
Developer AdHoc Studio has shared that its debut game Dispatch is seriously outperforming its sales expectations.
As reported by Gamesindustry.biz, the episodic adventure game, which combines workplace comedy with superheroes, is projected to hit its three-year sales target in its first three months on the market.
While we don't know what that target actually is, we do know the game has sold over one million copies since launch.
According to SteamDB, the game reached an impressive peak of 220,060 concurrent players when the final episodes released last week.
That three-year target was a "bull case" scenario for the studio, but it looks set to achieve it several times faster than expected.
"So the bull case in three months... We were confident that people would like it," says executive producer Michael Choung. "I think the degree to which it would be successful is something that I certainly didn't anticipate."
AdHoc Studio has also said it's vindication that the episodic model can work.
Choung says there was a lot of internal discussion about how to approach the release model of Dispatch.
"Like, should we do it this way? Should we release it all at once? Conventional wisdom told us we absolutely shouldn't have done what we've done... I think it's absolutely proven itself. I mean, it's not like we're not inventing anything. This works for television shows for the last 70 years or so."
In our view, a lot of it will come down to execution on the episodic model, rather than the model itself. Dispatch released two episodes per week for four weeks, and did so without issue.
By comparison, a lot of episodic games in the past have been inconsistent in both quality and scheduling. However, Dispatch seems to prove that it can work when done the right way — though, obviously, the game needs to be good too.
It seems to be a huge success, then — have you been enjoying Dispatch? No spoilers in the comments section below.
[source gamesindustry.biz]





Comments 20
Great, nice to see that.
Good for them. I'm not a fan of episodic gaming, but their method, 2 episodes a week for 4 weeks is much better than others we have seen in the past.
I can also see the benefits of being part of "the conversation" for a little longer as articles and coverage is increased with each release.
That's best game I played this year! Totally desrved!
It does look like a lot of fun, but I'm just a bit wary about how much (or little) agency the player has in the story — especially after playing such games as Until Dawn and Life is Strange. Is it mostly quite linear?
The Wolf amoung Us 2 when?
My son was all hyped for it, and I finally said we can get it on Steam over the Thanksgiving break, but he said "Nah, I'm good. I watched a playthrough on Youtube."
So if it is mostly a short cartoon-like experience without much gameplay, I'm not sure if other people are going to do the same.
@themightyant that's the thing episodic works on TV because it's weekly. How games never tried it or planned for it until Dispatch is surprising.
@Andee yeah the choices don't change the overarching story. That aspect is very linear.
What you control is the MC and your relationship with other characters. You more change your own personality and it is reflected by others. The writing (if it suits your taste) and the performances carry the rest.
Though I also enjoyed the dispatch minute game itself a lot. Especially min maxing on a 2nd run
The price point certainly helped. On Steam, the game launched for $30, but for a couple of weeks before launch, the game was 10% off, too.
Brilliant news. I'm really interested in giving it a go. I'm guessing based on the comments, people on here are very happy with it?
@Kierant202 ah cool, that might be enough for me then — I was just a bit worried it'd be a lot of clicking through dialogue with the occasional "choice" of "yes/YES!"
Now just bring out a physical version and let's watch those sales expectations be well and truly smashed!
Well deserved. I can't wait for a possible second season, and am really excited for the Critical Role game.
I like episodic conceptually, but a lot of games that tried it were spaced too far apart. I agree that a weekly schedule was definitely in its favor, but can see how that quick a turnaround only works if all of the episodes are already complete and ready to go. That doesn't usually seem to be the case with episodic series.
Ok I'm buying this right now! 😬
For the folks that asked the question.
Yes, Dispatch is well worth the coin.
I really liked it.
That's awesome, happy for them. I am hoping to contribute soon and pick it up. Just got so many other games on my plate still.
I pray this studio learns from Telltale and doesn't just make the same game over and over again.
Please, if you have not played this game yet and you read this comment, play the game. The story, characters, animation is all so S-Tier its almost unbelievable. Please buy and play this so we get season 2!!!
Bought it just before the weekend and have played the first two episodes. Fantastic interactive animated TV series! The writing and performances are simply sublime. There is no justice in this world if this doesn't get a proper non-interactive version on Netflix or the like, you know, for the normies
I really loved it and bought the deluxe upgrade simply for the comics, as this is definitely a world I want to delve deeper into.
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