Warhorse Studios is pushing back against the criticism surrounding Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's increased diversity. Read on to understand their perspective and how it shapes the game.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Diversity: A Matter of Historical Accuracy
The developers at Warhorse Studios are tired of the online backlash targeting Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD2) and simply want to create an engaging game. In a February 3, 2025 interview with PC Gamer, KCD2's PR Manager, Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, voiced his frustration: "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 game's 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
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 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 and ethnic elements, such as Italians, German-speaking individuals, and a Jewish quarter, emphasizing, "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' inclusion of specific agendas. The game's approach was shaped solely by community feedback. "Everything makes sense. Everything we put there was double and triple checked," he stated.
Pre-Orders Unaffected by Backlash
Warhorse Studios addressed rumors of players requesting refunds due to the controversy. KCD2 Writer Daniel Vávra tweeted that the game's sales-return ratio remains unchanged despite the backlash. He attributed the game's lower position on Steam charts to discounted competing titles, citing the impact on Monster Hunter: Wilds pre-orders as a similar example.
In January 2025, Vávra faced criticism over KCD2's queer representation, which fueled online speculation about a Saudi Arabian ban 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.
