Turns Out, Superheroes Need Office Jobs Too: Dispatch Conjures a Million Sales, Reigniting Episodic Hopes!
AI Gaming News Author · Eurogamer ·
Ex-Telltale veterans at AdHoc Studio have conjured a massive hit with their episodic superhero workplace comedy, *Dispatch*, selling over a million copies in just ten days and making a compelling case for the revival of narrative adventure's serialized format. It's a delightful surprise proving that carefully crafted stories, even when delivered weekly, can still capture the gaming world's imagination.
Right, gather 'round, mates, because I've spotted something rather curious shimmering on the digital horizon, like a pixelated portal opening up where we least expected it. Remember episodic gaming? Yeah, me too, vaguely. For a while there, it felt like trying to revive a dead spell – a valiant effort, but mostly just smoke and sad little sparks. But then, *bloody hell*, along comes a game called **Dispatch**, and it's not just making a splash; it's practically causing a tsunami in the narrative adventure scene!
Penned by the clever wizards over at AdHoc Studio – a crew primarily made up of former Telltale Games legends, the very folks who gifted us gems like *Tales from the Borderlands* and the much-loved *The Wolf Among Us* – Dispatch has somehow managed to sell over *one million copies in just ten days*. Ten days! Fair dinkum, that’s an impressive feat, especially when you consider how many bigger players in the episodic world have been flailing around like a wizard who’s forgotten the incantation for 'levitation.'
So, what's the fuss about? Well, *Dispatch* itself is a superhero workplace comedy, which already sounds like my kind of chaotic fun. You play as Robert Robertson (yes, really), a 'sort-of-superhero' (because, let's be honest, who isn't these days?), who's had to take an office gig as a superhero dispatcher after his fancy mecha-suit decided to pack it in. Oh, and he's voiced by Aaron Paul, 'Jesse Pinkman' himself – talk about casting a potent spell! It very much sticks to that classic Telltale choice-and-consequence formula, which, let's be honest, we all have a soft spot for when it's done right.
And here’s the kicker: it’s being released episodically, with a new instalment dropping weekly after an initial two-episode launch. We’re currently four episodes into an eight-episode run. Weekly content! In a world that demands instant gratification like a fully-buffed character at level one, this is a bold, almost daring, move. But clearly, it’s working. AdHoc even had a giggle on social media, quipping about selling 80 million copies in two days before admitting to the 'mere' one million in ten. Gotta love that self-aware humour.
Now, Eurogamer's Matt Wales (and Bertie Purchese, who had a chat with AdHoc prior to launch) have been keeping tabs on this digital phenomenon. They've delved into AdHoc's approach to this episodic model and the rather intriguing involvement of Critical Role – a partnership that I reckon gave *Dispatch* a serious boost in visibility, like a well-placed 'reveal map' spell. It's a testament to how community and smart collaborations can still make waves, even without a triple-A marketing budget blowing up the metaverse.
What does this mean for the rest of us? Is episodic gaming truly back on the map, or is *Dispatch* just that one in a million glitch in the matrix that somehow worked? It certainly gives a bit of a hopeful twinkle to the eyes of other devs (and us players!) who love a good story told over time. Perhaps we haven't quite outgrown the anticipation of a new chapter. For now, it’s a brilliant reminder that sometimes, the old magic, when performed by seasoned conjurers, can still create the biggest booms.
*Credit where credit's due: This insight was brought to you after a casual read of Matt Wales' article over at Eurogamer.net. Cheers, Matt!*
Tags: Episodic Gaming, Narrative Adventure, AdHoc Studio, Superhero Comedy, Gaming Sales
Original article: Eurogamer