After Cyberpunk 2077 came to Switch 2 uncensored, Dispatch dev thought it “would be allowed to do the same” and is now “working with Nintendo on a path forward”
After Cyberpunk 2077 came to Switch 2 uncensored, Dispatch dev thought it “would be allowed to do the same” and is now “working with Nintendo on a path forward”
by Turbostrider27
40 Comments
Admirable-War-7594
I think everyone thought dispatch would also be allowed to do the same
Zoombini22
Even Nintendo is saying they’re allowed. Really weird situation where nobody is owning up.
s0_Ca5H
Except it didn’t. Cyberpunk *is* censored in Japan. The Dispatch devs don’t feel like making a jp/na version split, got called out, and are now backpedaling.
Herb-Alpert
This whole story is weird and dumb. I was considering buying this game but now I’ll wait for a patch.
mist3rdragon
If the speculation that this is a Japanese rating board issue is correct, surely the easiest solution at this point is to just list the uncensored version as free DLC and just don’t release it in Japan?
PetesMgeets
So what is the PlayStation version like? I assume it’s uncensored, and I assume it’s available in the Japanese store. So how does that work?
Chrono-Syth
CERO, that is the rating system AdHoc is talking about. They submitted that copy for the ESRB.
Had they submitted the original PS5 copy to the ESRB it would have been rated M and allowed.
This is proven not just through Cyberpunk and The Witcher 3, but by the fact that Nintendo has allowed nudity in the hentai puzzle games, and other games such as 20 ladies, while Playstation did not allow it.
None of what Adhoc says makes sense unless it is talking about Nintendo Japan and the CERO rating system.
CERO would have given the game an Adult rating which would only allow Adult shops in Japan supply the game and make it harder to find on the Japan shop.
skylu1991
It is really this hard to understand?
Cyberpunk literally HAS a censored(!) version for the Japanese market…
Don’t fault Nintendo for ArHoc not being able or willing to to the pretty standard NA/JP version split!
travisindeed1
I got a refund. Honestly, idk if I will even purchase when/if they patch it.. some proactive transparency would’ve been the move here. The game is rated M… so treat us like adults, please.
JimmyJackJericho
Adhoc is only back pedaling cause of all the refunds, they got lazy and only did one version then got caught
Island_Monkey86
Happy to hold off a little longer. Really wanted this on the switch.
This would be my biggest disappointment with the switch 2 if a game was so heavily censored.
anirakdream
At this stage, it almost feels like malicious compliance where someone in the studio has a personal vendetta against Nintendo and did what they could to paint them in a bad light by releasing a bizarre censored version of the game nobody asked for.
Their subsequent media statements and lack of accountability don’t lineup with the facts and I am glad the tide is turning against them.
Xentonian
Dispatch shat the bed on this one and they know it.
Cyberpunk has a censored Japanese versions and an uncensored rest-of-world version. They complied with Japanese laws and watchdogs.
Dispatch did not.
But that WOULD have been fine, if they were honest about it.
If they said “We have elected to censor the switch edition of Dispatch due to local laws and a lack of resources to create multiple switch versions, particularly as each version must be independently approved by Nintendo”, then it would have pissed off all 12 people who care about playing the uncensored version on the switch and nobody else would care.
But instead, they buried the lede, let people think it was Nintendo’s fault, then remained mum on the issue until after Nintendo made a public statement that basically threw them to the dogs.
pathosOnReddit
The issue seems to be the mountain of red tape in Japan surrounding anything even mildly pornographic. While 2077 was quite explicite and crass in how it showed the existance of nudity, sex, sexual acts and paraphernalia in the game world, it never was outright pornographic. And even then it had a censored version in Japan to avoid said red tape.
This is absolutely on the devs for not doing their due diligence and being lazy about compliance.
SuddenlyThirsty
Good cause I am grown adult who will not buy until it offers me the same as I can get on other consoles. I don’t want people telling me what I can and cannot play in a game where it’s available on that same game on a different system.
NuMotiv
I was interested in the game. Now I’ll pass.
yuhanz
What an idiotic decision.
Couldve sold lots of copies but fumbled for being lazy lmaoooo
DoctorJekkyl
I want to play this game after hearing about it on Kinda Funny and I was holding out for the Switch 2 version. I am not purchasing the game until they have an uncensored version on Switch. Kinda that simple; they want my money, gimme the full game experience.
acewing905
A bunch of people really don’t want to admit that the censorship really might be due to Nintendo’s policies, huh. Nintendo is somehow one of those companies that its fans want to vehemently defend no matter what they do
CannonBeetle
Kinda unrelated but kinda lame Japan has such strict censorship laws for game content in general that this was an issue for games like Cyberpunk and whatnot
roccerfeller
I hope they work it out. This is a game that id buy otherwise
kaminari1
My issue isn’t that it was censored. It’s that AdHoc chose to mislead people about it with very vague statements/disclaimer on the eshop.
