For RPG lovers and fans of the medieval period, fantasy, or both, last week brought an incredibly exciting announcement: the news that Warhorse Studios, the developer behind the acclaimed open-world Kingdom Come: Deliverance and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 RPGs, is working on a new title set in Middle-earth at the same time it's also building a new KCD game.

At the time, very little was said about either upcoming title, though Embracer Group — the holding company that owns KCD publisher Deep Silver and Warhorse Studios — revealed that the new Kingdom Come game is slated for launch in the "next fiscal year" in its latest earnings report, suggesting a release date in 2027.

In a follow-up community livestream from Warhorse, however, communications director Tobias Stolz-Zwilling shared some additional details about both projects. He began by confirming that both RPGs will be open world before then announcing that the third Kingdom Come title will be led by KCD2 creative director Prokop Jirsa, with KCD2 design director Viktor Bocan in charge of the Middle-earth game.

He reaffirmed the planned release window for the new Kingdom Come adventure as well: "If everything goes right, it comes next fiscal year. Which means you don't have to wait seven years for another Kingdom Come."

Stolz-Zwilling also touched on the fact that Warhorse has grown large enough that it can now work on two major projects at the same time comfortably, and stressed that "we're still one huge team" despite being split across both games. "There are still, of course, things that are being cooperated on," he explained.

He went on to talk about the The Lord of the Rings RPG in particular, then, noting that "We have a completely mind-blowing ready team to delve into what this universe has to offer. And this is, again, an absolute passion project."

"I use that word a lot, but you know what I mean by that," he added. "Don't think it's just, 'Hey, you do it,' and we got a job and now we're doing it — it's not like that. It's not how we want to do games, we're not a hired sword. We're doing the games we want to do, and the way we want to do it."

Elaborating on that further, Stolz-Zwilling explained that the developers have vowed to "build the games in a very specific Warhorse way" — that is, by focusing heavily on the open-world reactivity and crunchy systems-driven mechanics that have made the KCD games stand out as some of the best RPGs from the past decade.

"With KCD1 and KCD2, we have a very unique way of how we craft RPGs, how we understand RPGs. I said in one interview with someone at Gamescom that we want to become the new kings of RPGs. I still stand by that," he continued. "I know it's a bit 'haha' and nosy, but I really stand by that. I think we have our very own formula you guys love, and that's one of the reasons why the news yesterday cast these huge waves — because people trust that we know what we're doing."

In closing, Stolz-Zwilling, threw out some descriptions I was very happy to hear, noting that the Middle-earth game will be "deeply immersive" with a "living world," along with "interesting characters, memorable places, and, of course, a strong narrative focus." Say no more, Warhorse — I'm in.

Are you excited to play the new Kingdom Come game next year, and also the Middle-earth RPG from Warhorse when it comes out? Let me know down below.

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For several weeks now, rumors have been swirling about the next big RPG project from Warhorse Studios, the developer behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — one of last year's most critically acclaimed titles across Xbox, PC, and PS5, and an award-winning open-world roleplaying experience that wowed gaming audiences with its rendition of medieval 15th Century Bohemia.

Now, I'm excited to share that the studio has publicly confirmed that the whispers were true: Warhorse is officially making "an open world Middle-earth RPG" set in the universe of the legendary fantasy series The Lord of the Rings penned by J. R. R. Tolkien. The news was announced early on Wednesday morning on social media as well as on Warhorse's website.

"Warhorse Studios is entering a new chapter. We are working on a new RPG set in Middle-earth. We have always been creating worlds full of stories that pull you in — and that’s exactly the kind of Middle-earth we will one day show you," wrote the developers. "For now, a long journey lies ahead, and we can’t wait to share more with you when the time is right."

That's not all, though. Warhorse also has "a new Kingdom Come adventure" in development right now as well — and surprisingly, according to comments made by Embracer Group CEO Phil Rogers (the holding company that owns the studio and KCD publisher Deep Silver) during its latest business report, the firm plans to release it by "next fiscal year," suggesting a 2027 launch.

That's far sooner than I was expecting for a new KCD game, given that KCD2 came out just last year. With that in mind, I don't expect this to be Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3 or anything like that, but perhaps we are getting a smaller-scale spinoff game with different characters.

Regardless, as a massive fan of the KCD games, I'm excited that we're getting a new one in the near future — and I'm equally hyped for a The Lord of the Rings RPG made by Warhorse, too. The studio's titles are rich with authentic handcrafted detail, remarkable open-world reactivity, and crunchy systems-driven gameplay mechanics, and to see those qualities applied to what is arguably the greatest fantasy universe of all time would be a dream come true.

As for when we can expect this new LotR game to come out, neither Warhorse nor Embracer had any release date information to share. Therefore, I'm guessing it'll be at least a couple years before we know anything for sure, and I'm okay with that. I don't want the developers to rush this one; let them cook in peace.

It's worth noting that these reveals coincided with the announcement that Embracer Group is splitting into two separate companies, Fellowship Entertainment and Embracer. Fellowship "aims to become an IP-led entertainment company built for growth and enduring momentum" and encompasses core IPs and games like KCD, 4A Games' Metro 2039, and Crystal Dynamics' Tomb Raider, while Embracer will oversee more niche properties.

The Lord of the Rings has an interesting history in gaming. The older titles that came out when the movies did were well-received, as was 2014's Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and 2017's Middle-earth: Shadow of War — though they were very inaccurate to the lore of the series. 2024's The Lord of the Rings: Return to Moria reviewed well, but 2025's life sim Tales of the Shire was criticized by some, with players citing boredom and bare-bones gameplay. And, uh, we don't talk about The Lord of the Rings: Gollum.

Ultimately, though, I'd argue that if there's an RPG developer that'll make a faithful and well-crafted The Lord of the Rings experience, it's Warhorse Studios. I can't wait to see more of this game, and what's next for KCD as well.

Does the news that Warhorse Studios is making a The Lord of the Rings RPG get you excited? Let me know in the comments, and in our poll.

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You'll be hard-pressed to find developers more committed to bringing real-world historical locations to life as accurately and authentically as possible than those working at Warhorse Studios, the creators of both 2018's Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its critically acclaimed 2025 sequel Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

Both medieval RPGs are famous and popular for many reasons, but one of the things about them I've always respected in particular is that a painstaking amount of effort went into ensuring that their depictions of 15th Century Bohemia were faithful to the real locations, to the point where you can compare in-game screenshots to real photographs and find only miniscule differences.

Guided by extensive photogrammetry and deep research, Warhorse was able to bring Bohemian locales to life with unparalleled immersive detail — and of all the places you'd find yourself exploring in series protagonist Henry's shoes, few were as memorable as Pirkštejn Castle. It was one of the largest castles in the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and also served as your home in the city of Rattay.

The gorgeous fortress towers over the settlement and the surrounding fief, making it one of the most visually striking castles in all of KCD. Today, though, it's in need of preservation efforts in the real world — and thankfully, Warhorse has pledged to contribute to ongoing reconstruction efforts.

On Monday morning, the studio vowed to donate $1 from every sale of the first Kingdom Come game towards Pirkštejn Castle and its restoration. Warhorse will do this from now until April 27 at 10 a.m. PT; that's the duration of the Steam Medieval Fest that's seen a wide variety of medieval-themed games go on sale for massive discounts.

"If you’ve not played yet, or know someone who’s hasn’t, now is the time. Grab it in the sale and help preserve a piece of real history!" wrote the developers.

KCD is typically $29.99, though thanks to the Steam Medieval Fest, you can snag it for just $5.99 right now; that's 80% off, and some amazing value (KCD2 is 50% off, also; down to $29.99 from $59.99). After all, Kingdom Come: Deliverance still stands tall as one of the best crunchy and systems-driven RPGs in the genre, and still holds up wonderfully even eight years later.

Though the game's directional-based melee combat isn't as refined as the sequel's, it's still very fun to engage with once you get the hang of it. Some of its systems aren't as fleshed out, either, but it's still an incredibly dynamic and reactive experience compared to many other RPGs.

All in all, it's a fantastic game, and while I do think Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a step up in every regard, the original is absolutely worth getting and playing — especially while it's this affordable (it's also on Xbox Game Pass, if you didn't know). And hey, while the sale's active, your purchase of the title will help restore one of the grandest castles that appears in it. Pretty cool, right?

Are you a big fan of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance RPGs? If you haven't played them yet, will you get them during Steam Medieval Fest while they're steeply discounted? Will you buy a copy of the first game to help preserve Pirkštejn Castle? Let me know down below.

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Xbox social media posts have confirmed that Warhorse Studios' action RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is headed for Xbox Game Pass on March 3.

Xbox Game Pass revived its social media marketing campaign featuring faux leaked internal emails from "Melissa McGamepass" to tease a major addition to the service. On February 16, posts on official Xbox Game Pass socials included an image intended to resemble a leaked email from Melissa McGamepass to Xbox Game Pass Social hyped up a large release slate for the upcoming year, including more March announcements.

"If you're getting quite hungry for a fun adventure, all I can say is something big is about to be deliverance'd [sic] to Xbox Game Pass," the pseudo-email reads just before insisting it should be kept "super-duper secret."

The Xbox Game Pass social post pointed out the strange spelling of the word "delivered" as "deliveranced", tipping off commenters who quickly picked up the possibility that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 could be coming to Game Pass soon.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance — Warhorse Studios' epic action RPG about a peasant boy who becomes a knight on his quest to avenge his murdered parents — garnered quite a bit of attention when it came to Xbox Game Pass just a few short days ago. The addition of the game to the subscription service came alongside the launch of its next-gen upgrade, which significantly improved the eight-year-old RPG's visuals and performance with native support for 60 FPS and ultra-quality settings.

The much-anticipated sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, was released last year and quickly earned acclaim from critics and players alike, with Windows Central's own Brendan Lowry giving the game a 5-star rating.

"I was thoroughly surprised by how perfect of a sequel it is, with Warhorse building on everything fans loved about KCD while simultaneously fixing its major story, combat, and performance issues," Lowry writes of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in his review.

If you want to experience the full breadth of KCD protagonist Henry's story, you may want to go ahead and get a head start by playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance before its sequel lands on Game Pass. How Long to Beat reports that KCD's main story can take players 40 hours, while completionists can expect to sink about 130+ hours into the first part of this epic action RPG. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 boasts an even longer main story, clocking in at roughly 54.5 hours, with a completionist run taking approximately 140+ hours.

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Fans of deep, systems-driven RPGs will be happy to learn that one of the best on the market, 2018's Kingdom Come: Deliverance, has officially come to Xbox Game Pass and is now available to play through Microsoft's all-you-can-eat gaming subscription service. Specifically, you can access it on Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles with either the $14.99/month Xbox Game Pass Premium or the $29.99/month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate.

Notably, across Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles specifically, Kingdom Come: Deliverance has also gotten a special next-gen update that elevates the medieval RPG's visuals and performance. The patch is completely free for existing owners of the game, and brings native support for "up to 60 FPS, ultra-quality settings, and improved visual assets" on par with what's possible on the PC version.

On Xbox, the update is completely seamless thanks to Smart Delivery. For PlayStation users, you'll need to install the PS5 version, which you can do for free if you own the PS4 edition. If you have the Royal Edition that includes all the DLC, make sure you select the PS5 version of that one in the store. Note that Warhorse says your saves should transfer across generations without any issues.

The update was released alongside a brand new trailer with several cinematic before-and-after comparisons that showcase the next-gen enhancements. You can watch it here or with the embed below; overall, the improvements look very substantial.

The absence of a Nintendo Switch 2 version of this update is noteworthy, as the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance did eventually come to the first Switch console. Perhaps the Switch 2 isn't able to maintain good performance with these enhancements, or developer Warhorse Studios is still working on bringing them to the system.

This may not surprise you to hear given that it's the prequel to 2025's phenomenal Game of the Year-nominated RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance stands tall as one of the best games from the last generation, and is a must-play if you enjoyed the sequel or just like rich and expansive roleplaying titles.

It tells the story of Henry, the young son of a blacksmith as he clings to life after an army led by foreign invaders sacks his hometown. Set in Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire shortly after the turn of the 15th Century, it encompasses the onset of civil war between Bohemian lords fighting for King Wenceslaus IV and those supporting the invasion of the country by his half-brother Sigismund of Luxembourg and his Hungarian troops.

This conflict serves as the backdrop for Henry's quest for revenge, and as Henry, you're driven to explore the Bohemian countryside, get stronger, and play important roles in the civil war as you pursue vengeance. There's easily over 100+ hours of side quests and activities to engage with, too, making Kingdom Come one of the densest games I've ever played through.

Like its sequel, the RPG is also extremely "crunchy," and rich with reactive elements in its open world that make it feel more dynamic, lively, and immersive than most other entries in the genre. You can look forward to complex speech systems, survival mechanics, a combat system inspired and informed by real-world techniques and arms-and-armor interactions, and more.

Put simply, Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a terrific game, and like Kingdom Come 2, it's one I can't recommend playing enough. And thanks to its arrival on Game Pass and its new next-gen update, it's never been more accessible on Xbox, and has never looked better on consoles. Now is the perfect time to jump in.

Have you played the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance? How about its award-winning sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Are you going to play (or replay) KCD now that it's on Game Pass and this next-gen update is out? Let me know in the comments.

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This week, the news that Baldur’s Gate 3 developer Larian Studios is using generative AI “at the very early stages” to “explore references” for its concept artists working on its upcoming new game Divinity ignited major controversy, with players and developers alike across the gaming industry criticizing the RPG maker for its adoption of the technology.

Larian’s stance on the matter — as explained by both publishing director Michael Douse and studio founder and CEO Swen Vincke — is that AI is an optional tool its developers can use if they want to, and that “they can experiment with these tools to make their lives easier.” It’s also promised that there will be no AI-generated content in Divinity itself, and compares its use to the way artists might search Google or art books for a reference to look at.

These assurances have done little to assuage outrage, however, with many arguing that using AI to make references drawn from art across the web is unethical, and not the same as someone taking inspiration from specific works they see.

Notably, though, the situation has inspired a lot of debate about what kinds of AI use are — if any — and aren’t okay in game development, with many in the industry weighing in.

One particularly lengthy take comes from Daniel Vávra, lead on the acclaimed 2025 RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and co-founder of its developer Warhorse Studios. In a post made on Wednesday morning, Vávra argues that while he doesn’t like AI-generated content, AI itself is here to stay, and that he looks forward to the ways it can make developing games more efficient even if it “may mean the demise of humanity.” You can read the whole thing below:

“Larian said they were doing something that absolutely everyone else is doing and got an insanely crazy shitstorm,” Vávra noted. ”I'm no fan of AI generated art, but anyway, it's time to face reality. AI is here to stay with us. As frightening as it may be, that's the way it is.”

He went on to voice his frustration with how long making games makes in the modern industry, and said he’s “all for it” whenever AI can handle “the tiresome and boring tasks,” leaving creatives “to focus on the essentials.”

“On the other hand, you know what I hate most about making games? The fact that it takes 7 years and 300 people and tens of millions of dollars to make. And the fact that [Tom McKay, actor of protagonist Henry] had to spend 500 hours in the studio recording completely generic heckling and generic bars,” he continued. “If AI can help me make an epic game in a year with a smaller team like in the old days, I'm all for it.”

