Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 Director Claims Only ‘Online Culture Warriors’ Focus on Controversies

The head of the studio behind one of 2025’s standout RPGs, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, believes that the online debates surrounding the game and its predecessor regarding representation likely had little impact on sales, affecting only a “handful” of people who are constantly online.

To give some context, back in 2017, as Kingdom Come: Deliverance was gearing up for release, developer Warhorse Studios faced backlash for not featuring people of color in the game. The studio defended its choice by stating that it aimed for historical accuracy, noting that in early 15th-century Bohemia, particularly in rural areas, non-white individuals were uncommon. This sparked a mix of scholarly opinions and heated online discussions, with some gamers rallying to protect the studio from what they perceived as a “woke agenda.” Fast forward to 2025, and many who once supported Warhorse’s commitment to historical fidelity were now upset about the inclusion of more diverse characters in the sequel. The studio clarified that this decision made sense given the sequel’s setting in a large city, which would naturally attract a more diverse population. Additionally, some players expressed frustration over the option to engage in a same-sex relationship.

So, did these controversies impact sales? That’s what an outlet recently asked Martin Klíma, Warhorse’s co-founder and executive producer of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

“I would really, really like to know the answer to this one. You can really convincingly argue both ways,” Klíma shared. “You can convincingly argue that we got some extra visibility—that it doesn’t matter what they say about you, as long as they spell your name right.” Conversely, he noted that one could also argue that “any controversy is hurtful, and you want to speak about the game, and you don’t want to explain some…tangled reasoning.”

Klíma elaborated that he personally felt the online controversies surrounding both titles “only mattered to, really, a handful of terminally online culture warriors” and believed they represent “an insignificant intersection with the gaming public writ large.”

“The real players really don’t care about it at all, and probably most of them never really even heard about these pseudo-controversies,” Klíma stated.

Given that Kingdom Come: Deliverance has sold over 10 million copies since its launch, and its sequel has already surpassed four million, Klíma’s perspective seems valid. It serves as a reminder that most gamers aren’t as immersed in online discussions as some journalists or content creators might be. While representation matters, many players are simply drawn to games that come highly recommended or have eye-catching covers. Honestly, I find that pretty enviable.