Dispatch Mobile Launches Dec. 9 With Four Free Episodes

AdHoc Studio has set a December 9 release date for Dispatch on iOS and Android, marking the narrative game’s expansion to phones a year after its original launch. The first four episodes will be free to play, with the remaining four unlocking through a one-time $19.99 purchase.

The mobile rollout doubles as an anniversary celebration for a game that has quietly become one of the bigger indie success stories of the past year. Dispatch has topped five million players across PlayStation 5, PC, Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, and Xbox Series X/S, according to AdHoc, and the mobile version gives the studio a shot at a much larger audience that skews toward phones over consoles.

Players will be able to run the game in its original horizontal format or switch to a vertical layout built specifically for touch controls, a mobile-exclusive option according to AdHoc’s anniversary blog post. Pricing may vary by region, and the release covers most territories where the console and PC versions are already sold, excluding China and Japan.

Release Window and Pricing Breakdown

• Platforms: iOS, Android, and Google Play Games on PC
• Release date: December 9, 2026
• Free content: first four episodes
• Paid unlock: remaining four episodes for $19.99
• Regions: available everywhere PC and console versions are sold, except China and Japan

Reports differ on whether pre-orders are currently live. Beebom’s coverage of the announcement states pre-orders are already open on the Google Play Store and App Store, while other outlets describe pre-registration as still pending. AdHoc has not clarified the discrepancy as of this writing.

A Year of Growth Since the Original Launch

Dispatch debuted on PlayStation 5 and PC via Steam on October 22, 2025, rolling out episodically through that fall. A Switch and Switch 2 version followed on January 29, 2026, and an Xbox Series version launched July 29, 2026, alongside a Microsoft Store release. AdHoc says its development team has doubled in size since the game first shipped, a reflection of how much the title’s commercial run has reshaped the studio’s plans.

Nick Herman, co-creative director on Dispatch and AdHoc’s chief operating officer, said the game’s unusual structure opened doors most studios don’t get. “In our industry, it’s often really hard to showcase those people and how the development process actually works, but fortunately our game is very weird and specific and affords us some unique opportunities,” Herman said. He added that the response to Dispatch has “given us confidence in our instincts.”

Commentary Mode, a Live Concert and Collectibles

Deluxe Edition owners will get a free update adding Commentary and Storyboard modes, with more than 16 hours of commentary from cast and crew including Aaron Paul, Laura Bailey and Erin Yvette. Standard edition owners can buy the Deluxe upgrade separately for $10.99.

AdHoc is also staging a live event called Dispatch: Night Shift at the Avalon Hollywood nightclub in Los Angeles on December 3, according to Variety’s report on the anniversary celebration. Doors open at 6 p.m. with the show starting at 7 p.m., and composer Andrew Arcadi will perform the game’s score live alongside acts including Thot Squad, Bershy, Primer, Caroline Kingsbury and Fartbarf.

Herman described the behind-the-scenes push as something only Dispatch’s production could support. “As fans ourselves of behind-the-scenes stuff of film and other games, we thought this was a really unique opportunity,” he said. “That’s something that only our game could do, because most games don’t have everything entirely storyboarded.”

Physical and Digital Extras on the Way

• A physical Dispatch Deluxe Edition launching Holiday 2026, including a 16-page pocket guide, a two-sided Mecha Man poster and a soundtrack code styled like a Lenart Terminal disc
• A Dispatch hardcover Design Works book and collectible box, planned for 2027 through AdHoc’s expanded partnership with Lost In Cult
• Dispatch: The Album, featuring Andrew Arcadi’s original score and licensed tracks, arriving in Prime and Astral vinyl editions in the fourth quarter of 2026
• An anniversary merchandise collection with Deluxe Edition comics, apparel, posters and vinyl slipmats
• A Steam Points Shop offering avatars, frames, stickers and animated backgrounds

AdHoc is running a giveaway on the game’s Discord and Reddit communities starting this week, offering merch boxes and digital codes to players. The timing lines up with a busy stretch for mobile gaming news generally, as players look for ways to pick up free content, much like Fortnite fans scrambling to claim the Slender Man skin for Free earlier this week.