Personally, I believe there's valuable character and artful performance even in simple dialogue lines like "ordering a sausage in a pub or when asking how to get to the castle," but I digress. Vávra then expressed excitement for the potential of AI to allow you to "ask ANYONE ANYTHING in an RPG," suggested it threatens the work of programmers the most, and asserted his belief that it could lead to a boom of game development enabled by the low cost of using AI (though he didn't mention factors like its substantial environmental impact).

"The whole AI revolution may mean the demise of humanity, nobody knows now, but it may also mean that ANYONE, at a fraction of the current cost, will be able to implement virtually any grand idea," he wrote. "What we saw with boom of indie scene thanks to Steam, we will see with AAA games thanks to AI. Or Skynet will destroy us before all that. Either way, there's no stopping it."

"I used AI to translate this text from my native language," he added. "Let the sh*tstorm begin!"

We're just about on the cusp of the holiday season, now, and that means great discounts and offers on pretty much everything money can buy are just now starting to roll out. That includes video games, too — and this morning, what is undoubtedly one of 2025's best Xbox deals on one of the year's top titles just kicked off.

One half of the deal in question is an opportunity to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Warhorse Studios' critically acclaimed open-world medieval single player RPG — completely for free on Xbox Series X|S from now until Monday, November 10.

You'll need to purchase a copy of the title if you want to keep access after this point, which is where the other half of this deal comes into play. If at any point during this period you decide that you'd like to permanently buy the game to keep playing, you can do so at a huge 40% off.

The studio officially announced the free-to-play period and the 40% off discount in a post on social media. Note that when you view the store page for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on your Xbox console, you should see the option to download and install it for free for the duration of this offer.

Despite stiff competition from other excellent titles like Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 and The Outer Worlds 2, I still firmly believe that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 stands tall as 2025's best new RPG, and it's my choice for Game of the Year overall.

Set across two maps of vibrant Bohemian landscapes filled with faithfully recreated trails, towns, villages, and castles all drawn from real-world history — including the legendary medieval city Kuttenberg — the Kingdom Come sequel tells the fictional story of a son's quest for revenge against the men that murdered his parents amidst the backdrop of a very real civil war between supporters of Bohemia's King Wenceslaus IV and his half-brother Sigismund.

In the boots of series protagonist Henry, you'll explore Kingdom Come's dynamic, "crunchy," and systems-driven simulation of Bohemian society, with everything from the clothes and armor you wear and your level of cleanliness to your developed speech ability and knowledge of certain subjects learned from in-game sources affecting how you're viewed and how people react to you.

Indeed, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is one of the most reactive RPGs I've ever played, with countless complex mechanics constantly at work to respond logically to your decisions to fight, argue, sneak, steal, and more with rewards and consequences. It can be a bit complicated to understand sometimes and difficult, too, but overall, the game does an excellent job of explaining its systems to you, and eases you into its complexities.

These elements, paired with stellar narrative writing, a rich combat system with directional melee attacks and layered armor defenses, gorgeous photogrammetry-enhanced visuals, and an orchestral soundtrack inspired by the time period, serve to make Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 an extremely immersive and engaging experience every RPG fan should play.

For more of an in-depth look at the game and why I feel so strongly about it, I recommend reading my full Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review, in which I awarded it a perfect 5/5 stars and called it "the perfect RPG sequel that's bigger, better, and bolder than ever."

If you don't want to take my word for it, note that the RPG reviewed incredibly well with other outlets too, and achieved a very high 88/100 score on Metacritic. Kingdom Come 2 also performed very strongly for a single player RPG commercially, blowing up Steam at launch, paying for itself in a single day, and selling two million copies in under two weeks.

Put simply, it's a terrific game, and when you consider that you have an opportunity to play it for free for the next several days, there's really no reason not to at least try it out if you happen to own an Xbox Series X|S console. Four days is notably enough time to play through the main story, though I strongly recommend taking advantage of the 40% off deal and buying it so you can experience all of the wonderful side quests as well.

It's unfortunate that Steam and PS5 players aren't getting this chance to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 for free, though the 40% off discount is available on Steam right now. Note that you can get even better deals on the PC version of the RPG elsewhere, though; specifically, the $59.99 Standard Edition is just $31.69 at Loaded, with the $79.99 Gold Edition selling for $42.19 at Loaded.

2025 has been stacked with plenty of Game of the Year contenders, and one of our personal candidates for that crown is Kingdom Come: Deliverance II.

This triumph of an RPG packed with a titanic open-world, rich content, epic story, and an in-depth combat system, is enjoying a double discount feature for both its Xbox and PC versions.

Loaded is selling the PC version for $36.69 (a 46% discount from Loaded's usual price of $67.99), and Amazon is selling the Xbox version for $42.00 (a 30% discount from the game's standard MSRP of $59.99)

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a sequel worth the seven year wait

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II made it a personal quest to improve upon every facet of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance's medieval role-playing gameplay, and it succeeded by leaps and bounds.

This game has a vast open world filled with hundreds of hours' worth of content to engage in, with meaningful NPC interactions depending on your role-playing choices.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II also improved the original game's combat by incorporating smarter AI for enemies to make them more dangerous, and reworked a few mechanics to incentivize the player to be more aggressive.

To top it off, this game also features an epic tale with well-written characters, shocking plot twists, and heart-warming moments enhanced by beautiful graphics and outstanding performance rates.

If you're into grounded, medieval RPGs with massive open worlds to explore, then Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a must-buy, especially now that it's on sale for $36.69 at Loaded for the PC version and $42.00 on Amazon for the Xbox version, depending on your preferred platform of choice.

FAQ

This year has been a fantastic one for games thus far, with everything from big AAA hits like DOOM: The Dark Ages and Death Stranding 2 to surprise indie darlings like Blue Prince and The Atlers available to dive into. My favorite of these and my current pick for Game of the Year, though, is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — and right now, the $60 game is just $43.49 at CDKeys thanks to an awesome deal.

You're probably surprised my top title isn't Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, given that it seems to be the GOTY frontrunner for nearly everyone who's played it. To be clear, I love Clair Obscur (I gave it a 4.5/5 star score in my review, after all), and it's definitely my runner-up. But KCD2, for me, stands out as an RPG like no other set in a time period I've been fascinated by since childhood. Thus, even Sandfall Interactive's masterpiece isn't going to knock it off my GOTY pedestal.

Why KCD2 is my Game of the Year pick

Again, if it weren't for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 would absolutely be my pick for Game of the Year. It's a gorgeous game with real-time dodge and parry mechanics innovatively woven into its turn-based combat system, and it has a beautifully written story that's sure to stick with everyone who plays it. KCD2 has a fantastic story and combat system of its own, though, and also remarkably impressive mechanics and dynamism.

Indeed, Warhorse Studios' long-awaited sequel to the original 2018 experience is distinguished by its systems-driven structure, with tons of different gameplay systems that facilitate reactions to player actions and NPC behaviors. For example, everything from the type of clothing you're wearing to how dirty or clean it is and what your reputation in an area is like has a direct impact on how characters view and treat you, which then has ripple effects on available quest solutions, the outcomes they lead to, how effectively you can persuade (or intimidate) others, the prices you pay in shops, and more.

Ultimately, Kingdom Come 2's simulated medieval world is incredibly reactive, especially regarding crime. It can be quite lucrative to steal, pickpocket, and even murder, but being heard or seen has major, serious consequences — though smart timing, dark clothing, and a silver tongue can help you stay hidden or get out of trouble.

Still, if you do find yourself caught by a guard and fail to talk your way out of it, you'll be met with hefty fines or forced to spend 24 hours clapped in the town pillory, and folk living nearby will grow less cooperative as your reputation worsens. Further infractions can lead to you getting branded — most people and shopkeepers won't speak with you at all until the mark heals a full week later — or even hung from the gallows, depending on the severity of your criminal activity.

Not everyone will enjoy how unafraid KCD2 is to push back against you, but as I explained in my review of the title, that's exactly the kind of "crunch" I look for in RPGs. Its systems-heavy structure drives you to think carefully about your actions, and also to consider a wide variety of solutions to the problems you encounter. And like any good RPG, Kingdom Come supports tons of different playstyles, allowing you to be whoever you want and build protagonist Henry in whatever way you see fit.

Combat is another pillar of the game with its own in-depth systems, including interactions between various medieval weapons and layer-based armors and directional melee attacks, blocks, parries, and counter-attacks. All of this is heavily inspired by real-world techniques, giving KCD2 a feeling of remarkable authenticity.

That extends to the Bohemian open world itself — a deceptively picturesque rendition of a land embroiled in an escalating civil war between several of the kingdom's lords and King Sigismund of Luxembourg, a man who usurped the crown from his half-brother Wenceslas IV. Every inch of the game's two maps (and ultimately, the game itself) was carefully built with extensive research guiding the developers' hands, to the point where locations depicted in-game look nearly identical to the real thing.

The personal story of protagonist Henry takes place in the midst of this adapted real-world conflict, with the young peasant-turned-knight pursuing Sir Markvart von Aulitz and Sir Istvan Toth — two of Sigismund's top men who orchestrated the razing of Henry's village in the first game. It's a complicated quest for revenge in which Henry attempts to toe the line between justice and all-consuming rage, complete with a stellar cast of characters, top-notch mocap animation, and excellent voice acting performances.

Put simply, it's a terrific game, and is right up there with the likes of Mass Effect 2 and Fallout: New Vegas as one of the best RPGs ever made. It's also one of the best Xbox games and best PC games, and has only gotten better with post-launch patches and DLCs that have added things like Hardcore Mode (with more to come later this year). Note that while the CDKeys deal spotlighted here is for the PC version only, it's also selling on Xbox for $49.99 at Amazon and on PS5 for $49.94 at Amazon.

Warhorse Studios — the Czech Republic game development studio behind 2018's Kingdom Come: Deliverance and its highly popular 2025 sequel Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — has announced that it's expanding with a brand new office this July.

The news came on Wednesday morning, with Warhorse revealing the news in a social media post. "We're growing! Warhorse Studios is opening a new office in Brno (CZ) on July 1," it wrote. "This expansion boosts our development capacity and supports both KCD2 and future DLCs — while laying the groundwork for what the future holds for us and for you."

Further information then came in a GamesIndustry.biz article about the expansion in which the Prague-based Warhorse said the Brno office will be led by Petr Kolář, the previous managing director at Ashborne Games (known for the acclaimed 2023 RTS Last Train Home). Notably, Warhorse worked with Ashborne on KCD2's recent Brushes With Death DLC that released in May.

Warhorse Studios' communications director Tobias Stolz-Zwilling explained that the decision to expand with a new team in Brno was made to broaden the scope of the studio's development capabilities, with the eventual goal to work on several projects at once. In the immediate future, though, the new wing of the developer will help contribute to Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's next two expansions.

"The Brno office allows Warhorse to scale development capacity and eventually manage multiple projects in parallel," he said. "It's not just about faster production, it's about enabling larger and more complex games while maintaining quality, but these are all future melodies. For now, the new team will contribute to both ongoing support for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and its DLCs."

The studio also highlighted the presence of significant game development talent within Brno that makes it an attractive location to expand to. Notably, Bohemia Interactive (Arma), GIANTS Software (Farming Simulator), and Hangar 13 (Mafia) have offices in the city.

"Brno has a strong game development tradition and a deep talent pool indeed," Stolz-Zwilling commented. "Our collaboration with Ashborne Games proved the value of that local expertise. The city also offers access to technical universities and experienced professionals across multiple disciplines, making it a strategic choice for long-term growth."

Kolář himself expressed enthusiasm for joining Warhorse as it works to develop future projects. ""I am incredibly proud of what our team at Ashborne has achieved and excited to bring that spirit into Warhorse Studios," he proclaimed. "After working closely together, I'm really looking forward to officially joining the team and helping shape this exciting new chapter from Brno."

As for what Warhorse Studios is doing next, we know Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is getting two more DLCs this year — Legacy of the Forge in the fall, and Mysteria Ecclesia in the winter.

Beyond that? Few specific details are known, but the studio did confirm to Japanese outlet GameSpark that it's planning to "develop another RPG game in parallel with the current Kingdom Come: Deliverance project." Many also believe Warhorse will make a third Kingdom Come game, though it hasn't been announced yet.

Ultimately, I'll be here for whatever the developer has in store for players next, as I greatly enjoyed both the original KCD and its 2025 follow-up Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 in particular is one of my favorite RPGs of all time — I said as much in my review — and it's proven to be a massive success both critically and commercially. Thus far, it's sold over 3 million copies, and is undoubtedly one of this year's strongest Game of the Year contenders.

A little over a month since Warhorse Studios' huge medieval Bohemian RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 came out in early February, the developer has now updated it with a gargantuan new Patch 1.2 update. The patch dropped on Thursday morning, and is now available to download on Windows PC and PS5.

Warhorse is aware of the fact that the update isn't out on Xbox Series X|S consoles yet, and has reassured fans that "it's on the way and should be arriving very soon."

The update — coming in at a full game-sized 62.5GB — contains "over 1,000" noteworthy fixes and solutions for various bugs, along with countless different balancing tweaks to nearly every aspect of KCD2's gameplay. Overall, there's nothing in the patch notes (they're far too long to list here like I would normally, so here's a link to them) that's particularly transformative, but all of the bugfixes and minor adjustments should add up to make the RPG feel more polished and refined.

The biggest addition from Patch 1.2 is the implementation of the barber feature that lets you give protagonist Henry a new hairstyle and/or facial hair — handy if you're not a fan of his default crew cut or his baby face. You'll find a barber in both Zhelejov and Kuttenberg, so no matter which of the game's two maps you're in, you can get yourself a new do in exchange for some groschen.

Some other major fixes worth specifically mentioning include a fix for the dreaded audio stuttering problem on PS5, one for the nasty bug causing flickering textures in the sky on consoles, and another for the issue that could occasionally make inventory icons extremely blurry while playing on Xbox Series S.

I won't cover them in detail here, but Patch 1.2 also features tons of bugfixes for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's many, many quests. Aside from the above platform-specific problems, these were arguably the most frustrating bugs to encounter since they often blocked player progress in side quests, so it's great to see them taken care of.

On the whole, this is an excellent update, and it's a relief to see after Hotfix 1.1.2 left fans disappointed in late February. That little patch didn't fix much, but Warhorse's PR manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling teased that the next update had "34 pages of patch notes" a few weeks later; now that it's here, Patch 1.2 has proven those words true.

What's next for KCD2?

In terms of what's next for KCD2, we know from the game's official roadmap trailer that a more difficult Hardcore Mode and horse racing are both coming later this spring; if the former works like Hardcore did in the original Kingdom Come, players will have to select a few negative perks that never go away at the start of a playthrough, and will also have to contend with higher shop prices, slower healing, more lethal combat damage, and the absence of the indicators that display which direction you're guarding/attacking from and when to block/attack for perfect blocks and ripostes.

Beyond that, there are also DLC expansions headed to the game in summer, fall, and winter. The first, Brushes With Death, focuses on "a mysterious artist with an enigmatic past," while the second — titled Legacy of the Forge — will see Henry become a master blacksmith in Kuttenberg. Finally, there will be Mysteria Ecclesiae in winter, a DLC centered around Sedletz Monastery and "the spread of a deadly illness."

