It’s been a bit of a wild week for folks following the release of the superhero workplace comedy, Dispatch. We already talked about this in our review, but the big drama is that the "Visual Censorship" toggle is totally gone from the Nintendo versions. On PC or other consoles, you can choose how much skin or swearing you want to see. On Nintendo? It’s automatic censorship with no way to opt out.
We reached out to the developer, AdHoc Studio, earlier this week to see what was actually going on. Their response was a bit of a "corporate shrug" at first. They said:
"Different platforms have different content criteria, and submissions are evaluated individually. For our Switch release, we worked with Nintendo to adapt certain elements so Dispatch could be on their platform."
But then, GoNintendo managed to snag an official statement directly from the Big N. Nintendo basically said they don't touch the code, but they do set the rules. Here is the meat of that official statement:
Nintendo requires all games on its platforms to receive ratings from independent organizations and to meet its 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."
So, Nintendo says they don't censor games. The devs say they had to "adapt" for the platform. It's a classic case of he-said, she-said, but there’s a much bigger pictu
Why "Boring" Trade Rules Control Your Gaming Experience
You might think censorship is just about "the children," but in 2026, it is more about macroeconomics than anything else. When a studio like AdHoc wants to put a game on a
The biggest theory right now? It's all about Japan. Se
The Economics of the Single SKU
Microeconomics: Small studios have limited resources. Building, testing, and submitting separate "uncensored" and "censored" versions for different regions costs a fortune in man-hours and submission fees.
Supply Chains: Digital supply chains might seem infinite, but the labor required to manage different builds (SKUs) across various eShop regions can drain a small team's labor market budget.
Foreign Investment: Investors want to see growth without the risk of a game being banned in a major market like Japan or China.
If you look at the economic repercussions of failing a certification, it makes sense why a dev would choose to just bleep everything out. If they fail a CERO rating in Japan, that's a massive chunk of their potential economic growth down the drain.
The Cyberpunk 2077 Exception: Why Big Money Wins
A lot of you are asking: "Wait, if Cyberpunk 2077 is on Switch 2 with all its nudity intact, why is Dispatch being targeted?" That is where international politics and the power of foreign investment come in. CD Projekt Red is a massive entity. They had the cash to release a separate "CERO Z" version specifically for Japan that had the censorship, while keeping the Western version wild and free.
AdHoc Studio, on the other hand, is basically the spiritual successor to Telltale—they're talented, but they aren't swimming in Witcher money. In the world of economics, the big players can afford to bypass international conflicts over content by creating regional silos. The smaller devs? They get squeezed by the reality of international trade efficiency.
| Game Title | Platform | Censorship Style | Reason for Change |
| Dispatch | Switch / Switch 2 | Permanent / No Toggle | Single worldwide binary for cost-saving. |
| Cyberpunk 2077 | Switch 2 | Regional SKUs | A large budget allowed for separate Japan/West builds. |
| The Witcher 3 | Switch | Regional SKUs | Regionalized content to meet strict international trade laws. |
| Resident Evil | Various | Regionalized Gore | Strict CERO guidelines on decapitations. |
Geopolitical Tensions and the Future of Content
It isn't just about nudity, either. We are seeing more and more how geopolitical tensions and international conflicts are forcing game developers to self-censor. For example, some countries have economic sanctions or very specific laws about how their history or flags are shown.
When you look at the labor market for developers in 2026, many of them are working across borders. A dev in Poland might be making a game for a publisher in Japan to be sold in America. This creates a weird international politics hurdle where the game has to be "safe" enough for everyone.
Main Points to Consider
. Nintendo doesn't technically "do" the censorship themselves; they just hand over a "failed" grade until the dev fixes it.
. Global supply chains for digital games favor a "one size fits all" approach for smaller indie titles.
. The economic impact of regional ratings can make or break a small studio's growth for the entire year.
. Economic sanctions and trade disputes occasionally bleed into which games get released where.
The Switch 2 and the "New Normal"
With the Switch 2 now out, we were all hoping for a bit more freedom. The hardware is more powerful, and the macroeconomics of the console market are shifting. But as long as international trade requires these games to pass through rigid regional gatekeepers, we're going to keep seeing these "boring" versions of edgy games.
AdHoc Studio has said they are "working with Nintendo on a path forward" and are "confident" they can push an update to fix some of it. But don't expect a 100% uncensored physical version anytime soon—they've already said there's "no possibility" for that due to the costs involved. It's a tough lesson in the microeconomics of indie publishing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Nintendo the one who actually puts the black boxes in Dispatch?
No. According to their statement, they just tell the developer if the game meets their guidelines. The developer (AdHoc) had to actually go into the code and add the censorship to get the game approved for the eShop.
Why can't I just buy the game from a different region's eShop?
Because AdHoc used a "singular worldwide release" strategy, the version you buy in the US is the same file as the one in Japan. Even if you switch regions, you're likely getting the same bleeps and bars.
Will this happen to all "M" rated games on Switch 2?
Not necessarily. It depends on whether the studio has the budget to manage different regional versions. High foreign investment usually means more versions and less "forced" global censorship.
How do geopolitical tensions affect game development?
Geopolitical tensions can lead to new regulations, changed international trade routes, or even economic sanctions that prevent a game from being sold in certain territories unless it follows specific cultural rules.
What is a "Single SKU"?
SKU stands for Stock Keeping Unit. A "Single SKU" release means the developer only makes one version of the game for the entire world to save on development and submission costs.
Conclusion
So, there you have it. The whole Dispatch mess is a perfect storm of small-studio economics, strict international trade rules, and the cold reality of global geopolitics. Nintendo wants to keep its "family-friendly" (or at least "regulation-friendly") image intact, and AdHoc just wanted to get its game out there without going broke.
It’s a bummer for those of us who wanted the full, unfiltered experience, but it’s a fascinating look at how macroeconomics dictates what we do in our downtime. Let's hope that the update AdHoc promised actually brings back some of the "spirit" of the game.
"Contact us via the web" if you find any more hidden censorship in your favorite Switch games!
Sources:
Libellés tags: Nintendo Switch, Dispatch Game, Switch 2, Game Censorship, AdHoc Studio, Nintendo Official Statement, International Trade, Gaming Economics 2026, Macroeconomics.
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