According to HotHardware, the controversy around the censored Nintendo Switch port of the acclaimed indie game ‘Dispatch’ has taken a new turn. Developer AdHoc Studio initially stated it worked with Nintendo to modify content for the platform, but a recent statement from Nintendo to GoNintendo directly contradicts that narrative. Nintendo claims it only requires games to meet independent ratings and its guidelines, but insists it “does not make changes to partner content.” This puts the responsibility for the altered character designs and scenes squarely back on AdHoc Studio. The situation is confusing because many other M-rated games with mature content are available uncensored on the Switch.
Nintendo Says “Not It”
Here’s the thing: Nintendo’s statement is pretty definitive. They don’t edit games. They just set the rules and tell you if you’re breaking them. It’s then up to the developer to decide how to fix it—or not release the game at all. So when AdHoc said they “worked with Nintendo,” it probably meant Nintendo flagged the content, and AdHoc chose to make the cuts to get the game approved. That’s a big difference. It shifts this from a story about a heavy-handed platform holder to one about a developer’s specific choices for this specific port.
The Real Culprit? CERO
But why would AdHoc censor the game globally? That’s the weird part. Look at games like Cyberpunk 2077 or the Doom reboots. They’re bloody and mature on Switch in North America and Europe. The answer, almost certainly, is Japan’s CERO rating board. It’s famously strict. For those other big titles, the publishers went to the trouble and expense of creating separate, censored builds specifically for the Japanese market. For Dispatch, it seems AdHoc Studio took a shortcut. Instead of managing two different versions, they just applied the CERO-mandated cuts to the game everywhere. Basically, they made one globally compliant version to save time or money, and now players outside Japan are stuck with it.
A Self-Inflicted PR Problem
And that’s a pretty significant misstep. The studio‘s initial vague statement made Nintendo the villain, which is an easy narrative that gets clicks. Now the truth comes out, and it makes the developer look either lazy or disingenuous. They had no issue navigating this for other platforms, so why drop the ball on Switch? The backlash is entirely on them now. I think they underestimated how passionate their audience is about preservation of the original artistic vision, especially for a narrative-driven game like Dispatch.
The Broader Context of Content
So, what’s the takeaway? Nintendo’s platform isn’t the sanitized, kid-only zone its reputation sometimes suggests. The library proves otherwise. This incident is less about Nintendo’s policies and more about the complex, costly logistics of global game distribution. When you’re dealing with different regional standards, you have to commit to the work of managing multiple builds if you want to serve each market appropriately. AdHoc didn’t, and players are rightfully annoyed. Hopefully, they’ll patch in the uncensored content for regions where it’s allowed. Because really, if I can play the full version of Cyberpunk on my Switch, I should be able to play the full version of Dispatch too.