With all this content scheduled to come later in 2025, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is poised to have an excellent year. It's already one of this year's Game of the Year frontrunners — it reviewed exceptionally well and rocketed past a major sales milestone in under 24 hours — and it only looks to get even better as Warhorse supports it with major updates like Patch 1.2, new features, and DLC.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's a stellar RPG, so if you enjoy that genre, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $48.59 at CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

A little over two weeks after the game's February 4 release date, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Warhorse Studios' long-awaited sequel to the original 2018 medieval open-world RPG — has gotten its first post-launch update with Hotfix 1.1.2. The patch is available to download now on all of KCD2's platforms, including Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (Steam, the Epic Games Store and GOG), and PS5.

The foreword to the patch notes state that the update brings "key stability improvements, quest fixes, and platform-specific adjustments" and "fine-tunes your medieval adventure," but honestly, this hotfix is pretty anemic. There are only 11 specified bugfixes in total, and aside from the ones that address crashes, only two of them resolve serious issues that players have experienced with quests and technical performance.

I hardly ran into any bugs at all during the playthrough of KCD2 I completed for my review, but other folks adventuring through medieval Bohemia haven't been so lucky (though the game is pretty well-polished overall). On PS5, there have been widespread reports of constant audio stuttering, and both PS5 and Xbox players have made note of major visual glitches like flickering textures in the sky, weather effects rapidly disappearing and reappearing, and NPC eyes and teeth glowing, among others.

These issues, along with numerous other bugs that impede or prevent progress in various quests throughout Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, sadly haven't been resolved with this update (make sure you check the section below for a full breakdown of what was fixed). If you've encountered one of these in your playthrough, you'll have to wait until future patches come out for a fix.

Early reactions to Hotfix 1.1.2 from the KCD2 community have been unsurprisingly negative, with many expressing disappointment that several major issues with the game haven't been fixed or acknowledged in official developer communications.

"How was the PS5 audio stutter NOT a top priority?" Wrote u/OK_ULTRA in a post on the r/KingdomCome subreddit, linking to a clear example of the bug. "Wow they really didn’t fix a lot in all this time. Disappointing," added u/silus2123. Most replies in the thread are from folks that were hoping a major issue they ran into was fixed, only for them to find out the bug in question persists.

Ultimately, it's a bummer that the first update to KCD2 didn't do much to take care of bugs and technical issues, but hopefully more substantial fixes are coming soon. This was only labeled a hotfix after all, so perhaps Warhorse Studios has a much larger patch already on the way. Either way, we know more updates are coming at some point, as the developer has promised continued support alongside content additions like haircuts, horse races, a hardcore mode, and three DLC expansions.

Despite the irksome issues mentioned above, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 itself undoubtedly stands as one of 2025's best Xbox games and best PC games, and is an early frontrunner for Game of the Year. The historical RPG has reviewed and sold so well that it started turning a profit just under 24 hours after launch, and ended up moving 1 million copies in that time. It's also maintained consistently high numbers on the Steam player count charts since launch, and recently crossed the 2 million sales milestone.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's a stellar RPG, so if you enjoy that genre, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $47.39 at CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Hotfix 1.1.2 patch notes

Below are the official patch notes for Hotfix 1.1.2, taken directly from Warhorse Studios' website.

Fortuna

• Bozhena and Pavlena will no longer report the player for crimes during the quest.

The King's Gambit

• The quest interactor for wine will no longer disappear, allowing players to continue pouring wine for the guests.

Combat

• Fixed the crossbow aiming zoom on ultrawide resolutions.

Platform-specific fixes

• Epic Games Store: Fixed the issue with achievements not being completed after longer than one hour of play.

PROS

• Improved the issue with rewards sometimes requiring game restart to be awarded.

Stability

• Fixed a crash when looking at certain locked doors and chests. 
• Fixed a crash sometimes occurring loading the game after finishing the dice mini-game. 
• Fixed a crash related to opening the horse inventory. 
• Fixed a crash related to interacting with a cart. 
• Fixed a crash when spamming keys on the EULA screen. 
• Fixed a crash when having conflicting versions of the Bink library. 
• A few dozen additional stability fixes and improvements.

2025 has brought players several excellent new games so far, but without a doubt, one of its best is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — a long-awaited sequel to the original 2018 open-world RPG that puts players in the shoes of an orphaned young adult as he navigates his thirst for revenge and a flaring civil war in medieval Bohemia. It's a remarkably well-balanced experience with exciting adventure, harrowing loss, levity, and some of the most immersive RPG systems and mechanics I've ever engaged with — and earlier this week, many of its fans banded together to give others the chance to enjoy it without spending a penny.

It all started with a thread on the r/kingdomcome subreddit titled "Can't afford the game? I've got you." Its author u/verdantsf explained that they wanted to pay forward a kindness a friend had shown them during hard times.

"A while back, I was going through a rough patch. I was in a new town without a lot of support and finances were tight. I simply didn't have enough money for entertainment at all, let alone PC games," they wrote. "Thankfully, I had a gamer buddy pitch in. Being able to immerse myself in other worlds helped immensely with stress and my mental health. Things are much better these days and I'd like to pay it forward."

u/verdantsf then generously bought the first five commenters a $60 copy of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, followed by another five after the volume of replies turned out to be larger than what they expected.

"Whatever you're going through, I hope being able to immerse yourself in Henry's world helps you the way that games helped me many years ago," they said. In total, they had given away $600 worth of KCD2 copies.

[KCD2] Can't afford the game? I've got you. from r/kingdomcome

If your faith in humanity hasn't been restored yet, don't worry; things didn't stop there. In fact, u/verdantsf's generosity ended up inspiring several kind strangers to buy the game for others, too, with u/Flando1 — someone who followed up on u/verdantsf's batches with several gifts of their own —encouraging folks interested in contributing to "scroll down and pick a comment."

Soon after, a full-blown gifting furor broke out, with 30 others getting copies for folks who weren't able to get the game for one reason or another. Notably, u/verdantsf also updated their post after giving away another set of five copies, revealing that developer Warhorse Studios had taken notice of all the benevolence and had given them a KCD2 Collector's Edition as well as a fresh batch to give away.

Assuming each additional gift-giver purchased one copy for someone else — they may have given away more, for all I know — well over $2,000 of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been shared with others as a result of this generosity.

"As I've been reading through the thread, I've seen more and more of the community joining in to help our fellow gamers through tough times," wrote u/verdantsf in another update. "Thanks again to the now 30 of you who purchased KCD2 for others. Teamwork makes the dream work!"

This whole gift-giving frenzy was lovely to see, especially since it's not something you see happen often. I hope everyone who got a copy ends up loving KCD2 as much as I do; as I wrote in my review, it's "an undeniable triumph from Warhorse Studios" that features "a colossal open world packed with well over 100+ hours of engaging content, substantially improved combat compared to the original KCD, and more." It's arguably one of the best RPGs ever made, and there's no doubt in my mind that it'll be a top contender for GOTY 2025.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $47.39 at CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

We're a bit guilty of Windows Phone lamentations here at Windows Central from time to time (all the time, if you're me or Zac Bowden), but we're not alone. There are dozens of us! Also including the game director of one of this year's best Xbox and PC games thus far.

Kingdom Come Deliverance II is a detailed and historically faithful RPG set in medieval Bohemia and the Holy Roman Empire, the predecessor state of modern Czechia. A brutal and mature tale of revenge, Kingdom Come Deliverance II has already set a high bar for 2025 game releases, winning near-universal praise from reviewers, including our own review. It was to be expected from Warhorse Studios, given how good the original game is too. What was less expected, is that game director Daniel Vávra counts himself among the Windows Phone faithful.

Speaking on X, Vávra recounted how he thought using a Windows Phone might have won him some kudos during a visit to Microsoft HQ back in the day, however, the staff there were reportedly "shocked" that he was "voluntarily" using it. I have personally visited Microsoft HQ myself in Redmond a few times over the years, and I have to say, my experience were quite similar to Daniel's here.

I felt compelled to write this up, because when I've visited Microsoft HQ for game previews in the early days of my career, I had some similar experiences (also excuses to write about Windows Phone in 2025 are pretty limited...)

I'd be there, rocking my Surface Book, my massive and shiny Lumia 950 XL, only to discover a sea of iPhones and occasional well-intended jibes for "suffering" through Windows 10 Mobile. It was those experiences that crystallized the fact that Windows Phone was probably not long for this world, if even the company that created it wasn't particularly excited about using it.

Of course, there were many over there who were excited about it, and worked incredibly hard to make something of it. Hindsight is always 20/20 with regard to these things, and finding success in a competitive hardware marketplace is monstrously hard, as even Xbox itself is currently discovering. Yet still, with Microsoft trying to promote its own AI tools like Copilot, and not having its own mobile phone endpoint to control, perhaps it was a bit short-sighted of them to have killed it off without a bigger fight. CEO Satya Nadella himself recently expressed regret for giving up on Windows Phone and Windows 10 Mobile.

With Xbox's huge mobile content glut, cloud gaming, Copilot AI, the rise of progressive web apps, and beyond, I still think Windows Phone could have a chance in 2025. I can hear you rolling your eyes through the screen, but hear me out! What if Windows 11 Mobile could become some kind of "niche" productivity-oriented AI-first phone OS whose unique selling point is simplicity over endless mindless distractions seen on iOS and Android?! I'd buy it. Although, I would very much like Live Tiles back if they were to go down that route. Alas, I am dreaming. I said stop eye-rolling. Yes, you, Tom Warren.

Apologies to Daniel Vávra, but when I see opportunities to write about Windows Phone in 2025, I take it ...😭 For everyone else, go play Kingdom Come Deliverance II right now.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been on a hot streak. Within the first 24 hours, the game managed to surpass over one million copies sold. It even managed to pay for itself within the first day. Now, in less than two weeks, it's doubled that count, reaching two million total sales.

In comparison with the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance, the first game eventually climbed to over 8 million sales, but it took over six years to reach that number. Now, they've hit a quarter of that number in less than two weeks. Talk about deliverance.

The good news keeps rolling in for Warhorse Studios. This comes just a few days after Warhorse officially announced that modding would be coming to the game on Steam, something players worldwide are looking forward to. I know I certainly am, and I haven't even had the chance to play the game yet!

The success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 comes during a month that's packed with releases. Civilization 7, Avowed, Monster Hunter Wilds, and Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii. The last is one I'm currently playing through for review. It's a crowded month!

Not only is the release calendar full, but so are the RPGs. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 faces off against another top-seller in Avowed, which once managed to reach the number one spot on Steam before its full release. Whoever wins between the two is nonsense because the only winners this month are the gamers.

In years past, I always struggled through the holiday release window. Now, I'm struggling to see or play all the titles in February—a true gamer problem to have. I need it, though, and I've been getting ready to play it in weird ways.

If you've already picked up Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, or you're like me and have to wait a hot minute, why don't you go gather up the Twitch drops available until February 19? The Cutpurse armor set looks dope and will fit right in with any backstabbing rogue looking to miss the gallows in Kingdom Come. You definitely won't get caught doing anything illegal in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. No, never.

How do you feel about the success Warhorse Studios is seeing with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Let us know in the comments below or on social media. I'll make sure to dive into the conversation if it suits me. Until then, enjoy the rest of February's game! Whatever you fancy, you're in for a fun ride.

Warhorse Studios' long-awaited open-world RPG sequel Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has enjoyed a very prosperous launch period since its release last week, with the medieval Bohemian adventure accruing 1 million sales in under 24 hours after launch and blowing up the Steam charts (nearly 200,000 concurrent players are in-game on the platform as I write this). Following that initial wave of success, the developer has announced that a highly requested feature is coming to the title.

That feature is official mod support, which Warhorse says is headed to Steamworks — a set of tools published by Steam maker Valve for developer use. Presumably, this support will include modding tools, and hopefully Steam Workshop support as well; the latter would allow players to browse and download mods directly from the Steam client and then install them with a single click, circumventing the process of manual installation entirely.

The developers made their announcement on Wednesday morning with comedy befitting the silly nature of many mods: a ridiculous looking magenta and blue zebraified horse, with none other than KCD2's lovable dork protagonist Henry riding it while holding a fish like a sword. You can have a look at the goofy image below:

"Bohemia is about to get even more exciting," wrote the studio in its announcement post. "Official modding support is coming to KCD2 on Steamworks — stay tuned."

It's great to see Warhorse confirm that it's working on official mod support so soon after KCD2's launch, as with the original 2018 game, the developers didn't announce and release it until a year later in 2019. By that time, most folks interested in modding the game with advanced additions like new quests had seemingly moved on, though plenty of simpler mods were still made and widely distributed on sites like Nexus Mods.

Speaking of Nexus Mods, it's also where you'll find all the best early Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 mods that've already come out. So far, the most popular mods are ones like Unlimited Saving II or Increased Carry Weight that get rid of some of KCD2's gameplay limitations or make the game easier overall, though there are also some that make the game more difficult in interesting ways. Scout Hardcore Mode, for instance, has options to hide the player and quest objectives from the in-game map, remove the directional compass from the HUD, disable fast travel, and more. There's also an early KCD2 Mod Manager that simplifies the process of installing and enabling or disabling mods, so make sure to get it if you don't want to bother with the hassle of manual installation.

The downside here is that it doesn't look like mod support is coming to the Xbox Series X|S or PS5 versions of the game. That's disappointing, but also not exactly unexpected given the closed nature of console platforms. Some developers like Bethesda have built mod browsers into their console games and STALKER 2 studio GSC Game World is using mod.io to support mods for the STALKER trilogy ports on console, but generally speaking, mods are unavailable in most Xbox or PlayStation releases.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $52.49 at CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

Working on the Xbox Series S version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 directly benefitted the game's development on other platforms, according to new comments from Warhorse Studios' public relations (PR) manager.

Speaking in an interview on the Iron Lords Podcast (around the 1:32:17 mark) Warhorse Studios PR manager Tobias Stolz-Zwilling noted that "The optimizations for the Xbox Series S helped greatly [for] other platforms," adding that "since you have to dial down a few things and be cleverer where you can with the programming," the benefits of being careful carried over to the other versions of the game.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 runs on a version of Crytek's CryEngine, though it's worth noting that Warhorse Studios has been heavily customizing its version of the engine, packing it out with unique tech and features in order to run a massive medieval open world with a number of simulation elements.

On Xbox Series S, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 runs in a single mode at 30 FPS, with 30 FPS quality and 60 FPS performance modes available on Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5, while there's a handful of additional tweaks on the PlayStation 5 Pro.

Xbox Series S continues providing challenges and opportunities

Years after the console was first released, the reaction to the Xbox Series S from developers has been interesting to watch unfold, with some finding the constraints of a lower-powered machine annoying, while others have taken advantage of it in order to provide additional visual modes.

Larian Studios' Baldur's Gate 3 initially shipped without its split-screen feature on Xbox Series S in December 2023, though over a year after launch, the team's continued optimizations have finally allowed split-screen to come to Microsoft's lower-end console. This feature is included in the upcoming Patch 8 that's available to test right now.

Warhorse Studios hasn't been alone in its experience with having the Xbox Series S version of a game ending up benefitting the rest of development. STALKER 2: Heart of Chornobyl developer GSC Game World previously opined on the Xbox Series S, with the team saying that they had to "squeeze up every megabyte from every piece of system content we could," with the results paying off in making the PC build more optimized.

I haven't played Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 myself, but many of my colleagues are loving it, including contributor Brendan Lowry, who wrote in his review of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 that "Between the immersive reactivity of its huge open world, countless varied quests to fill up your journal with, its engaging well-balanced combat, a gripping story, and immaculate presentation, it's got everything a Kingdom Come fan could want and more."

