In a fascinating twist for fans of the game Dispatch, initial concepts suggested that players could choose heroes akin to Pokémon. During an interview, narrative director Pierre Shorette revealed this idea, illustrating how players would select a hero to mentor from a trio at the game’s start.

“In the very original script, you basically picked your starter Pokémon. You didn’t have a team. You showed up and [your boss] is like ‘pick someone you want to mentor.’”

The heroes available for selection would have included unique characters like Invisigal, a troubled criminal, Waterboy, a nerdy ally, and even a character in a fursuit. However, the developers later opted to focus more on a narrative that effectively captures the emotional weight of mentorship and partnership, moving away from a simplistic selection mechanic towards a richer storytelling experience.

This decision was influenced by various factors, including feedback from fans and the cultural climate during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led the team to aspire for a tone that leans more towards hopefulness than darkness in their storytelling.