AdHoc Studio’s co-directors Dennis Lenart and Chris Rebbert have opened up about the success of Dispatch, offering insight into the game’s unexpected rise and sharing what they hope the industry learns from it. Revealed less than a year ago at The Game Awards 2024, Dispatch quickly became a breakout hit, leaving fans eager for more.
With a cast featuring Aaron Paul and Laura Bailey, Dispatch delivers an episodic narrative adventure reminiscent of classic Telltale experiences. That connection isn’t surprising, as AdHoc Studio is made up of former Telltale developers. The overwhelmingly positive reception to the studio’s debut title has sparked widespread calls for a second season, though nothing has been officially confirmed yet.
The Two Foundations Behind Dispatch’s Success
In a recent interview, co-directors Dennis Lenart and Chris Rebbert highlighted two key factors that fueled Dispatch’s impact.
1. A Return to Pure, Linear Storytelling
According to Lenart, players still crave strong narrative-driven experiences, especially in a gaming landscape overflowing with updates, battle passes, and microtransactions. He noted that many modern games feel overly complicated, requiring downloads and offering constant upsells. In contrast, Dispatch delivers a straightforward, immersive story players can simply start and enjoy without additional purchases.
As Lenart put it, many players want “a personal singular or linear playthrough… that is uninhibited by microtransactions.”
2. Weekly Episodic Releases That Created Event-style Engagement
Rebbert emphasized the importance of the game’s reliable release cadence. Unlike older episodic titles that launched episodes weeks or even months apart, Dispatch delivered new content weekly, transforming each episode drop into an event. The format helped keep players engaged and talking, to the point where the studio issued a message to fans on the first week without new content.
What the Developers Hope the Industry Learns
While some have pointed to Dispatch’s adult humor and mature moments as contributing factors, Lenart and Rebbert hope studios don’t misinterpret what made the game resonate. They explained that these elements serve as flavoring—tools to enhance character moments and emotional impact—rather than the foundation of the experience. Lenart emphasized that shock value was never the starting point; storytelling was.
Despite past claims that narrative-driven single-player games were fading, Dispatch proves the genre is very much alive. Its success highlights a continued appetite for tightly crafted stories that prioritize character, emotion, and immersion over monetization.
The Future of Dispatch
Even the actors are eager to continue. Aaron Paul, who voices protagonist Robert Robertson, publicly expressed his desire to return for more seasons. While AdHoc Studio has yet to announce what comes next, the game’s widespread acclaim suggests Dispatch has the potential to become a long-running series.
For now, fans will have to wait for the studio’s next move, but the enthusiasm surrounding Dispatch makes it clear that narrative adventures still have a powerful place in the industry.
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