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PlayStation 5.

Warhorse Studios' long-awaited historical open-world RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 only just came to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 earlier this week, but in just a single day after launch, it broke even with development costs and is now turning a profit for the studio and publisher Deep Silver.

That news comes from KCD2 creative director Daniel Vávra, who confirmed the achievement in a new interview with the Czech news site SZ Byznys. Reportedly, the medieval adventure title "cost around a billion [Czech] crowns" (roughly $41.5 million USD by current exchange rates) to make; the original 2018 game, by comparison, cost 750 million crowns (about $31 million) and has made 793 million crowns in profit since its release.

"Before the launch, we at the studio made a bet on how many copies we would sell. And I won. I missed by 300 copies. We are satisfied with the numbers, and if the trend continues at the same pace, it will be great," Vávra commented. Earlier this week, he said something similar on X (Twitter): "Fun fact: A week ago I made a prediction about how many copies we will sell on first day. I was off by 104 units. My boss was off by 100 thousand units :) I should be an analyst or something :)"

Vávra also explained that the sequel's release date was moved forward so that it wouldn't be so close to the original February 14 launch time for Ubisoft's new action RPG Assassin's Creed Shadows. However, when Assassin's Creed was recently delayed to March 20, it gave Warhorse's new game a huge window to thrive in.

"We moved the launch of Kingdom Come forward a week to February 4 because of Assassin's Creed, and I think they may have pushed the premiere of the new installment in the series back because of us," he said. "Although Ubisoft is much bigger than Warhorse and what we consider a success is small numbers for them. In any case, the postponement is great news for us."

It's impressive that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 managed to pay for itself 24 hours after release, though it's not terribly surprising given yesterday's news of the RPG selling over one million copies on launch day. KCD2 also held the highest position on Steam's Top Sellers list for a few days both before and after it came out, and has only been knocked into second place by the upcoming strategy game Civilization 7 just this morning.

All of those sales — as well as tons of positive reviews and scores for the game from critics — led to KCD2 blowing up the Steam charts when it released. Its momentum hasn't slowed down, either; in fact, the game actually hit a new concurrent player count peak of 185,582 on Valve's PC gaming platform just a few hours ago (according to SteamDB data), and it's expected to soar past the 200,000 milestone this weekend.

I've been following Warhorse and Kingdom Come since I was a 16-year-old in high school and the franchise was a 2014 Kickstarter project, so it's wonderful to see the studio and the series succeed as much as it has so far with KCD2. As I wrote in my review, it's "the perfect RPG sequel," and with its gargantuan reactive open world, excellent story, gorgeous visuals, and well over 100+ hours of content to enjoy, it's the frontrunner for Game of the Year 2025.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $46.19 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

We have yet another enormous open-world adventure on our hands with Warhorse Studios' Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The RPG's grandiose rendition of 15th Century Bohemia is double the size of its already-huge 2018 predecessor, and it's brimming with everything from diverse and engaging side quests to hidden treasures to find, camps of loot-laden bandits to clear, and more.

This makes its two Trosky and Kuttenberg maps a joy to explore and adventure through, but it also means that it's pretty tough to find everything that's hidden away in their dense forests and bustling villages. Doing so will require thoroughly combing through the world and keeping your eyes peeled and ears open, but if you'd like some external assistance, you can also rely on an interactive map — a tool made by fellow players that shows where you can find pretty much everything in the game.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has only been out for a few days, but the team over at Map Genie has already put together a largely complete Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 interactive map you can access now. With it, you can make sure you don't miss any of what Warhorse's new game has to offer.

KCD2: Interactive map of Trosky and Kuttenberg

While Map Genie's Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 interactive map isn't fully complete yet — its contributors are still at work making sure that it includes every noteworthy quest, point of interest, and more — what's been published is incredibly extensive. The map already includes huge portions of what's available in both the Trosky and Kuttenberg regions, so it's more than ready to be used for exploring the open world.

Like all of Map Genie's other interactive maps, this one is smooth and easy to navigate. Zooming in or out is easily achieved by either scrolling your mouse wheel (desktop) or by using "pinching" your touchscreen (mobile), with click-and-drag or scrolling on those respective platforms allowing you to move your view of the map around. Additionally, the left side of the webpage has a list of categories you can toggle to display location icons on the map, with options for everything from vendor types and notable services to loot stashes and various points of interest.

Accompanying those categories is a search bar, which comes in handy if you're trying to find a specific type of NPC or resource. For example, if you wanted to find a blacksmith to sell unwanted armor and weapons to, you could see every blacksmith in Trosky or Kuttenberg by simply typing "blacksmith" in the bar and then pressing the search button.

I do recommend trying to play through Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 without using a tool like this, as all the cool things you can find in its open world are more satisfying to discover if you stumble across them yourself. With that said, if you're looking to save some time or guarantee that you don't miss anything, interactive maps like this one are a huge boon you should take advantage of.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $46.19 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

To say that the open world of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is vast would be an understatement. The game's pair of maps are truly gargantuan, with double the size of the original game's world space in total and upwards of 150 hours of content to dive into. The vast majority of that are side quests, but there are some nifty and unique secrets out there, too — and one that was found on launch day will delight Elden Ring fans in particular.

That secret is an endearing reference to none other than Klein "Let Me Solo Her" Tsuboi, an extremely skilled Elden Ring player known for his pot helmet, dual-wielded katanas, and fighting the brutally difficult Malenia, Blade of Miquella boss better than you or I ever could. Malenia is one of the hardest fights in FromSoftware's 2022 ARPG, but Let Me Solo Her spent over 1,000 hours killing her over 6,000 times for random co-op buddies and almost never got hit while doing it. It's no exaggeration to say that he's Elden Ring's biggest community hero, and evidently, KCD2 developer Warhorse Studios is enamored with him as well.

In the southwest corner of the Trosky region, past the Lower Semine Mill and the nearby woodcutters' camp, you can find a lone skeleton lying next to a large tree in the middle of a dense forest with Let Me Solo Her's trademark pot on its head, and one sword-like weapon stub next to each of its hands. From its torso, a bright red poppy grows — a flower often used to symbolize remembrance and peace. The picturesque memorial is shown in the gallery below, with its specific location marked by a red flag in the second image.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $46.19 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

Warhorse Studios' hit new medieval open-world RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 isn't afraid to throw some pretty brutal challenges your way, and that's especially true with combat encounters. You can get through these unscathed with good armor and excellent swordplay, but sooner or later, you're sure to suffer a few gnarly wounds and lose health.

A reduced HP bar means you'll be easier to kill and will have reduced stamina, so restoring your health should be your first priority if you get hurt. However, KCD2 doesn't have any kind of automatic heal-over-time mechanics, so doing so is an active process that will require some effort on your part.

Thankfully, there are a few different ways to heal up in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and doing so isn't difficult or terribly expensive. I go over everything you need to know in the guide below, so read on.

How to heal in KCD2

Before going over how to heal, I'll note that you won't be able to effectively heal unless you've taken care of any bleeding, health-draining wounds you have (represented by a status effect that looks like a blood drop). You can do this by using bandages looted from slain enemies and chests or purchased from Trader and Bathhouse merchants. You'll likely need to use multiple bandages for severe wounds, so it's a good idea to stock up.

Once you've dealt with bleeding, there are two ways you can heal. The first is by sleeping, which slowly recovers your health as you rest. If you want to speed up your recovery, you can drink Chamomile decoctions to heal more while sleeping. You can make these elixirs yourself via Alchemy with Wine, two Chamomile, and one Sage by boiling the Wine and Chamomile for one hourglass turn, grinding the Sage and adding it to the cauldron, and then pouring the mixture into a phial. Alternatively, you can simply buy these from an Apothecary (look for a potion icon on your map and on signs, like the one pictured above).

For more direct healing, you'll need Marigold decoctions that instantly start recovering some health over time once you drink them (they also help with hangovers, if brewed well). To make these with Alchemy, you'll need to add one Nettle to a cauldron of Water and boil it for two hourglass turns, then grind up two Marigold and add it to the brew before pouring. Note that these, too, can also be bought from an Apothecary if you don't want to craft them.

The question of which healing method to choose ultimately comes down to the context you find yourself in. If you know you're going to be fighting again soon or if it's early in the day, you should drink a Marigold decoction or two for quick healing and so you don't have to be awake at night (at least use a torch, if you will be). If it's close to nighttime and you're going to sleep soon anyway, though, recover your health that way (and drink a Chamomile decoction if you're hurt badly).

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $46.19 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

While it's typically ideal to sleep during the night in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — doing so is necessary in order to restore Henry's energy at the end of each in-game day — there are times where you'll need to be awake and active at night to complete certain quests. Nighttime hours are also when most NPCs are asleep in their homes, making them the best time to sneakily commit thieveries or murders if you're all about the criminal lifestyle.

Regardless of why you're awake when the sun goes down, though, having a torch handy is important. It's illegal to walk around towns and settlements at night without one, and you'll want to be able to pull one out if guards spot you lurking in the dark. If you don't, they'll start acting suspicious and will eventually arrest you on the spot. Also, torches are useful whenever you find yourself exploring dark interiors like basements and cellars.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 never directly explains where you can get a torch and how to use one, but thankfully, doing both is extremely easy. Follow the quick guide below, and you'll learn everything you need to know.

How to get and use a torch in KCD2

You don't start Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 off with a torch in your inventory, but luckily, getting your hands on one is very, very simple. The easiest way to get a torch without spending money is to simply loot one off of defeated NPCs. Everyone from villagers to bandits tends to have one in their inventory, and since encountering the latter on the roads isn't exactly rare, you'll find yourself standing over a corpse sooner or later.

Alternatively, you can also buy torches from vendors. Not every merchant sells them, but many do, and generalist Traders (look for the scale icon on your map or on signs) always has them on offer. Note that torches only cost four or five groschen, so you'll be able to afford one even if you haven't built up any serious funds yet. The earliest accessible vendor that sells torches is Merchant Jurg Thömel in the west side of Troskowitz.

Once you have a torch, you can then use it by equipping it in your inventory and pressing down on the D-Pad (controller) or the R key (keyboard). To put it away, press the same input again. Something important to note is that you can fight with one-handed weapons while holding a torch, but can't use two-handed ones or shields.

Another thing to mention is that torches do technically wear out over time, but this happens very slowly. I'd buy or loot a few extras and stuff them in your horse's inventory so you're not stuck without one when your current torch breaks, but ultimately, it's nothing to worry about.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $46.19 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

Going into 2025, it was easy to forecast that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — a colossal, much-hyped medieval open-world RPG from Warhorse Studios and Deep Silver — was going to be one of the year's biggest and most exciting releases. And sure enough, now that it's out, it's already managed to soar past an impressive sales milestone.

Specifically, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has now sold over 1 million copies across Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5, with its developers announcing the achievement on social media on Wednesday morning. "Over a million of you have stepped into our world," wrote Warhorse in its post. "We're beyond grateful for your support — thank you for making KCD2 a triumph!"

Notably, this news came less than 24 hours after the sequel's big launch on Tuesday that saw it blowing up the Steam charts. And to be clear, it still is; as I write this, KCD2 just hit a new concurrent player count peak of 172,966 according to SteamDB, and it's the fifth most-played game on Valve's PC gaming platform. For a single player RPG, that's a sizable accomplishment.

Interest in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was very high in the months and weeks leading up to its release, with Warhorse marketing it as a deep refinement of everything that fans enjoyed about the original 2018 game. Its gargantuan, systems-driven open world was made twice as large and even more supportive of and reactive to player choice and agency, while its brutal medieval melee combat has been reworked to promote a balanced dance of offense and defense instead of the turtle-heavy experience it tended to devolve into in the later stages of the first KCD. Audiovisual presentation got some big boosts, too, as did performance and the quality of the story.

Put simply, it took an already good game and made it a terrific one, and as I wrote in my Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review, that makes it "the perfect RPG sequel." Other players that had early access agree; reviews and scores across the web are almost universally positive, with the game currently resting at a "Generally Favorable" 88/100 score on the aggregation site Metacritic. KCD2 is also ranked "Very Positive" on Steam with 92% of its 6,356 reviews positive, and it's got a 4/5 rating on Xbox and a 4.79/5 one on PS5. It's only February, but we may very well have 2025's Game of the Year on our hands.

All of this has undoubtedly helped the grandiose historical RPG attract interested fans, leading to the game climbing to the top of Steam's Top Sellers chart before it was even available to play publicly. So far, it's held that position firmly against other big-name titles like Civilization 7, a new seasonal release from Destiny 2, the hero shooter Marvel Rivals, and others.

Of course, this is just the start of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's success. The numbers it's achieved so far, while undeniably impressive, have also come in the middle of a work week in which many have limited amounts of time to play games; once the weekend comes, I expect we'll see KCD2's sales numbers and its concurrent player count rapidly climb even higher.

Looking to get in on the fun? Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is available now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 for $59.99 (PC) and $69.99 (console), but if you're able to play on one of the first two platforms, you can actually get it for far less thanks to these deals from CDKeys. Specifically, you can snag the Steam version of KCD2 for $46.19 at CDKeys, while the Xbox one is going for $58.09 on CDKeys. Notably, the Gold Edition of the RPG that includes some bonus goodies and access to its future DLCs is also on sale.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance cemented itself as one of the best RPGs of the 2010s when it came out seven years ago, so it's not exactly surprising that there's been a ton of excitement for the sequel ahead of its long-awaited release. That hype has culminated in an enormously successful launch for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on Steam (Windows PC), Xbox, and other platforms — and thanks to some awesome deals, you can embark on its grandiose romp through medieval Bohemia for a substantial discount.

Right now, the Standard Edition of the Steam version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is going for just $46.19 at CDKeys, which is nearly a full $14 off the usual $59.99 MSRP. The Gold Edition that includes some extra goodies and access to KCD2's future DLCs is only $58.69 at CDKeys instead of $79.99 as well, and the retailer even has the pricier Xbox versions on sale, too.

Kingdom Come 2 is "the perfect RPG sequel"

As I wrote in my 5/5 review of the game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is "bigger, better, and bolder than ever," with nearly every pillar of its predecessor's design refined, improved, or expanded. The gargantuan open world itself is twice as large as the first title's, and is richer with a greater variety of side quests and activities to engage with. The inhabitants of that world are also more reactive than ever before, with everything from their social status, your chosen dialogue options, and choices made in quests to what you're wearing, your health and hygiene, and what you're seen doing having a tangible impact on how you're treated and perceived. The melee combat, too, has become more "active" and friendly to offensive playstyles, while the continuation of the story has considerably better pacing and nuance compared to what came before.

It's "the perfect RPG sequel," and you're sure to love it if you like the sound of an epic 100+ hour journey. I'm not alone in thinking this, either; other Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 reviewers feel the same way, with the game currently enjoying a "Generally Favorable" 88/100 score on Metacritic averaged out from dozens of reviews and analyses across the web. Undoubtedly, it's going to be a Game of the Year contender, and it's safe to say that it's currently 2025's frontrunner.

It's also worth mentioning that at launch, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is absolutely blowing up Steam, with the RPG currently standing as the fifth most-played game on the platform. Its concurrent player count peaked at 159,351 close to its global release, but I imagine it'll soar even higher in the upcoming evenings and on the weekend.

