The boss behind the studio that developed certainly one of 2025’s finest RPGs, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, says that on-line controversies concerning the sport and its predecessor involving illustration probably didn’t damage the sport’s gross sales and solely mattered to “a handful” of people who find themselves on-line 24/7.
Some fast historical past. In 2017, within the lead-up to the launch of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, developer Warhorse Studios was criticized by some on-line for not together with individuals of colour within the sport. The studio defended this by claiming it was traditionally correct that in early Fifteenth-century Bohemia, particularly within the countryside the place the sport was set, it was uncommon to see non-white individuals. Some students agreed, others weren’t certain, and other people on-line yelled about it, with some right-leaning players very invested in defending the studio from the “woke agenda.” Quick ahead to 2025, when quite a lot of the individuals who had beforehand defended Warhorse’s dedication to historic accuracy had been now mad that the studio was together with extra individuals of colour. The studio defined that it made sense because the sequel concerned a big metropolis that may have introduced in additional individuals from all over the world. There have been additionally some people indignant concerning the means to have a homosexual relationship.
So, did any of this controversy have an effect on the sport gross sales? That’s what PC Gamer just lately requested Martin Klíma, Warhorse’s co-founder and the chief producer on Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
“I might actually, actually wish to know the reply to this one. You may actually convincingly argue each methods,” Klíma instructed the outlet. “You may convincingly argue that we acquired some further visibility—that it doesn’t matter what they are saying about you, so long as they spell your identify proper.” On the similar time, he mentioned, you may argue that “any controversy is hurtful, and also you need to communicate concerning the sport, and also you don’t need to clarify some…tangled reasoning.”
Klíma additional defined that he personally felt that the web controversies surrounding each video games “solely mattered to, actually, a handful of terminally on-line tradition warriors” and believed that they’re “an insignificant intersection with the gaming public writ giant.”
“The true gamers actually don’t care about it in any respect, and doubtless most of them by no means actually even heard about these pseudo-controversies,” mentioned Klíma.
Contemplating the truth that Kingdom Come: Deliverance has offered over 10 million copies since 2017, and that its sequel has already offered over 4 million, I believe Klíma may be proper. It’s a superb reminder that most individuals aren’t on-line as a lot as your favourite journalists, content material creators, or posters. That’s to not say they don’t care about issues like illustration, however they aren’t actually listening to about most of these things, and as a substitute are simply shopping for that sport that folks mentioned was good or that has a cool cowl. Truthfully, I’m jealous.
