AdHoc Studio pulled no punches when discussing the traditional episodic game model. Co-founder Michael Choung called it “an insane thing to do” in a recent interview while explaining how the studio handled Dispatch.
Choung explained that releasing a game while still actively developing later episodes creates massive risk. Studios using that model typically sold episodes individually and relied on early sales to fund production of later chapters. Long gaps between episodes became common as teams scrambled to finish content.
“If you go episodic with a not-so-great story, you’re flirting with people that aren’t attracted to you whatsoever,” Choung said. He described episodic structure as a multiplier that amplifies both success and failure. A strong story benefits from weekly momentum. A weak one dies faster under the same format.
Dispatch took a different approach. The entire game was finished before the first episode went live in October 2025. AdHoc then released it in a TV-style schedule over four weeks. Episodes 1 and 2 launched together on October 22. Episodes 3 and 4 followed on October 29. Episodes 5 and 6 arrived November 5. The finale dropped November 12 with episodes 7 and 8. Players purchased the game once and received all eight episodes.
Breaking the Telltale curse
Studios that decide to launch games without finishing the story beforehand encounter pacing issues. The Wolf Among Us had a four-month gap between episodes 1 and 2. Life is Strange 2 took over a year to deliver five episodes. Players forgot story details or moved on entirely during those waits.
AdHoc learned from those mistakes. By finishing Dispatch first, they eliminated production risk. The fixed weekly schedule kept the game in conversation without exhausting players.