And wait, there's more: as good as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is now, it's poised to get even better later this year as updates and expansions to the experience come out. The game's roadmap confirms that we're getting three add-on expansions later this year, as well as some free new features like barber haircuts, horse racing, and a more difficult Hardcore Mode.

Ultimately, it's an incredible game, and thanks to these discounts, it can be yours at launch for sizable discounts. It's unclear how long these CDKeys deals will last, though, so if you're interested in taking advantage of them, I wouldn't wait to do so.

The long seven-year wait for Warhorse Studios' historical RPG sequel is finally over, as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has arrived at long last. And to the surprise of nobody, it's absolutely blowing up the Steam charts on Windows PC right now.

As I write this, the newly released 100+ hour open-world epic has 127,139 concurrent players on Valve's PC gaming platform, with a peak player count of 159,351 earlier today according to SteamDB data. That makes it the fifth most-played Steam game right now — fourth if you don't count the drop-farming clicker game Banana — with the RPG surpassing popular titles like PUBG: Battlegrounds and Grand Theft Auto 5. Compared to the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance's peak of 96,069, the follow-up's is over 50,000 higher.

Notably, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is also at the top of Steam's Top Sellers list, and has been for over 24 hours now; before that, it held a very high position on the chart, with only a few games above it. Right now, it's getting more sales and downloads than Civilization 7, Counter-Strike 2, Destiny 2, Marvel Rivals, and many other recent and live-action titles.

The game's explosive success on PC so far is undeniably impressive, and while we don't have any official console data to draw from right now, I'm sure the game is having a stellar launch day on Xbox Series X|S and PS5, too. As I said, though, it's hardly surprising; going into 2025, it was clear that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was going to be one of its biggest and most ambitious games, with Warhorse promising a doubled open-world size, more nuanced reactivity to the player's actions, deeper roleplaying systems, improved combat mechanics, and a grander story with a script so large it even surpasses the one in Baldur's Gate 3.

All of that undoubtedly sparked quite a bit of hype, as did the fact that reviewers all largely agree that the sequel makes good on its promises. Across the board and all three of its platforms, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is getting rave reviews and has a "Generally Favorable" Metacritic score of 88, with most analyses finding very little to criticize. Compared to the original Kingdom Come, for example, KCD2 has far better performance and much more "active" combat with more opportunities for offensive maneuvers and combos.

I reviewed Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 myself, and consider it to be "the perfect RPG sequel." You'll find my detailed thoughts in the full piece, but overall, it's "an undeniable triumph from Warhorse Studios" and "one of the best RPGs I've ever played." I have no doubt in my mind that this will stand tall as one of 2025's best Game of the Year contenders, and right now, it's the clear frontrunner. So far, players seem to agree, as on Steam, it's got a "Very Positive" rating with 93% of the title's 2,199 user reviews giving it a thumbs up.

It's worth noting that we're talking about a game that came out early on a workday morning, too. Indeed, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's performance numbers are expected to climb even higher — perhaps past the 200,000 mark — in the evenings and on the weekend, and I wouldn't even be surprised to see it reach 300,000 or more.

As someone who's been following Kingdom Come: Deliverance since I was 16 and the first game was being supported by a Kickstarter campaign, it's wonderful to see both how far Warhorse has come as a developer and the success of the series' second entry. With Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the studio has fully realized its vision, and I couldn't be happier to see it.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5 on February 4. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $44.99 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

At long last, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out, and thousands of players jumping into it right now are finding out just how colossal of a game it is. Its medieval open world is as unfathomably large in size as it is ridiculously rich with content, but outside of some main story waymarkers, you're given very little direction once you get through the prologue and start your adventure in earnest.

As a result of this, it's difficult to know where to go or what to do first in this grand RPG, but don't worry — I'm here to help with a series of beginner tips, tricks, and suggestions. Knowing about these earlier would have come in handy for the early game struggles of my own playthrough, but I'm happy to pass along what I've learned to my fellow Bohemian adventurers.

Get hired by the blacksmith and miller

The second you've gotten through Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's prologue and have spoken to Bara — the woman dressed in red that calls you over as soon as you're free to start roaming the world — for some valuable tips, you should either head north of Troskowitz and visit the blacksmith in Tachov or far to the southwest to speak to the miller at the Lower Semine Mill. You'll be directed to both by the main story, and there are some valuable benefits to going to see one or both of them right away before you being exploring the landscapes of Trosky.

In addition to the former teaching you how to blacksmith and the latter's helpers showing you how to pickpocket and lockpick, both will also give you an owned bed to sleep and save your game with, a chest of your own to stash loot in (the contents will be accessible from any chest in a room you own), and some quest steps that lead to some decent gear. The beds in particular are extremely useful to get early since that way you won't have to worry about paying for inn rooms or trying to sleep in hay bales without getting caught trespassing, but knowing some lucrative skills is nothing to scoff at, either.

You don't technically need to work with both men for main quest progress, but I do recommend seeking both of them out. That way you'll have a safe place to rest and recover to the north and south, which is sure to come in handy as you start progressing through your playthrough. If you only pick one, though, it should be the blacksmith, as you'll often be going to him anyway since he's one of the few vendors in Trosky that buys unwanted armor and weapons (these sell for quite a lot).

... And pick up this free bow, on the way

Something worth noting is that on your way to Tachov to talk to the blacksmith, you can get yourself a free bow and a good amount of arrows. Archery generally plays second fiddle to melee fighting in Kingdom Come, but there are still plenty of situations where having and being proficient with one comes in handy. In addition to picking foes off stealthily from afar, bows are also ideal for hunting the fauna of the forest to get meat for yourself and your dog to eat (I'll go over finding him shortly).

Just before the fork in the road from Troskowitz that leads to Tachov, you'll be able to spot a dirt path that leads east into some woods. Follow it, and you'll come across a target on a tree with multiple arrows embedded in it (pictured above). Next to the target is a Dogwood village bow, and in the sack next to that are two dozen arrows, a Bowman's brew potion that improves your Marksmanship skill temporarily, an archery skill book you can read to boost the skill permanently, and a Marksman's kit that allows you to repair bows. The arrows in the target can be taken, too, so make sure you pick them up.

Get yourself a free horse, too — without stealing

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's medieval Bohemian countryside is incredibly vast, and adventuring far from the starting town of Troskowitz will take a long time if you're doing it on foot. Luckily, there's an easy way to get a horse for free right from the start of the game — and no, it doesn't involve stealing one!

From Troskowitz, following the southwest road will eventually take you to the large settlement of Semine. You'll be coming here a lot later for the main story, but right now, your only concern is visiting the horse trader on the southwest side of the town's fortress. Amongst the steeds he has for sale, there will be a gray mare you'll get a prompt for Henry to recognize. This is none other than Pebbles, Henry's loyal nag from the first game that he gets separated from in the prologue. Evidently, someone found her and sold her off to the horse trader here, not knowing that she was owned.

Talk to the horse trader, and you'll find an option to tell him that Pebbles is already yours and to ask if he'd be willing to let you have her for free. This requires a pretty easy speech check — the trader didn't pay much for her, so he's not particularly attached — but even if you fail it, you can just buy Pebbles for a little over 100 groschen or so. Once you've either convinced or paid him, she's yours.

Not only will Pebbles speed up your travels, but she'll also be able to carry lots of loot like weapons and armor from slain foes that would weigh you down otherwise. Notably, compared to other "better" horses you can buy, Pebbles has a unique trait that improves her stats over time as you ride her.

Train your fighting skills with Tomcat

With a speedy method of travel secured, I recommend next following up on one of the best suggestions from the aforementioned tipster Bara: to go train your swordplay with a strongman called Tomcat for the Combat Training questline. He's located quite a ways away to the west in a Nomad camp, but the journey to see him is very much worth your time; not only will he teach you some useful melee combos you'll be using for the rest of the game, but training with him will also give you a huge boost to several combat-related skills like Warfare and Swords.

If you're able to defeat him in a full duel, Tomcat will also teach you the almighty Master Strike, which is a deadly sword-exclusive maneuver in which you counterattack by attacking from the opposite direction of an enemy's incoming strike. Though a bit difficult, Master Striking is very powerful, and getting access to it as soon as you're able is worth doing. Note that the duel with Tomcat might be too tough at first, but you can always come back later once Henry has seen some more action.

... And while you're there, find your dog Mutt

The quest to find your missing dog Mutt is a long and arduous one that sees you traveling all over the map and following any leads you can find — most of which don't end up working out. Believe it or not, though, Mutt can actually be found just southwest of the Nomad's camp in a clearing (shown in the above gallery with a red flag marker).

This spot is a bit of a wolf den, and once you reach it, you'll get a cutscene in which a small pack attacks you and Mutt. This fight shouldn't be too hard as long as you have good leg armor to protect from bites, but I do recommend playing defensively and only attacking after perfect blocking an incoming attack from the beasts since they're too evasive to cut down outside of that window.

Once the wolves run away or are slain, you'll unlock Mutt and can take advantage of his unique abilities. As your hound, he can be ordered to hunt animals. bite and distract enemies so you can get free hits in, and even track scents to help you find something or someone you're looking for in certain side quests. Just make sure you regularly feed and pet him, as he'll become disobedient otherwise.

By the way, don't leave the wolf den just yet, as there's some excellent loot to be found there. Specifically, the nearby alcove in the side of the short cliff has a Broadsword, a Patched cuirass, and a stash of jewelry worth roughly 850 groschen. This gear and money will be incredibly helpful early on, so don't miss it.

Find the best early game weapon and armor

That Patched Cuirass from the wolf den is a fantastic piece of armor to snag early on, but there's still more top tier loot to be found nearby. Heading around and north of Rockwater Pond — the body of water that the Nomad camp is south of — you can find another gathering of wolves around two dug up graves a short ways west of the road (shown in the image above with a red flag).

After dispatching the wolves, you'll be able to loot a Battle longsword, Von Bergow shield, and a Saxon Bascinet with visor helmet from the graves. These represent some of the best gear you can get for nearly all of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's first half, and together with the cuirass from the aforementioned wolf den, it'll have you more than prepared for the challenges ahead.

Loot this lucrative treasure hunter's camp

While we're hunting for treasures in the open world, I'd be remiss not to mention the hidden treasure hunters' camp to the east of the Nomad camp that's atop the hills of the large forest west of Zhelejov (shown above with a red flag). Here, you'll find three graverobbers camped out.

They attack on sight, so talking isn't an option. With that said, they're not terribly well-armored and don't greatly outnumber you, so you shouldn't have too much trouble taking them out. If you're comfortable with a bow, you can try picking one or two of them off before they bear down on you.

There's quite a bit of valuable loot here, including a Dagger in a sack near the cooking pot that's used for stealthy assassinations from behind, a Spade you can use for your own graverobbing leaning on the tree next to a locked chest, and a pricey Golden cup in an open sack to the chest's left. The chest itself — best unlocked with a key from one of the defeated bandits — contains a chainmail Saxon hauberk to wear under your recently acquired Patched cuirass and a piece of jewelry worth about 100 groschen or so, along with a Broadsword and a Grimey skullcap you can sell.

How you can get lots of Saviour Schnapps

Last but certainly not least, you're going to want to stock up on Saviour Schnapps — the alcoholic beverage that manually saves your game. Using these is the only way to do so outside of sleeping in owned beds, and this is how Warhorse encourages players to play through the consequences of their actions instead of "save scumming" by frequently making saves to reload when things go wrong. Still, having a good amount of these on hand is important (just don't drink too many too frequently, or else you'll become severely intoxicated and will get some big stat nerfs).

There are two main ways to get Saviour Schnapps in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The first is by brewing it with alchemy using the recipe given to you by Pavlena in the prologue; this requires a cauldron of Wine, one Nettle and two Belladona, and involves the following steps:

1. Add the Nettle to the cauldron and boil for two hourglass turns.
2. Grind the Belladonna.
3. Add the Belladonna to the cauldron and boil for one hourglass turn.
4. Finally, pour into a phial.

A well-brewed Saviour Schnapps will boost Strength, Vitality, and Agility on top of saving your game, while a poor brewing or the use of one less Belladonna will yield a Weak Saviour Schnapps that only saves your game. Nettle is all over the place, but the black berry bushes you get Belladonna from are somewhat rare, so making the weak version of the elixir is preferable if all you care about is getting as many game-saving Saviour Schnapps as possible. Do keep in mind that you can buy both herbs from apothecary vendors, though.

Don't feel like making your own Saviour Schnapps? You also have the option of buying it directly from apothecaries, as well as some of the general traders throughout the game. Both the trader and apothecary in Troskowitz, for example, sell and regularly restock Saviour Schnapps. Getting the drinks this way is more expensive, but far less time consuming.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is out now on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $44.99 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

You don't have to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance first ...

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a gargantuan open-world RPG with well over 100+ hours of main and side story content to feast on, but as the title makes obvious, its not the starting point of protagonist Henry's journey. In fact, its opening — a mission from the lords Henry serves to deliver an important letter to a neighboring fiefdom — directly picks up where Warhorse's original 2018 Kingdom Come RPG left off. That game was a colossal 80-100 hours experience in its own right, which naturally has many newcomers to the medieval saga curious if it's something they need to play before jumping into the sequel.

Having played through both games now, I can say with certainty that new players don't need to finish the first game before playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 if they don't want to. Throughout the story of the sequel, the events of its predecessor are referenced in detail throughout various cutscenes and dialogues, and these do a good job of catching players up on the tragic sacking of Henry's hometown, his subsequent desire for revenge, and how he ultimately came to serve lords allied with King Wenceslaus IV in the 1403 Bohemian civil war the game takes place in.

This was a deliberate storytelling choice by Warhorse, with the studio doing its best to ensure that players can enjoy the story of Kingdom Come 2 whether they're a returning fan or a curious new player. Actor Tom McKay, the face of Henry, said as much in the game's original reveal: "Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a continuation of Henry's previous adventures, but the story is written in such a way that it's perfect for newcomers to Henry's journey."

... but doing so isn't a bad idea by any means

So, you don't need to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance in order to understand Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. However, doing so certainly wouldn't be a bad idea, as even with the sequel's detailed references to the original, you'll be missing some of the deeper context about Henry and other returning characters in the story. For example, Henry's relationships with nobleman best friend Hans Capon and the antagonist figure Istvan Toth won't feel nearly as well-established if you don't play KCD first.

For that reason, I do recommend playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance first if you're willing to wait to experience the sequel. As I said in my Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 review, I do think it's better than the previous title, but even so, the first game is an excellent RPG — one of the best of the 2010s, for sure. There's also never been a better time to play it, as it's far more stable now than it was at launch and can be purchased with all of its DLC for as little as $6.89 on CDKeys right now.

If you want to understand more about the first half of Henry's story without waiting to play the follow-up, this story recap (also embedded above) that Warhorse recently posted on its YouTube channel is a great watch. It doesn't cover everything, of course, but it features 10 minutes of the most important cinematics and dialogues from the narrative.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5 on February 4. It's one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up. If you want more context about the story it's continuing, I also strongly recommend playing the first game (now cheaper than ever, thanks to CDKeys).

It's been a long seven-year wait, but Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has finally come. Following up on Warhorse Studios original 2018 medieval RPG, the sequel stands out as one of 2025's biggest new games — and one of its most highly anticipated as well. It's rocketed up the Steam Top Sellers chart in the days leading up to its release date, and as I write this under 24 hours before its global launch, its review embargo has now passed. Several dozen analyses have been shared by critics and outlets so far, and a few more are sure to come soon, too.

