"Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Embraces Historical Accuracy in Diversity"

Warhorse Studios is addressing the backlash surrounding Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2). Dive into the developers' perspectives on the controversy and its impact on the game.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Diversity is a Result of Being "As Accurate As Possible"

Warhorse Studios’ Developers Just Want to Make a Cool Video Game

The developers at Warhorse Studios are frustrated with the recent online backlash against Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2), emphasizing their primary goal of creating an engaging video game. In a February 3, 2025, interview with PC Gamer, KCD2’s PR Manager, Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, voiced his frustration over the criticism the game has received due to increased diversity, particularly regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content.

Stolz-Zwilling stated, "Several years ago, we were branded differently. Now we are branded this way. It seems like someone is always trying to brand us somehow, and we are just trying to make a cool video game." This reflects the team's sentiment following criticism from fans and critics who labeled the game as "woke" for its inclusive elements.

Senior Game Designer Ondřej Bittner echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that the extreme voices are never satisfied. He remarked, "We think the extreme voices are just never happy."

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s Diversity

Set in Kuttenberg, KCD2 features a more diverse setting than its predecessor. Bittner noted, "There's more ethnicities in Kuttenberg because Kuttenberg is the royal mint." As the second most important city in Bohemia and the country’s financial center, Kuttenberg attracts people from various regions, enhancing the city's diversity.

Bittner highlighted the game's inclusion of characters from different cultures and ethnicities, such as Italians, German speakers, and residents of a Jewish quarter. He stressed the importance of not only including these groups but also representing their worldviews, which he feels is often lacking in media claiming to be diverse.

Stolz-Zwilling clarified that the game's diversity was not influenced by their publishers, Plaion or Embracer, but rather by community feedback. He affirmed, "Everything makes sense. Everything we put there was double and triple checked."

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Pre-Orders Unaffected By Recent Backlash

Warhorse Studios has refuted rumors about players seeking refunds for pre-ordering KCD2 amidst the controversy. In a Twitter (X) post, KCD2 Writer Daniel Vávra stated that the game's sales-return ratio remains unchanged despite the backlash. He noted that KCD2's position on the Steam charts was affected by discounts on nine other popular games, which also impacted pre-order sales for Monster Hunter: Wilds.

In January 2025, Vávra faced attacks over KCD2's queer representation, sparking rumors of a ban in Saudi Arabia due to unskippable LGBT+ scenes. Vávra debunked these rumors, emphasizing that KCD2 is a role-playing game where player choices dictate the narrative, aligning with the morals and social norms of the period.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is now available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. For more information, visit our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 page.