Warhorse Studios is pushing back against the online criticism surrounding Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Read on to understand their perspective and how it shapes the game.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Diversity: A Matter of Historical Accuracy
Warhorse Studios: Focused on Creating a Great Game
The developers at Warhorse Studios are tired of the negative reaction to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) and simply want to create an enjoyable game. In a February 3, 2025 interview with PC Gamer, PR Manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling addressed the controversy surrounding the game's increased diversity. He stated, "Several years ago, we were branded differently. Now we are branded that way. It seems like someone is always trying to brand us somehow, and we are just trying to make a cool videogame." This followed criticism from fans and critics regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content and other elements perceived as "woke."
Senior Game Designer Ondřej Bittner echoed this sentiment, stating, "We think the extreme voices are just never happy."
The Diversity in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2
The game's setting in Kuttenberg allows for a more diverse representation compared to its predecessor. Bittner explained, "There's more ethnicities in Kuttenberg because Kuttenberg is the royal mint." As Bohemia's second most important city and financial center, Kuttenberg attracted people from various parts of the world, resulting in a more diverse population than other locations in the series.
Bittner highlighted the inclusion of diverse cultural elements, such as Italian characters, German-speaking individuals, a Jewish quarter, and more. He emphasized, "I think that it's important to not just include these people, but their vision of the world, which can sometimes feel lacking in games or media that call themselves diverse."
Stolz-Zwilling clarified that neither publisher Plaion nor Embracer influenced Warhorse Studios' creative decisions. The team's approach to KCD2 was shaped solely by community feedback. He stated, "Everything makes sense. Everything we put there was double and triple checked."
Pre-Orders Remain Unaffected by Backlash
Warhorse Studios addressed rumors of players requesting refunds due to the controversy. KCD2 Writer Daniel Vávra stated on Twitter (X) that the game's return rate remains unchanged despite the backlash. He attributed the game's lower Steam chart ranking to concurrent discounts on nine popular games, which also impacted pre-orders for Monster Hunter: Wilds.
In January 2025, Vávra faced criticism for KCD2's queer representation, leading to online speculation about the game being banned in Saudi Arabia due to unskippable LGBT+ scenes. He denied these rumors, stating, "It is a ROLE PLAYING GAME, so it is purely up to the player what decisions they make and for all the decisions they make, they are responsible for the consequences that correspond to the morals and social norms of the time."
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is available now on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Visit our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 page for more information.