At the time of writing, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has a "Generally Favorable" rating on the review aggregation site Metacritic, with an average score of 87/100 based on 45 reviews on PC, seven on Xbox Series X|S, and 40 on PS5. 89% of all reviews have been positive, and of those, a significant number are in the 90-100 range. Here's a roundup of some notable quotes and rankings that show what critics are saying across the web:

• Dexerto (100/100): "It’s obvious a lot of love has been poured into every facet of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. If you found combat in the first game too difficult or the survival mechanics tedious, then the sequel’s streamlined gameplay might not be enough to change your mind. However, if you were a fan of the first game, there’s so much to enjoy here. It’s clearly the game Warhorse wanted to make back in 2018, and it’s been improved in so many small ways. Bigger and better, it’s a must-play."
• Dot Esports (95/100): "Everything can go wrong during a playthrough of Kingdom Come 2, and even when it does, it’s the most fun I’ve had in a medieval RPG in a long time. The first game scratched the survival game itch I wanted to experience within a narrative, and everything’s been giving a proper facelift for the sequel. Fans of the first one will be overjoyed about the continued story and the refined features, while newcomers will be delighted with the experience and feeling like they can jump right into a living, breathing world."
• IGN (90/100): "In many ways, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 feels like it’s picked up and run with the reactive first-person RPG torch that Bethesda left lying in the mud years ago in pursuit of a broader audience. And it has excellent melee combat, which The Elder Scrolls never came close to even at its peak."
• PC Gamer (90/100): "KCD2 feels a bit miraculous: a ludicrously ambitious and peculiar thing that somehow fulfills its ambition and peculiarity, managing to hit the highs Warhorse aimed for in the first game but perhaps fell just short of. It feels tailor-made for a certain brand of systems-loving sicko—the kind of person who still gets starry-eyed about Stalker and Morrowind—and manages to actually make good on their (or at least my) nostalgic yearning for those halcyon games of old."
• VideoGamer (70/100): "My lasting impression of Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is one of fatigue, of a work at odds with itself, at times forcibly doubling down on the idea of a dense and complex medieval simulation, and at others, intent on reminding you that this is a video game, leaning into unrestrained gamified glut. As a player, you’re constantly hopping between these two poles, never quite sure if Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is taking itself too seriously or not seriously enough."
• GamesHub (50/100): "Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is a game that unabashedly demands you meet it on its level, which I do find somewhat admirable. I just constantly found it to be a miserable slog to engage with, where everything was ten times more overblown than it had any business being. There’s a fascinating sandbox deep down within it, but digging through the mountain of muck to appreciate it was simply more than I could stand most of the time."

Opinions about specific parts of the game differ, unsurprisingly, but overall, it seems there's a general consensus that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's reactive, systems-driven open world is a huge standout and one of the RPG's best features. On top of that, the sheer amount of content in that world is monumental (though you may find that concerning if you're hoping for a shorter experience). Reviewers also sing high praises for protagonist Henry, deuteragonist Hans Capon, other supporting characters, and the narrative overall, along with noteworthy improvements and additions to its combat systems and its audiovisual presentation.

I also reviewed Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 myself, awarding it a rare perfect score of 5/5. Make sure to read through my review if you want my full thoughts, but the TL;DR is that "Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an undeniable triumph from Warhorse Studios. It's one of the best RPGs I've ever played, and will undoubtedly be in the conversation for 2025's Game of the Year."

Considering the fact that Kingdom Come: Deliverance began life as a Kickstarter project over 10 years ago, it's incredible to see just how far it and developer Warhorse have come. Despite its issues, the first game was one of the best titles of the last generation, and its sequel is a terrific refinement of the original's formula that cements it as a true masterpiece. If you're an RPG fan or you like the sound of adventuring through a painstakingly crafted simulation of medieval Bohemia, this is a must-play.

With Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 already flying off Steam's digital shelves, I imagine it's about to have an explosively successful launch. I'm expecting it to blow up player charts across its various platforms throughout the next week or two, and I'd be very glad to see it; games like this are a rare and special treat, and deserve all the success in the world.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5 on February 4. It's undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up (it's just $44.99 on CDKeys, which is an amazing deal).

Best settings to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance II on gaming handhelds

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II looks absolutely gorgeous on ASUS ROG Ally and Lenovo Legion Go. I didn't notice any screen tearing, but there was a bit of choppiness on Legion Go. The game runs very well on default settings for either device, however, you might want to make some tweaks depending on your preferences.

Meanwhile, the game also looks visually appealing on Steam Deck as long as settings are properly set. Regardless of which handheld you're using, I highly recommend putting game text and subtitles larger than their default; otherwise, they can be hard to read.

As is usually the case, there's no need to put resolution higher than 1920 x 1080 when gaming, especially on handhelds.

ASUS ROG Ally and Ally X: In my time playing on ROG Ally X in 25W Turbo Mode with VRAM at 8G (see our ROG Ally VRAM guide), I saw an average of 23-30 FPS (frames per second). You might want to set it to 6G, to save some power, though. Of course, you can get 30W TDP out of ROG Ally when it is plugged in, so you might want to take advantage of that, whether that means playing in handheld mode or docked to a TV with a docking station.

I also suggest playing with AMD Fluid Motion Frames 2 (AFMF2) enabled, and this basically doubled frame rates to an average of 46-60 FPS on my Ally X (see our AFMF2 ROG Ally guide). Note that, If you do take advantage of AFMF on ROG Ally, make sure VSync is turned off or it can mess with the frame generation technology. Needless to say, motion clarity was very good on ASUS's handheld and it should be good on the original ROG Ally as well.

Lenovo Legion Go: As for Legion Go, the game runs decently but not quite as well as on ROG Ally due to the lack of VRR (variable refresh rate) on Lenovo's handheld. To get the best experience, I played at Max TDP Performance Mode and went into the BIOS and increased VRAM to 8G, but you could do 6G to reduce power usage.

In case you don't know how, you can adjust VRAM by turning off the Legion Go > pressing Up Volume + Power > BIOS Setup > More Settings > Configuration. Next, scroll down to UMA Frame Buffer Size and change the dropdown to 8G. With the system setup this way, I was able to get an average of 25-27 FPS on Legion Go. It's not quite up to the 30 FPS standard of consoles, but it's not terrible either. That said, some more busy sequences might see FPS drop dramatically at times.

For those wondering, AFMF does not work with Legion Go, because Lenovo's handheld doesn't support native landscape. This is something that is getting corrected with the upcoming Legion Go 2.

Steam Deck: On the official Steam Page, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II Steam Deck compatibility is listed as "Unknown." I can clarify that the game does run on Valve's handheld, when the right settings are in place. What's more, the game looks fantastic and controls are intuitive. I was able to play with minimal choppiness and the game tended to do an average of 34-36 FPS, although this can dip in heavily NPC populated areas.

Best ROG Ally and Legion Go settings

I've listed preferred Kingdom Come: Deliverance II graphics settings for ROG Ally and Legion Go below. You'll also want to go into the Advance Graphics Settings menu and make sure everything is set to Medium or lower for the best performance.

• Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• Window Mode: Fullscreen
• Overall image quality: Medium
• Show FPS: No
• VSync: Off (for AFMF2)
• Frame rate limit: 60 FPS (Ally) / 144 FPS (Go)
• Gamma correction: 50%
• Horizontal FOV: 95 (or your preference)
• Technology: Off
• Mode: Balanced
• Sharpness: 50%
• Motion Blur: Object
• Near DOF: On

Best Steam Deck settings

On Steam Deck, you'll also want to make sure that All Advanced Graphics Settings are set to Low, but with Antialiasing at SMAA 2TX.

• Resolution: 1280 x 800
• Window Mode: Fullscreen
• Overall image quality: Low
• Show FPS: Off
• VSync: On
• Frame rate limit: 60 FPS
• Gamma correction: 50%
• Horizontal FOV: 95 (or your preference)
• Technology: Off
• Mode: Balanced
• Sharpness: 50%
• Motion Blur: Object
• Near DOF: On

A fantastic medieval adventure for gaming handhelds

In our Kingdom Come: Deliverance II review, my colleague Brendan Lowry talks about how this game both offers an engaging and serious plot, but also provides a lot of lighthearted and fun moments. It's a fantastic adventure that you can really sink your teeth into due to its replay value and long play time.

In addition to being available for PC via Steam and Epic Games, KCD2 is available for Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. That said, it is not on Xbox Game Pass and there is no indication that it will come to the service anytime soon.

This being the case, if you want to play on a PC gaming handheld like Steam Deck, ROG Ally, or Legion Go, you will need to purchase from Steam (or Epic Games if you've got an Ally or Go). Thankfully, Steam codes are already discounted at CDKeys at the time of writing, so you can grab this awesome game on sale.

At long last, Henry's come to see us once again. Seven long years after developer Warhorse Studios impressed players around the world with its debut historical 2018 RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance, the sequel is finally upon us. This review has gone live one day ahead of its highly anticipated arrival on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 — a launch that's expected to be one of the biggest in all of 2025.

The first Kingdom Come was a great game, to be sure, but it wasn't without major issues. Out of the gate, its performance was quite poor and criticized widely, though it was eventually fixed with post-launch updates. The same can't be said of its combat and story problems, however; the former, while enjoyable in solo duels, was frustratingly clunky in group fights, and the latter's strong characters and premise were undermined by chaotic narrative pacing. I had concerns about these drawbacks rearing their ugly heads again in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 when I started playing it for this review, though I was hopeful the better part of a decade in the development oven would see them taken care of.

Now that I've spent several weeks playing through this meaty medieval adventure, I can confirm that it's indeed the sequel I was hoping for — bigger, better, and bolder than its predecessor, complete with effective solutions for Kingdom Come's worst issues and major refinements to its best qualities. Put simply, it's everything a sequel should be, and an absolute must-play delight for RPG fans that cements itself as one of 2025's strongest Game of the Year contenders.

• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 at CDKeys (Steam, PC) for $44.99

This review was conducted with the Windows PC version of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and made possible thanks to a Steam review code provided by Deep Silver. The company did not see the contents of this review before publication.

What is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

Returning fans from the first Kingdom Come will understand what type of game the sequel is, but players new to Warhorse's RPGs won't know what to expect. Thus, before I get into the meat of my review, I'll briefly go over the gist of the title here.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a historical single player open-world RPG that's rooted in medieval history, with a fictional plot that's woven into real-world events. The game is set during the dawn of the 15th Century in Bohemia (part of what is now the Czech Republic), at which point the lords of the lands were embroiled in a civil war between supporters of King Wenceslaus IV and those who followed his half-brother Sigismund of Luxembourg after he took Wenceslaus prisoner, seeking the crown. You play as Henry, a blacksmith's son whose parents were slain by one of Sigismund's officers when his forces sacked his village at the start of the first game. Driven to get revenge against the man and reclaim his father's stolen sword, Henry entered the service of Wenceslaus' allies.

It's in this turbulent context that Henry journeys across Bohemia, with the threats and dangers of war clashing with the day-to-day affairs of medieval life. In his shoes, players have to regularly eat and sleep to stay alive, while also finding ways to gear up and make money so that they can buy useful wares from merchants or pay for services. As you complete quests and roleplay Henry's choices (both his speech and his actions), he'll develop a reputation in each of the settlements scattered throughout Kingdom Come 2's two gigantic Trosky and Kuttenberg maps; this reputation hooks into factors such as how clean Henry is, what he's wearing, and his speech skill to help determine how persuasive he is, how good of a deal he can get at shops, and more. Being in good standing, convincing, or intimidating also come in handy if you're caught breaking the law, though failing to succeed an important check will see you forced to pay a fine, clapped in the stocks, flogged, branded as a criminal, or even executed depending on the severity of your transgression.

Something important to note is that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 only lets you manually save the game if you sleep in a bed you own or drink a comedically named drink called Savior Schnapps, and it frequently autosaves as quests progress or are completed (you can exit save, in case you need to close the game). This is because the developers want players to contend with the consequences of their actions rather than "save scum" to avoid them.

Combat is inspired by techniques of the era and is largely melee-centric, with bows, crossbows, and rudimentary medieval firearms giving you some alternatives to make use of at range. You're able to swing or thrust at foes from direction-based strikes and combos, and can defend and counterattack with dodges, blocks, parries, and ripostes. Complementing the combat mechanics are systems intended to simulate realistic interactions between the arms and armors of the period; for example, swords excel against opponents only wearing textile armor, but you'll generally want an axe, mace, or polearm during a fight with someone that has chainmail or full plate layered on top of their gambeson. Light protection does offer some advantages like faster movement and dodging speed, however.

Globally, Henry gets better at skills the more he uses them The Elder Scrolls-style, with well over 200 perks available to buildcraft him with as you level up. Some of these have returned from Kingdom Come with reworks, but there are also lots of new ones, as well as two new skill categories for craftsmanship (blacksmithing) and commanding Henry's dog, Mutt.

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KCD2 review: Gameplay, combat, and open world

The greatest strength of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance was its vast open world and the plethora of enjoyable side quests in it, with Warhorse focusing on player freedom and reactivity to your words and actions over things like dynamic events (though random encounters still often occurred while traveling the roads). The sequel builds on this sturdy foundation, significantly expanding opportunities for roleplaying and adding more nuance to the way speech, reputation, crime, and quest progress are handled.

Conversations with NPCs are far more engaging and impactful, with players frequently able to curry (or lose) favor by paying close attention, considering the status and personality of who they're speaking with, and choosing their responses accordingly; I love this, though there is the odd instance here or there of Henry's spoken words and tone not feeling in-line with your selected option. Charisma checks that factor in things like your cleanliness and visible garments have also gotten more interesting, as instead of only having basic options for speech and intimidation, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has six dialogue stats you can try to "build into": Persuasion, Coercion, Impression, Domination, Presence, and Intimidation. All of these draw from your stats, appearance, and reputation differently, ensuring there are valuable ways to use speech no matter how you're roleplaying Henry.

In general, you're afforded many different emergent and open-ended options for completing quests, and there are also lots of ways they can branch off to different endings depending on the choices you make. In one early game quest, for instance, a villager asked me to steal a maypole from a rival settlement, but I had the ability to report that to the settlement's leader and kick off a new objective to help him get back at the original quest giver. What I found most impressive, though, is that much like the game's other intertwined systems, side quests and their outcomes often influence and connect to one another in nifty ways. In one case, I was able to skip a speech check entirely when trying to convince a tavern owner to play dice over a special prize because I'd previously helped her deal with a potential brawl between her usual customers and foreign Cumans that wanted service.

Committing crimes like pickpocketing and lockpicking are also an avenue you can take, though they, too, are reacted to in immersive ways. Even if you're not caught in the act of stealing, someone who sees you leaving their house will peg you as a thief once they realize belongings are missing. And even if you get away with your shady escapades, doing lots of criminal activity in an area quickly will send its people into high alert, causing more frequent guard patrols and citizens to arm themselves at all times. If you don't get away with your antics, at least try to talk or pay your way out of a public branding or whipping, as both will massively lower your reputation where they happen.

