Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Diversity is Just a Result of Historical Accuracy

Developers at Warhorse Studios are pushing back against the recent criticism surrounding Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Read on to understand their perspective on the controversy and its impact on the game.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Diversity: A Matter of Historical Accuracy

Warhorse Studios: Focused on Creating a Great Game

The team at Warhorse Studios is expressing frustration with the negative online reaction to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2), emphasizing their primary goal: creating an engaging and enjoyable video game. In a February 3, 2025 interview with PC Gamer, PR Manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling commented on the backlash regarding the game's increased diversity, stating, "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 follows criticism from some fans and critics regarding the inclusion of LGBTQ+ content and other elements perceived as "woke."

Senior Game Designer Ondřej Bittner echoed this sentiment, adding, "We think the extreme voices are just never happy."

The Diversity of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

KCD2'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 its financial center, Kuttenberg attracted people from various parts of the world, resulting in a more diverse population than other locations featured in the series.

Bittner highlighted the inclusion of various cultural and ethnic elements, such as Italian characters, German-speaking individuals, and a Jewish quarter, stating, "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 Warhorse Studios' approach to KCD2 was shaped by community feedback, not directives from their publisher, Plaion or Embracer. He emphasized, "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 following the controversy. KCD2 Writer Daniel Vávra, in a Twitter (X) post, stated that the game's sales-return ratio remains unchanged despite the backlash. He attributed the game's lower position on Steam charts to concurrent discounts on nine popular games, noting that even Monster Hunter: Wilds pre-orders were affected.

In January 2025, Vávra addressed online speculation about a Saudi Arabian ban due to unskippable LGBT+ scenes, denying these rumors and reiterating, "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 now available on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC. Visit our Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 page for more information.