternal, and Cyberpunk 2077 have all arrived on Nintendo’s platforms with their M-rated content largely intact. Even older Nintendo consoles have hosted uncensored mature games, from No More Heroes on the Wii to Resident Evil 4 on the GameCube and Conker's Bad Fur Day on the Nintendo 64.

So why single out Dispatch? The answer, as several outlets including VGC and Wccftech have pointed out, seems to lie in the world of international content ratings. While North American and European boards like the ESRB and PEGI are relatively permissive, Japan’s CERO rating board is known for its stricter standards—especially when it comes to nudity and graphic violence. In fact, even Cyberpunk 2077 was censored in its Japanese release, with a special version created to comply with CERO’s rules.

Unlike some larger studios, AdHoc Studio is a smaller indie developer. As they explained in their Discord statement, creating and submitting separate versions of Dispatch for different regions would have required more time and resources than they could spare. Instead, they opted for a single, globally compliant version for Nintendo platforms—which meant applying CERO’s stricter standards to all regions, not just Japan. "Honestly we thought this would be obvious since we’re the devs that released the fully uncensored version of the game on other platforms," AdHoc wrote. "We initially assumed, like some of you, that because games like Witcher 3 and Cyberpunk are on the platform with similar types of uncensored mature content, Dispatch would be allowed to do the same. During the porting process it became clear that was not the case."

The developer also admitted to a misstep in how they communicated these changes to players. The disclaimer about censorship was initially placed in a less visible spot on the Nintendo eShop store page—making it look, as AdHoc put it, "like we were trying to hide it." This was quickly corrected after launch, with a more prominent warning added for would-be buyers. "This is 100% our mistake and it was fixed in the Americas store pages a few hours after launch to give more visibility. We’ve also added a disclaimer before purchase," the statement read.

Despite the backlash, there’s a glimmer of hope for fans who want the full, uncensored experience on Nintendo hardware. AdHoc Studio has announced that they’re already working with Nintendo on an update that could restore at least some of the censored content. However, they caution that this process will likely take weeks, not days, due to the development and console submission process. "While we can’t make any specific promises just yet, we’re confident we’ll be able to push an update to address at least some of the censored content," the studio said. "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. Lots of lessons learned here."

For now, the uncensored version of Dispatch remains available on other platforms, where the game’s blend of mature storytelling and quirky humor has won it critical acclaim. With over 3 million copies sold in 2025, a string of industry award nominations, and a star turn from Aaron Paul as the game’s Iron Man-like lead, Dispatch has proven itself as one of the standout adventure games of recent years.

As the debate over censorship, platform guidelines, and regional ratings continues, one thing is clear: the story of Dispatch on Nintendo Switch is far from over. Players and developers alike are watching closely to see whether future updates will bring the game’s original vision back to life on Nintendo’s consoles—or whether this episode will serve as a cautionary tale for other studios navigating the complex world of global game releases.