Overall, the level of reactivity that Kingdom Come 2's developers have achieved is nothing short of astounding, and because of it, its open world is one of the most alive-feeling settings I've explored in a game. It's also a massive one, with double the total square mileage of KCD's map and well over 100 hours of side quests to play through. These, along with the more set piece-heavy main story quests, are incredibly varied and see Henry do everything from quietly investigate a missing persons report to bravely help defend against a bombastic siege.

Speaking of combat, Kingdom Come's direction-based melee system got some huge improvements in the sequel. Firstly, many enemies are now less likely to perfectly block and then riposte you, promoting more offensive gameplay and the use of satisfying attack combos. Additionally, groups of foes no longer constantly sprint to stay right on top of you, but also generally attack together cohesively more often. This means that being outnumbered is more of a threat, now, but since you don't have to constantly backpedal just to keep your opponents in your view, it's one that's fun to deal with rather than a frustrating annoyance.

The biggest change is a rework to the Master Strike — a maneuver in which you counterattack your opponent as they try to land a hit on you. In KCD, enemies could perform this on you frequently, and it was pretty easy to do yourself since you just had to perfect block (block when a green shield icon appears) attacks quickly. At higher levels, this disincentivized attacking and encouraged you to turtle, which I never found fun. In KCD2, though, Master Strike is exclusive to swords and requires attacking an enemy from the opposite side of their own attack, making it far more difficult — and thus, far more exciting — to use. The fact it can't be used without swords also adds an interesting complication to consider when fighting enemies that have them; normally, it's a good idea to attack a foe from the side opposite of their current guard, but against a swordsman, doing so risks being hit with a Master Strike.

My only real complaint is that armor feels a bit less impactful and important to consider than it did in the first game, with chainmail making less of a difference than I'd expect it to in particular (plate is as effective as you'd expect it to be). This is hardly a serious issue, however, and on the whole, combat is a blast to engage with.

If you'd prefer fighting from afar, Kingdom Come 2 features crossbows and handgonnes in addition to the return of the humble bow and arrow. The three weapon types each have their niche, with the bow being the best option for sustained fire, the crossbow offering ease-of-use in exchange for a slow fire rate, and the handgonne's incredible firepower offset by its reload speed, difficulty to aim, and the scarcity of the gunpowder and ammunition it uses.

Some other noteworthy additions in the sequel include blacksmithing — complete with its own immersive minigame — and Henry's dog Mutt. The former allows you to buy materials, smith weapons out of them, and then either use them or sell them for a profit, while the latter can be ordered to help you in combat, distract someone while you're sneaking around, and track scents, among other things. And, yes, you can pet him (doing so and feeding him ensures he remains obedient, actually).

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KCD2 review: Story (no spoilers)

Henry's (Tom McKay) story in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 picks up exactly where it left off in the previous title, with him joining nobleman, best friend, and deuteragonist Sir Hans Capon (Luke Dale) on a mission to deliver a letter from their lords to one of Sigismund's closest allies: Otto von Bergow, the lord of the Trosky region. The message contains vital information about a potential attempt to broker peace between Bohemia's warring lords, but a surprise attack by a particularly large bandit troop stops the group from reaching Trosky Castle. All but Henry and Hans are slain, and the two wounded men are forced to seek aid from a local herbwoman to survive.

I'm not sharing any spoilers here beyond what previews already revealed, but once the two manage to get back on their feet, what follows is a terrific story with great twists, a cast of lovable characters, and Henry's internal struggle to overcome his desire for revenge after what happened to his family and hometown. Hans, witty and comedic as he is, also goes through a significant arc in the narrative, while both new and returning characters like the hilarious drunkard priest Father Godwin add plenty of flavor to your adventure. It's a tale that has it all — bleak tragedy, grand triumph, and everything between, with top-notch performances from Tom McKay, Luke Dale, and others to tie it all together.

Compared to the original Kingdom Come, the story in the sequel is also much easier to follow and has much smoother pacing, despite the fact that it has no shortage of unpredictable surprises. The first game's writing often fell short in these respects despite how much I ultimately enjoyed it, so to see those issues addressed so effectively here is fantastic.

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KCD2 review: Visuals and audio

While Kingdom Come didn't have the most realistic visuals when it came out in 2018, its gorgeous art direction still solidified it as one of the most beautiful-looking titles of the last generation. Its picturesque medieval landscapes and painstakingly modeled houses, castles, and pieces of equipment from the time period were a feast for the eyes, so I went into Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 very excited to see how it would elevate the presentation seven years later. And as the screenshots throughout this review show, I have no reason to be disappointed.

Indeed, what Warhorse has built here undoubtedly stands tall as one of the most visually impressive games ever developed, rich with the finest details, stunning naturalistic lighting, and what seem like impossible draw distances. A few of its visual effects aren't the best — quenching your piece during blacksmithing has a cheesy 2D fire effect that stands out in particular — but all in all, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a graphical spectacle.

The game's score and sound design are equally worthy of high praise, with composers Jan Valta and Adam Sporka delivering a grandiose orchestral soundtrack developed over four full years of work. It's complimented wonderfully by catchy tunes played on period-accurate instruments like lutes and shawms, along with a deep and expertly implemented soundscape that brings Bohemia's lush forests, bustling villages, and brutal battlefields to life.

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KCD2 review: Performance and stability

With performance being such a major issue in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, I was worried that it would once again tarnish the experience with the sequel as well. In my experience, though, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has run near-flawlessly on my Intel i5-12600K, NVIDIA RTX 4070 Ti SUPER, and 32GB RAM system. With everything cranked up to Ultra on my 3440x1440 ultrawide, I consistently had an excellent 80-100 FPS, with the game only dropping into the 70s during large-scale battles. I also haven't encountered a single crash, stutter, or freeze for the entirety of my playthrough, which is something I wish I could say about other new releases.

RELATED: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 PC requirements and specs

The game has also been remarkably free of noteworthy bugs and glitches; I've had some minor things like NPC voices changing during games of dice or a dialogue not progressing to the next scene properly unless the skip input is pressed, but by and large, the performance and stability has essentially been flawless.

Keep in mind, however, that this review was conducted with the PC version of the game, so I can't speak to how it runs on Xbox Series X|S consoles. My colleague Rebecca Spear has been playing on PC gaming handhelds, though, and reports that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 runs wonderfully on them. Keep that in mind if you use something like the ASUS ROG Ally.

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KCD2 review: Conclusion

Given that I was a big fan of the original title, I went into Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 expecting to greatly enjoy the follow-up, too. Even so, I was thoroughly surprised by how perfect of a sequel it is, with Warhorse building on everything fans loved about KCD while simultaneously fixing its major story, combat, and performance issues. Between the immersive reactivity of its huge open world, countless varied quests to fill up your journal with, its engaging well-balanced combat, a gripping story, and immaculate presentation, it's got everything a Kingdom Come fan could want and more.

Truly, it's one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of 2025 so far, and a clear early frontrunner for Game of the Year. As I said at the start of this review, Warhorse Studios' new masterpiece is a must-play if you love RPGs, and it's sure to be a treat for anyone who enjoys historical settings, too.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 releases February 4, 2025 for $59.99 on Windows PC (Steam, Epic Games, GOG) and $69.99 on Xbox Series X|S and PS5 consoles.

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The original Kingdom Come: Deliverance that released back in 2018 was widely regarded as one of the best RPGs of the 2010s, with fans falling in love with its authentic simulation of medieval Bohemia, engaging combat inspired by techniques of the era, the rich story of protagonist Henry as he embarks on a journey of revenge and personal growth, and more. As such, there's always been plenty of excitement for its upcoming sequel, but the wait for it has been a painfully long one. Now, though, it's just a days from its highly anticipated release.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is poised to be one of 2025's biggest releases, and also one of its best Xbox games and best PC games. Notably, Reviews and Metacritic scores are out now, too, and spoiler alert: they're very good (read my review for my full thoughts). With these things in mind, it's not surprising that the hype for it has sharply risen in recent days, with players all over the world curious to learn when they'll finally be able to get their hands on the title.

Luckily, developer Warhorse Studios has announced Kingdom Come 2's release date and exact launch times ahead of the game's launch, all of which I've included in the guide below. Additionally, the below sections go over when you can preload the RPG and how much hard drive space you'll need to install it on your system.

What is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

You'll already know how Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will play if you tried out the original game, but if you're a newcomer to the series, you won't know what to expect. If you're one of the latter folks, give this section a read for a brief overview.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an open-world medieval RPG from developer Warhorse Studios and publisher Deep Silver. Set in Bohemia (what is now part of the Czech Republic) in 1403 at the dawn of the 15th Century, the story takes place in the midst of the real-world civil war between those loyal to the kidnapped King Wenceslaus IV and the supporters of his captor and half-brother, Sigismund of Luxembourg. In it, you play as Henry — the son of a noble knight whose adoptive parents were murdered when Sigismund's forces sacked his hometown at the start of the first game — as he travels with his friend Sir Hans Capon to deliver an important message to the lord of Trosky, picking up where Kingdom Come: Deliverance's cliffhanger left off.

Like the original, the sequel delivers an open-world RPG experience within the context of an authentically recreated medieval society, with multiple reactive systems that constantly intersect with one another and work together to determine how you fit into the setting. Everything from how you're dressed and your personal hygiene to your dialogue choices and overall reputation have a significant impact on how persuasive or intimidating you are; these things also influence criminal activities like lockpicking and pickpocketing, including how well you're able to perform them and how effectively you can talk your way out of a bind if you happen to get caught. 

Combat is similarly influenced by your choice of armor and weapon, and how they interact with your opponent's gear (swords are great against lightly armored opponents, for example, but aren't ideal for a plate-armored enemy). The fighting itself is mostly done with directional melee attacks and blocks, parries, and ripostes drawn from real medieval techniques, though there are also bows, crossbows, and even early handgonne firearms to use.

These nuanced mechanics work in tandem with global stats and skills that you improve The Elder Scrolls-style, with Henry generally getting better at things the more he does them (even failure leads to gained experience, albeit not as much). As you level up, you'll gain access to a wide variety of different unlockable bonuses and perks that bolster how effective you are at relevant activities.

In terms of map size, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is double the size of the original game, with two distinct regions — Trosky and Kuttenberg — that you'll visit throughout the story. Each of these is full of engaging side quests to do, complete with intricately detailed medieval landscapes, forests, villages, cities, and castles designed to be as historically accurate as possible.

RELATED: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 preorder guide

At launch, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will be available to play on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5. Note that you can preorder it now on official storefronts for $59.99 (PC) or $69.99 (consoles), but the best deal is this awesome discount that knocks the Steam version down to just $44.99 at CDKeys.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Release date and launch times

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was originally supposed to release in late 2024, but developer Warhorse Studios pushed it back to early 2025 to further polish and prepare the game for launch. Thankfully, though, the wait for it is finally almost over, as Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is scheduled to release on February 4, 2025 (just a few days away, at the time of writing). Specifically, as was revealed by a recent post on social media, it will unlock at 8:00 a.m. PT / 11:00 a.m. ET globally.

Note that since Kingdom Come 2 is going live around the world at the same time, players in some regions will get access earlier or later in their day than others. Folks in a handful of eastern countries also won't be able to play until the early morning of February 5 because of how far ahead their time zones are, so keep that in mind.

For a full overview of when Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming out in every major time zone, make sure to refer to the official graphic above or the table below:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Countdown clock

This countdown clock shows how much time is left until Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's global release, and will, well, count down until the RPG is officially out.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Preload dates and times

Expansive open-world games have gotten incredibly big over the years, and I'm not just talking about map size. Their file sizes have grown exponentially, too, and that means that they often take a long time to download and install. For that reason, it's become common for developers to allow players to preload new titles and install them before they go live, ensuring that fans can jump in on day one without a download to worry about. Preloading is particularly helpful for people who don't have the greatest internet, though it's ultimately a feature that benefits everyone.

As you'll see in the section below, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has a large file size, but the good news is that it also supports preloading. On Xbox, PS5, and Steam, you can start installing the game once the following dates and times pass:

• Xbox Series X|S: January 28, 8:00 a.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. CET
• PlayStation 5: February 2, 8:00 a.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. CET
• Steam: February 3, 8:00 a.m. PT / 5:00 p.m. CET

At the time of writing, preloading is now live on all of the game's platforms, so feel free to start downloading and installing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 if you've preordered it!

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Download size

While Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 isn't the biggest open-world game out there in terms of file size, it's hardly a small one, and will require quite a bit of hard drive space. Specifically, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 needs 100GB of free space to be downloaded and installed, so now is the time to clear up some space if you can.

It's also important to note that according to the Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 PC requirements, you'll need to install the game on a solid-state drive (SSD). This is because older hard-disk drives (HDDs) are often too slow for the latest titles, as they're not able to load and unload assets fast enough.

If you don't have enough space for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on your PC or console right now, try uninstalling some games that you haven't played in a while or getting rid of large files you don't need anymore. Alternatively, you can always snag one of the best SSDs and make an upgrade to your system.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5 on February 4. It's one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely consider picking it up.

While 2025 only began a month ago or so, great new games are already dropping on the industry's biggest platforms. Players have already been treated to the excellent hack-and-slash RPG Dynasty Warriors: Origins, and February is about to bring them several other highly anticipated RPGs, too. One such game is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the long-awaited sequel to Warhorse Studios' acclaimed 2018 adventure set in 15th Century medieval Bohemia.

The first Kingdom Come was a grand experience with a huge open world, a rich story, combat inspired by techniques of the era, and complex systems for reputation, crime, and more that were all intricately woven together. Given that the sequel is confirmed to have double the playable space (there are two maps instead of one), expanded options for roleplaying, and a world that's even more reactive to player actions, it's no surprise that fans worldwide are chomping at the bit to dive into this continuation of the journey of series protagonist Henry.

Naturally, that means lots of folks are wondering which edition of the game they should preorder before Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 comes out on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 on February 4, 2025. To help you make that decision, I've listed everything you need to know about each available version below, complete with everything they include, how much they cost, and where you can buy them. Additionally, I've also included details about preorder bonus you'll get if you do purchase the game early.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Preorder bonus

Before getting into the specifics of each edition of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, it's important to note that no matter which version you preorder, you'll get a special bonus. Specifically, it's a bonus quest called The Lion's Crest that rewards you with special armor and weapons.

Its description reads: "Experience a unique questline that, once completed, will rewards you with the legendary armor and weapon set of the famous Knight Brunswick." The picture of this gear in Kingdom Come 2's marketing shows that it's an ornate set of black and silver plate armor with red and gold accents, along with a black and red caparison for Henry's horse. You'll also get a special polearm and dagger, as well.

