AdHoc Studio has just delivered an excellent milestone through their game Dispatch. They have crossed the mark of 1 million copies sold since the launch of the game. This is simply beyond expectation, especially for a new intellectual property developed by a small company and falling in a pretty niche genre. The game has not even fully released and is already making records.
In case you haven’t heard so far, Dispatch is an episodic narrative game. It is being released in sections. Two episodes are released every week, at present, four are out with the last two being released soon. The gaming community is really enjoying it. The reaction from the community has been extremely positive.
You can simply check the replies under the announcement tweet. Everyone is thrilled. BlackOutEmzZ commented, “It’s a great game!” and deadeyejedi86 said, “It’s a great game.” Though these statements are very plain, they’re also quite true. When a lot of people keep reiterating a fact like that, it is very evident that the developers have done a wonderful job.
One of the gamers, justgusok2, mentioned that he purchased it the day before and was already on episode 4. This proves how engaging the game is. Gamers are consuming the content faster than expected. This is also the reason why the 1 million sales figure is very impressive as some gamers have opted to wait for the complete release before they start playing.
There is also the entire debate regarding the episodic format. Fan42Rays made a comment, “The full game ain’t even out yet just let that sink in there r tons of people who won’t buy until it’s fully released.” So, that million number? That is probably going to spike even higher once all episodes are out.
And get this – some people thought it was a TV show. P0chu_L1ver made a comment, “Wait- I swear I thought it was a TV show. The hell?” Which honestly makes sense as considering how narrative-heavy these kinds of games usually are. The line between games and television is becoming less and less distinct.
The excitement is not just for the players who are the usual fans of this genre. KJSlays_ admitted, “Not even my kind of game but it’s so good to see hard work pay off, good shit guys!” That is the kind of crossover appeal that turns good sales into great sales.
It is also very interesting to observe some drama in the replies. A user by the name of sv_prolivije tried to make a claim that it “kinda flopped” because it “could not even sell 80 million copies in two days” but c’mon, that’s obviously sarcasm. Quickly, others defended the game’s performance by pointing out that it is a brand new IP in an extremely niche genre.
Physical copies have been already requested by some of the people. ZamorianMog expressed, “One of those is mine! Dispatch is a fantastic game! Hope it gets a physical release!” and Emberden simply asked, “Physical when?” So, it is quite apparent that the demand for a boxed version is definitely there.
The episodic nature is leading to some… fun moments for the gamers. chalkfist commented, “My wife walked in at the beginning of episode 4….yeah…” which, without revealing any spoilers, suggests that this episode is quite thrilling. Shadow responded with empathy, categorizing it “that ‘kid playing gta 5 and going to the strip club to then have his parents walk in’ type of shit.” So, you can tell that the material is really good.
What is even more incredible is the support from the gaming community. KdeKercy expressed his desire that “they can grow and get lots of revenue from this game, they do have talent!” and AustinRaymond1 would like “to see more of this genre come back!!” Success stories like this one could certainly motivate more developers to explore narrative-heavy episodic games.
The platforms talk is also ongoing. aZombieDictator noted, “It’s kinda insane this game didn’t drop on Xbox.” This is a fascinating discussion since the exclusivity agreements can significantly affect these sales figures. Do you think the company would sell so many more copies if the game was available on PlayStation as well?
The team at AdHoc Studio might be so pleased that they will go insane. A million copies sold of a new IP, especially in today’s market with so many similar games out there, is indeed a big deal. And the more episodes are released, the longer the momentum will last.
UmbraInfinite put it perfectly: “Hell yeah. Happy for them and excited for the next two episodes.” That is pretty much the mood – toasting the accomplishments and waiting for more to come. So, Dispatch is doing fantastic. One million copies sold, gamers are loving it, and the whole game is still not out.
