Developer Apologizes for Switch Censorship, Admits Disclaimer Was Too Small
â–¼ Summary
– The developer of the game “Dispatch” apologized for censoring nudity and gestures on the Nintendo Switch version, stating the changes were required to meet Nintendo’s content guidelines.
– AdHoc Studio admitted its key mistake was placing the censorship disclaimer in an obscure “Disclaimer” field on the store page instead of a more visible location, which it has since corrected.
– The developer initially assumed its game could include uncensored mature content like “The Witcher 3” or “Cyberpunk 2077” on Switch, but learned during porting that this was not permitted.
– The exact reason why “Dispatch” was censored while other games with similar content were not remains unexplained, as neither Nintendo nor AdHoc has provided further details.
– AdHoc is now working with Nintendo on a future update to address at least some of the censored content, though this process will take weeks.
A video game developer has publicly apologized after a censored version of their title launched on the Nintendo Switch, acknowledging that a crucial disclaimer about the altered content was placed poorly and difficult for players to see. The studio clarified that the censorship was a direct requirement from Nintendo to meet the platform’s content guidelines, a necessary step to release the game on the Switch at all.
Last week, players discovered that the popular superhero game Dispatch had been significantly altered for its Switch release. Large black boxes now obscure nudity, and even a character’s raised middle finger is covered. While other platforms offer an option to toggle these censors off, the Switch version enforces them by default with no way to disable the changes. This led to immediate backlash from the community, with much of the initial criticism directed at Nintendo, especially since other mature titles like The Witcher 3 are available on the platform without similar censorship.
In a detailed statement, AdHoc Studio addressed the controversy head-on. The developer explained that to secure a release on the Nintendo Switch, their game had to comply with Nintendo’s established content guidelines. Because Dispatch did not initially meet those standards, changes were mandatory. “We thought this would be obvious since we’re the devs that released the fully uncensored version of the game on other platforms,” the studio noted.
Many fans had incorrectly blamed the Japanese ratings board CERO for the alterations, pointing to other games like Cyberpunk 2077 that have separate, censored Japanese Switch versions. AdHoc admitted they shared this assumption initially. “We assumed 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,” the statement read. During the porting process, they learned this was not the case.
The core of the apology focused on the studio’s failure to properly communicate the changes to potential buyers. AdHoc stated they had requested to include a disclaimer on the Nintendo eShop page to inform customers the content differed from other platforms. The critical error was in the disclaimer’s placement. Due to an internal mix-up, the notice was put in a field literally labeled “Disclaimer” instead of the far more visible “About The Game” section.
“This is 100% our mistake,” AdHoc admitted. “It technically has been the entire time, just in the absolute worst spot that makes it look like we were trying to hide it.” The studio has since corrected the placement on the Americas storefront and added a disclaimer that appears before purchase, with other regional stores following suit.
The underlying question of why Dispatch faced censorship while other mature games did not remains unanswered. Neither Nintendo nor AdHoc has explained the discrepancy, leaving fans to speculate whether the game’s comic-book superhero aesthetic presented a different perceived risk to Nintendo than the fantasy violence of other titles.
There is, however, a potential silver lining emerging from the situation. AdHoc confirmed they are actively collaborating with Nintendo on a path forward. “We’re confident we’ll be able to push an update to address at least some of the censored content,” the studio said, cautioning that the process of development and console certification means such an update is “weeks not days” away.
The developer concluded with a direct apology to disappointed fans. “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.”
(Source: IGN)