TheDLBinc
Nintendo’s statement was essentially “as long as the ESRB or whatever ratings board in the country you’re releasing it in approves it, we have no issues with it being on the eShop” which is pretty much the policy of all of the console stores.
This definitely still feels like them trying to save face for their own cost cutting. If they really wanted to inform customers that they were getting a censored version, they should have said so in their press releases before the game came out
Interesting-Season-8
greedy publishers dont want to “waste’ money releasing a censored version for a few markets so they censor everything for everyone to make it cheaper…
dumbarses
sirbosssk
I think the speculation that they didn’t want to package separate binaries for different regions and are now backpedaling is probably correct. In which case, it would be nice if they would stop bullshitting us and own up. I got my refund, and at this point I’m not going to bother rebuying if they get it “fixed”. I have plenty of other games to play that I don’t need to bother with these liars.
PsychologicalEbb3140
If they thought the censorship policy was stupid, which I’m assuming is likely what happened? Why didn’t they just protest it by not allowing the game to be released in Japan?
Peculiar-Wizard808
This story makes no sense. And I don’t understand why Nintendo didn’t clarify that they could’ve made an uncensored version in other countries. I guess to not sound like a complete dick?
Wonder_Weenis
I thought censorship on Nintendo games was dead?
lelz There’s actively furry sex games on the front page of the Switch 2 store.
enslavelolis
This just screams they wanted controversy, blame Nintendo for it and then get extra sales that way.
AMonitorDarkly
AdHoc still deliberately tried to conceal the censorship. Too little, too late.
PowerfulRevolution12
You gotta be a weird Reddit virgin to be upset about this
jbowdach
Too little too late, got a refund
nervouspolygon
AdHoc was allowed to do the same, but they didn’t, who knows why.
They should definitely release a patch.
koteshima2nd
Good. So there is hope.
Have_A_Jelly_Baby
Fascinating how the land of hentai and tentacle porn is also as conservative as 1950s America about nudity.
notthatguypal6900
Again, an Asian company told a Western dev to censor their art and now that they got caught with the double standard, are back tracking.
navidee
I don’t understand this though…they clearly released two versions of the PS5 version to accommodate CERO, why would it be different for Switch?
Hexatona
To a certain extent, I can understand not wanting to have two versions.
There are costs associated with getting a game approved. AFAIK, you’d need different labels, and builds, that bit is obvious. But you also have to pay a pretty penny to have Nintendo test/verify your game, probably also get both versions rated, etc…
And then, any time you have a patch, you’ve got to do it all again. By having two versions, you’ve just at least doubled your publishing costs.
Putting a game on a cartridge like a switch game probably REALLY cuts into profits. (Is there a physical version? I actually don’t remember). So, margins are likely already thin on the switch. It’s unfortunate, and I think not having two versions was the wrong decision in the long run, but I do understand it.
BigDaelito
So many stories this a mess. I think the more believable one is because of not wanting to submit two versions of the game sounds more believable. Again it all sucks but why are we doing censorship on media on 2026. Lets creators do their thing.
Steve_Cage
They shouldn’t have released it at all for Switch 2. If a storefront tells you to censor your game tell them to f off.
40 Comments
I think everyone thought dispatch would also be allowed to do the same
Even Nintendo is saying they’re allowed. Really weird situation where nobody is owning up.
Except it didn’t. Cyberpunk *is* censored in Japan. The Dispatch devs don’t feel like making a jp/na version split, got called out, and are now backpedaling.
This whole story is weird and dumb. I was considering buying this game but now I’ll wait for a patch.
If the speculation that this is a Japanese rating board issue is correct, surely the easiest solution at this point is to just list the uncensored version as free DLC and just don’t release it in Japan?
So what is the PlayStation version like? I assume it’s uncensored, and I assume it’s available in the Japanese store. So how does that work?
CERO, that is the rating system AdHoc is talking about. They submitted that copy for the ESRB.
Had they submitted the original PS5 copy to the ESRB it would have been rated M and allowed.
This is proven not just through Cyberpunk and The Witcher 3, but by the fact that Nintendo has allowed nudity in the hentai puzzle games, and other games such as 20 ladies, while Playstation did not allow it.
None of what Adhoc says makes sense unless it is talking about Nintendo Japan and the CERO rating system.
CERO would have given the game an Adult rating which would only allow Adult shops in Japan supply the game and make it harder to find on the Japan shop.
It is really this hard to understand?
Cyberpunk literally HAS a censored(!) version for the Japanese market…
Don’t fault Nintendo for ArHoc not being able or willing to to the pretty standard NA/JP version split!
I got a refund. Honestly, idk if I will even purchase when/if they patch it.. some proactive transparency would’ve been the move here. The game is rated M… so treat us like adults, please.
Adhoc is only back pedaling cause of all the refunds, they got lazy and only did one version then got caught
Happy to hold off a little longer. Really wanted this on the switch.
This would be my biggest disappointment with the switch 2 if a game was so heavily censored.
