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Dispatch from Adhoc Studios has been a surprise Indie hit in 2025.
Executive summary
Dispatch, an episodic superhero workplace comedy from independent AdHoc Studio, launched in weekly installments from October 22 to November 12, 2025 and has rapidly become a surprise commercial hit: reporting notes over 1 million copies sold within the first days-to-weeks after launch and continued player growth as episodes released [1] [2] [3]. Critical and industry coverage frames Dispatch as a return-to-form for ex‑Telltale developers and ties its success to a recent partnership with Critical Role that helped finance the project’s final stages [4] [3].
1. A grassroots indie with Telltale DNA
AdHoc Studio was founded by industry veterans who previously worked at Telltale, Ubisoft and Night School, and they positioned Dispatch as a narrative-driven, episodic title in the same tradition as their past work; the studio’s press materials and profiles repeatedly link the team’s pedigree to games like The Wolf Among Us and Tales from the Borderlands [5] [6]. That background shaped both creative choices — an episodic “appointment gaming” rollout and heavy emphasis on dialogue, character and choice — and external expectations from players and press [7].
2. Release strategy: episodic rollout and “appointment gaming”
AdHoc released Dispatch episodically: episodes 1–2 on October 22 followed by two-episode drops each week until the season finale on November 12, 2025, a cadence designed to keep conversations active and maintain player engagement [8] [7]. Steam and storefront listings confirm the Oct. 22, 2025 launch date for the first episodes [1].
3. Commercial performance — surprising breakout
Multiple outlets report that Dispatch exceeded the studio’s projections, selling over one million copies shortly after release — figures described as reaching that milestone in the first 10 days in some pieces and in roughly three months in others — and even topping Steam’s Top Selling list at times [4] [9] [3] [2]. Coverage notes the sales milestone in the context of a small studio that struggled for funding during development, highlighting the commercial result as notable given those constraints [4] [3].
4. Why players and press noticed it
Commentary highlights Dispatch’s blend of narrative choice, management-style systems, and cast of misfit heroes — a workplace comedy twist on superhero tropes — plus actors like Aaron Paul and Laura Bailey attached to the project, all of which increased visibility and appeal [5] [7]. Reviews praise the characters, animation and managing-systems while also calling out uneven humor and the variable weight of choices, showing room for critical disagreement even amid enthusiasm [8].
5. The Critical Role tie that mattered
Reporting emphasizes a July 21, 2025 partnership between AdHoc and Critical Role Productions: that collaboration is portrayed both as a commercial and financial turning point, helping co-develop future projects and reportedly financing the later stages of Dispatch when the studio faced funding shortfalls [4] [3] [9]. Coverage positions the Critical Role relationship as a strategic safety net and as a signpost for potential future scale-ups from the studio [3] [9].
6. Industry and franchise implications
Analysts and outlets suggest Dispatch’s rapid sales materially strengthen AdHoc’s negotiating and creative position: the studio is already discussing a potential second season and has an announced Critical Role game in the pipeline, meaning Dispatch’s breakout could accelerate both sequels and outside partnerships [10] [4] [2]. One write-up frames Dispatch’s early success as clearing the runway for AdHoc’s other projects [9].
7. Critical nuance — hype vs. lasting impact
While sales figures and charts demonstrate a strong launch, reviewers point to mixed elements — comedic tone that sometimes misses and variable decision impact — that temper claims of universal critical triumph [8]. Long-term influence will depend on whether AdHoc sustains narrative quality and player retention beyond the episodic launch window; current reporting documents the breakout but does not yet establish franchise durability [8] [3].
8. What the reporting does not say
Available sources do not mention long-term player retention metrics, detailed revenue breakdowns beyond the headline sales numbers, nor independent audit of the 1 million figure; the reporting provides milestone figures and studio quotes but lacks granular financial disclosures (not found in current reporting). Sources likewise do not supply third‑party user‑engagement analyses or platform‑by‑platform sales splits (not found in current reporting).
Conclusion — Dispatch is, by the published reporting, a bona fide surprise hit for a small, narrative-focused studio with storied developers at the helm: its episodic launch, strong early sales (reported at >1 million copies) and the Critical Role partnership all signal a turning point for AdHoc, but critics and analysts cited in coverage also emphasize creative caveats and note that longer‑term success remains to be proven [1] [2] [8] [3].