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 frustrated by the negative 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 addressed the backlash over 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 game's inclusion of LGBTQ+ content and other elements perceived as "woke."

Senior Game Designer Ondřej Bittner echoed this sentiment, asserting that the development team isn't the source of the problem: "We think the extreme voices are just never happy."

The Diversity of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2

KCD2's setting in Kuttenberg contributes to a more diverse environment than 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 elements, mentioning the presence of Italians, German-speaking individuals, a Jewish quarter, and more. He stressed, "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 their publisher, Plaion, nor Embracer Group, dictated the inclusion of specific agendas. The team's approach to KCD2 was shaped by community feedback, with Stolz-Zwilling adding, "Everything makes sense. Everything we put there was double and triple checked."

Pre-Orders Remain Unaffected by Backlash

Warhorse Studios addressed concerns about refunds following the controversy. KCD2 Writer Daniel Vávra stated on Twitter (X) that the game's sales-return ratio remains unchanged despite the negative reaction. 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 experienced a similar decline.

In January 2025, Vávra faced criticism over KCD2's queer representation, leading to online rumors of a ban in Saudi Arabia due to unskippable LGBT+ scenes. He denied these rumors, emphasizing, "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 details.