At this stage, it almost feels like malicious compliance where someone in the studio has a personal vendetta against Nintendo and did what they could to paint them in a bad light by releasing a bizarre censored version of the game nobody asked for.
Their subsequent media statements and lack of accountability don’t lineup with the facts and I am glad the tide is turning against them.
Dispatch shat the bed on this one and they know it.
Cyberpunk has a censored Japanese versions and an uncensored rest-of-world version. They complied with Japanese laws and watchdogs.
Dispatch did not.
But that WOULD have been fine, if they were honest about it.
If they said “We have elected to censor the switch edition of Dispatch due to local laws and a lack of resources to create multiple switch versions, particularly as each version must be independently approved by Nintendo”, then it would have pissed off all 12 people who care about playing the uncensored version on the switch and nobody else would care.
But instead, they buried the lede, let people think it was Nintendo’s fault, then remained mum on the issue until after Nintendo made a public statement that basically threw them to the dogs.
The issue seems to be the mountain of red tape in Japan surrounding anything even mildly pornographic. While 2077 was quite explicite and crass in how it showed the existance of nudity, sex, sexual acts and paraphernalia in the game world, it never was outright pornographic. And even then it had a censored version in Japan to avoid said red tape.
This is absolutely on the devs for not doing their due diligence and being lazy about compliance.
Good cause I am grown adult who will not buy until it offers me the same as I can get on other consoles. I don’t want people telling me what I can and cannot play in a game where it’s available on that same game on a different system.
I was interested in the game. Now I’ll pass.
What an idiotic decision.
Couldve sold lots of copies but fumbled for being lazy lmaoooo
I want to play this game after hearing about it on Kinda Funny and I was holding out for the Switch 2 version. I am not purchasing the game until they have an uncensored version on Switch. Kinda that simple; they want my money, gimme the full game experience.
A bunch of people really don’t want to admit that the censorship really might be due to Nintendo’s policies, huh. Nintendo is somehow one of those companies that its fans want to vehemently defend no matter what they do
Kinda unrelated but kinda lame Japan has such strict censorship laws for game content in general that this was an issue for games like Cyberpunk and whatnot
I hope they work it out. This is a game that id buy otherwise
My issue isn’t that it was censored. It’s that AdHoc chose to mislead people about it with very vague statements/disclaimer on the eshop.
Nintendo’s statement was essentially “as long as the ESRB or whatever ratings board in the country you’re releasing it in approves it, we have no issues with it being on the eShop” which is pretty much the policy of all of the console stores.
This definitely still feels like them trying to save face for their own cost cutting. If they really wanted to inform customers that they were getting a censored version, they should have said so in their press releases before the game came out
greedy publishers dont want to “waste’ money releasing a censored version for a few markets so they censor everything for everyone to make it cheaper…
dumbarses
I think the speculation that they didn’t want to package separate binaries for different regions and are now backpedaling is probably correct. In which case, it would be nice if they would stop bullshitting us and own up. I got my refund, and at this point I’m not going to bother rebuying if they get it “fixed”. I have plenty of other games to play that I don’t need to bother with these liars.
If they thought the censorship policy was stupid, which I’m assuming is likely what happened? Why didn’t they just protest it by not allowing the game to be released in Japan?
This story makes no sense. And I don’t understand why Nintendo didn’t clarify that they could’ve made an uncensored version in other countries. I guess to not sound like a complete dick?
I thought censorship on Nintendo games was dead?
lelz There’s actively furry sex games on the front page of the Switch 2 store.
This just screams they wanted controversy, blame Nintendo for it and then get extra sales that way.
AdHoc still deliberately tried to conceal the censorship. Too little, too late.
You gotta be a weird Reddit virgin to be upset about this
Too little too late, got a refund
AdHoc was allowed to do the same, but they didn’t, who knows why.
They should definitely release a patch.
Good. So there is hope.
Fascinating how the land of hentai and tentacle porn is also as conservative as 1950s America about nudity.
Again, an Asian company told a Western dev to censor their art and now that they got caught with the double standard, are back tracking.
I don’t understand this though…they clearly released two versions of the PS5 version to accommodate CERO, why would it be different for Switch?
To a certain extent, I can understand not wanting to have two versions.
There are costs associated with getting a game approved. AFAIK, you’d need different labels, and builds, that bit is obvious. But you also have to pay a pretty penny to have Nintendo test/verify your game, probably also get both versions rated, etc…
And then, any time you have a patch, you’ve got to do it all again. By having two versions, you’ve just at least doubled your publishing costs.
Putting a game on a cartridge like a switch game probably REALLY cuts into profits. (Is there a physical version? I actually don’t remember). So, margins are likely already thin on the switch. It’s unfortunate, and I think not having two versions was the wrong decision in the long run, but I do understand it.
So many stories this a mess. I think the more believable one is because of not wanting to submit two versions of the game sounds more believable. Again it all sucks but why are we doing censorship on media on 2026. Lets creators do their thing.
They shouldn’t have released it at all for Switch 2. If a storefront tells you to censor your game tell them to f off.