If you want to make sure you have access to this quest, make sure you preorder one of the below editions before Kingdom Come 2's February 4 release. It's unclear if there will be any way to get the quest after the game comes out, so pick up your copy of the RPG now if you want it available.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 — Preorder editions

In total, there are three different editions of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 that are available, with two of them giving you extra goodies (and priced higher as a result). All three are covered in detail below.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Standard Edition

The standard edition of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 gives you the base game and nothing else, making it the most affordable — and also the most basic — way to get your hands on Warhorse's colossal RPG. On Windows PC storefronts like Steam and the Epic Games Store it costs $59.99, and on Xbox Series X|S and PS5, it's $69.99. However, thanks to an awesome deal, you can get the PC version for just $44.99 at CDKeys. That makes this offer the cheapest way to snag your copy.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Gold Edition

Interested in getting some extras with your copy of Kingdom Come 2? Don't miss the Gold Edition of the game. Here's everything it includes:

• Base game
• Gallant Huntsman's Kit
  • St. Hubert’s hunting cap, Nimrod’s famous hunting coat, and Artemis' crossbow
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Expansion Pass
  • 3 upcoming expansions
    • Brushes With Death (Summer 2025): Help a mysterious artist with an enigmatic past
    • Legacy of the Forge (Fall 2025): Restore Kuttenberg's forge and become a master blacksmith
    • Mysteria Ceelesiae (Winter 2025): Explore Sedletz Monastery to stop the spread of a deadly illness
• Shields of Seasons Passing
  • Customize your shields with four different unique designs

Naturally, the Gold Edition is a fair bit pricier than the Standard Edition since it includes the Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Expansion Pass and a few other noteworthy extras. Specifically, it's $79.99 on PC and $89.99 on console, but it's on sale for only $58.69 at CDKeys right now. Provided you have a PC strong enough to run the game (check out the official Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 PC requirements), getting a Steam code from CDKeys is the most affordable way to get and enjoy this premium edition of the RPG.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Collector's Edition

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's Collector's Edition is for enthusiast fans of Warhorse's games, and comes with several exclusive physical collectibles in equally special packaging. On top of that, it also gives you everything that the Gold Edition does. Here's what's in the box:

• Base game
• Gallant Huntsman's Kit
  • St. Hubert’s hunting cap, Nimrod’s famous hunting coat, and Artemis' crossbow
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Expansion Pass
  • 3 upcoming expansions
    • Brushes With Death (Summer 2025): Help a mysterious artist with an enigmatic past
    • Legacy of the Forge (Fall 2025): Restore Kuttenberg's forge and become a master blacksmith
    • Mysteria Ceelesiae (Winter 2025): Explore Sedletz Monastery to stop the spread of a deadly illness
• Shields of Seasons Passing
  • Customize your shields with four different unique designs
• Henry and Pebbles statue (12 in/30 cm)
• Coats of Valor: Enamel Pin set
• Alley of Kuttenberg: Exclusive Cloth Map
• The King's Rebels: Collectible Cards
• Letter of Hope

These goodies don't come cheap, mind you; to get the Collector's Edition on any platform, you'll need to cough up $200. Additionally, it's only available to purchase from select retailers in a handful of countries around the world, a few of which I've linked to below.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (via Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG), and PS5 on February 4. It looks to be one of the best Xbox games and best PC games of the year, so if you enjoy RPGs, definitely keep an eye on it.

Kingdom Come 2 won't be on Game Pass - but it will hit Xbox

2025 has only just begun, but what could be one of the year's biggest and best games is already fast-approaching: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Warhorse Studios' and Deep Silver's long-awaited, hotly anticipated sequel to its beloved 2018 medieval open-world RPG is now just a few weeks away from its global February 4 launch, with many fans looking forward to continuing protagonist Henry's quest for revenge in 15th Century Bohemia, exploring the game's colossal map (confirmed to be twice the size of the original's), engaging with its combat system inspired by real-world arms, armor, and techniques, and more.

Excitement for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has begun to swell exponentially in recent months, especially with most outlets and influencers praising the snippers of the game they've been able to play early in previews (check out ours). As a natural result of this, there are plenty of folks wondering if they'll be able to play the new game on Xbox or PC via Xbox Game Pass. Microsoft's all-you-can-eat gaming service gives its members access to hundreds of games in exchange for monthly fees, and it's not uncommon for brand new titles to launch onto the Game Pass library.

Unfortunately for players hoping to use Game Pass for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, however, it doesn't look like the RPG is headed to it. Admittedly, there hasn't been official confirmation of this from Microsoft, Warhorse Studios, or Deep Silver, but there's also been no indication of the game's inclusion on Game Pass, either. And considering that the game is less than a month away, it's safe to assume it won't launch on the service. That means you'll need to purchase the game directly and permanently if you want to check it out.

... But could it be in the future?

• DEAL: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate 3-month pre-paid cards are just $28.49 at CDKeys, giving you three months for the price of two even after the recent price increase to $19.99/month

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 won't be on Xbox Game Pass at launch, but could it come to the service at some point in the future? Ultimately, it's impossible to say for sure, though something important to note is that the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance did come onto Game Pass in 2019. It only remained on it for a year — it was pulled out of the program in 2020, and hasn't returned since — but even so, that was a huge window of time for subscribers to play the title.

I could definitely see the same happening with Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, as even if they're temporary, eventual appearances on Game Pass are a great way to give games that are a year or two old a nice boost in additional visibility. Of course, it's also entirely possible that we'll never see the RPG on Game Pass at all; unfortunately, there's no way to know for sure until Warhorse or Deep Silver communicate officially on the matter.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is scheduled to come out on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (both Steam and the Epic Games Store), and PS5 on February 4, 2025. It's available to preorder now for $59.99 on PC and $69.99 on console, though the Steam version is currently on sale at CDKeys for $44.59. That makes the PC edition the best one to get as long as your rig is capable of running it.

Spoilers for the prologue of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 follow below.

Though it's been nearly seven years to the day since the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance — Warhorse Studios' debut open-world RPG set in medieval 15th Century Bohemia — first released in 2018, the sequel picks up exactly where it left off: with protagonist Henry and deuteragonist Sir Hans Capon on a journey to deliver a critical missive to the lord of Trosky, Otto von Bergow, amidst an escalating civil war. The pair's journey through the fief constitutes the prologue of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, and thanks to an early access review code from Deep Silver, I had the opportunity to play through it ahead of its scheduled February 4 release date.

The game's opening hours begin with Henry, Sir Hans, and his squires taking in the idyllic sights of Trosky's woodlands as they travel, though the situation quickly becomes tense when they encounter a company of Bergow's men. Their leader, Captain Thomas, reveals that Bergow's allegiance lies with Sigismund of Luxembourg, who (with the support of Bohemian nobility) kidnapped King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia to take the crown for himself. Representing nobles still loyal to Wenceslas, Henry and Sir Hans fear that things will come to blows, though Captain Thomas ultimately diffuses the situation, explaining that he and his men are out hunting a ruthless band of bandits.

After they depart, it's decided that our heroes will make camp by a nearby pond since they won't be able to reach Trosky Castle before nightfall. It's at this time that players are introduced to the basics of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's speech and combat mechanics, as Henry tries to convince one of the squires in their retinue to give his dog a sausage and practices swordplay with Sir Hans. This is also when you're able to give Henry some starting skill proficiencies through dialogue with your comrades around a campfire, as well as get some awkwardly conveyed, but detailed exposition about Henry's backstory and the events of the first Kingdom Come if you need it.

Before retiring, Henry and Sir Hans opt to bathe in the pond by their camp, though they soon hear the siren song of young women giggling by reeds in the water nearby. Just as they're about to approach them, though, the bandits that Captain Thomas was searching for spring an ambush, ruthlessly killing all of Sir Hans' squires (the dog lives, don't worry! He just runs away, and can be found later) and threatening to harm the women, as well. Some brave shouting from Henry distracts the brigands and gives the girls an opportunity to flee, but as a consequence, he ends up getting shot with an arrow as he and Sir Hans attempt to swim to the bank on the other side of the pond. The bandits quickly circle around and send out hunting parties, forcing the pair to stealthily evade them while trying to retreat to safety. Just as they're about to make their escape, though, one of the outlaws catches up to Henry and tumbles off a cliff with him after a desperate struggle. He breaks Henry's fall and dies as a result, but Henry is left critically wounded (this is the in-game explanation for Henry's reversion back to the weak, clumsy state he was in at the start of the first title).

Sir Hans helps Henry traverse the dark forest they find themselves in, then, as the latter deliriously relives the sacking of his hometown Skalitz and the murder of his parents by Sigismund's army that occurred in Kingdom Come: Deliverance's opening (more exposition, basically). Eventually, they stumble across a peasant woman's hovel, and she agrees to nurse Henry back to health. Immediately afterwards, however, one of the marauders looking for the two tracks them to the home and bursts in, attacking Sir Hans. Though the nobleman is able to kill the bandit, he also suffers numerous lacerations, leaving both men severely wounded.

Things slow down, here, as both men rest and some survival and alchemy tutorials see Henry get some food in his stomach, pick herbs, help the old woman brew some medicine, bury the corpse of the slain brigand, and wash himself off in a trough. After this — and after an encounter with some suspicious men that Henry can either resolve with a sharp tongue or the old woman's woodcutting axe — Sir Hans wakes the next morning, and after sharing breakfast with the woman and her returning daughter, the pair set off for Trosky Castle.

On foot, it's a journey as long as it is scenic, but it ends tragically: Henry and Sir Hans are turned away at the gate with threats and an overturned chamber pot since they lost their shiny armor and don't have their letter on-hand, forcing them to retreat to a nearby village to try and figure out what to do next. While there, Henry learns that there will soon be a noble wedding Otto von Bergow will attend, and plans to try and find a job working the event so that he might find a way to speak with the man. Sir Hans ends up starting a fistfight with someone who questions his nobility, though, leading to a full-on bar brawl that gets himself and Henry placed in pillories in the middle of the town square. Once they're finally set free, the prologue ends.

Playing and talking about content beyond Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's opening was restricted for this preview, and since it was largely a linear experience from start to finish, I can't speak to the quality and liveliness of its open world map just yet. What was immediately clear to me, however, is that the sequel seems like it's going to be every bit as captivating as its predecessor was. The conflict between affable Henry's desire to do the right thing and the darker side of him that thirsts for vengeance against his family's killers has always been enjoyable, especially with medieval Europe and the juxtaposition of its beauty and brutalism as a backdrop. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, though, looks to elevate that narrative even higher with noticeably more emotive voice acting, a wider array of finely detailed animations, and stunning picturesque scenes that had me gawking for minutes at a time (I'm on travel and stuck with a 1080p gaming laptop at the moment, but I can't wait to get back home and play this on my RTX 4070 Ti SUPER-powered ultrawide setup).

By playing through the prologue and its tutorials, I've also caught wind of a few new ways this medieval setting will react to your gameplay choices. The sequel now has something of a "heat" level that increases guard alertness and drives the commonfolk to arm themselves in towns where violence and crime start occurring frequently. On top of this, NPCs are now able to potentially deduce that you were the culprit if they come across a crime scene or discover an item was stolen; on top of simply making sure you aren't seen during the act, you'll also have to avoid being spotted leaving the area.

Speech, too, has become a bit more nuanced. Even in the game's opening hours, I noticed that dialogue options seem to have more of a lasting impact than they did in the original, with choices you make earlier in a conversation potentially affecting your ability to persuade or intimidate someone later in it. Like the first game, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 also takes everything from your appearance and reputation to an NPC's position in society into account; a peasant isn't likely to believe you're a noble if you're dirty and wearing a threadbare outfit, and a cutthroat probably won't take threats of violence seriously unless you're visibly armed and armored up.

The first title's The Elder Scrolls-style approach to skills and progression has also returned, with Henry gradually getting better at pretty much everything you can do in the game the more he does it. As you level these skills up, you'll be able to take special perks for major advantages in moment-to-moment gameplay. One, for example, makes it so that enemies become demoralized if they witness you cut down one of their allies. In general, if this sequel is like 2018's Kingdom Come, you'll be able to play it like an immersive sim and use different skills and playstyles to complete quests in your preferred ways.

Speaking of the combat, it's the one part of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 I fear may be less engaging than what came before despite additions like crossbows and early firearms, though I can't say that for certain without getting far deeper into the experience. Still, there are now only four melee attack angles to worry about instead of five, and the window for parrying strikes and landing ripostes has been increased generously to the point where none of the early-game fights were challenging at all. Perhaps things will get tougher now that I'm out of the prologue.

Even with that worry taken into account, though, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has managed to absolutely hook me with its writing, characters, and presentation alone, and I wholeheartedly believe it could be one of this year's best Xbox games and best PC games. At Medium settings, it's also running very well on my RTX 3070 laptop — something that's great to see, considering how infamously unstable the first game was on PC for a while (its hardware roughly matches the recommended PC specs for Medium). I'm excited to jump back in soon and continue playing for my full review on February 3, so keep an eye out for it next month!

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is scheduled to come out on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (both Steam and the Epic Games Store), and PS5 on February 4, 2025. It's available to preorder now for $59.99 on PC and $69.99 on console, though the Steam version is currently on sale at CDKeys for $44.59. That makes the PC edition the best one to get as long as your rig is capable of running it.

2025 may have only just begun, but what could be one of the year's best games is already rapidly approaching its scheduled release: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Developed by Warhorse Studios and publisher Deep Silver (known for other major games like Dead Island 2 and Metro Exodus), Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is the long-awaited follow up to the original 2018 medieval open-world RPG. It's slated to drop on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 come February 4, is expected to stand out as one of the largest modern RPGs, and may end up being one of the best PC games and best Xbox games of the year.

The original Kingdom Come was already a colossal game, so the fact Warhorse has confirmed the sequel will have a doubled map size means it will be absolutely gargantuan — and according to the developers, players can look forward to every inch of it being filled with historically accurate recreations of 15th Century Bohemian towns and landscapes, tons of side quests, and dynamic, reactive encounters between military forces, bandits, peasant folk, and more. All of this sounds fantastic, of course, but it also has many PC gamers wondering if their rig will be up to the task of actually running the title.

Luckily, ahead of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's launch next month, Warhorse has shared the game's official minimum requirements and recommended specs (and for multiple resolutions and performance tiers, no less), making it simple to see if your PC can handle the game at the graphical and performance levels you want to play it at. In the below guide, you'll find all of that information, along with details on how to check what your specs are, help with suggestions for upgrades if you need to make them, and everything you need to know about how the game might perform on gaming handhelds.

KCD2 PC requirements and specs

In early December, Warhorse Studios shared Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's official system requirements and recommended specs on social media with a helpful chart. You can view said chart in the image above, though I've also included the information from it in tables below. On top of that, I've also explained the kind of performance you can expect depending on the specs you have and how the game's requirements compare to other modern titles.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 minimum requirements

These are the minimum system requirements for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which basically means you'll need these specs or hardware that's comparable to them in order to run the game with Low settings and a meager framerate of 30. While this is playable, most players will likely want to shoot for at least a 60 FPS experience, and ideally better visuals, too.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 recommended specs

If you want to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 at Medium, High, or Ultra settings with 60 FPS or higher and resolutions like 1440p and 4K, you'll need some of the game's recommended specs — all of which are listed in the tables below. Each one shows the hardware you'll need at each of Warhorse Studios' specific "recommended" performance targets, so make sure you give each one a close look.

While Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's minimum requirements are surprisingly accessible — it's awesome to see the nine-year-old GTX 1060 listed, along with older CPUs like Intel's i5-8400 and AMD's Ryzen 5 2600 — the specs you need for a quality experience sharply rise as you move up the performance tiers. Notably, the need for 12th and 13th Gen Intel processors or 7000 Series Ryzen chips at Medium and High settings is quite demanding, as are the requirements for 24-32GB of RAM at any level above 1080p at 30 FPS with Low settings.

The good news, though, is that the RPG's GPU requirements are largely pretty reasonable, though you'll need to invest in one of NVIDIA's 40 Series or AMD's 7000 Series Radeon cards (specifically, at least the RTX 4070 or 7800 XT) to play on High settings with 60 FPS. The need for a 100GB SSD is also fairly common for big open-world titles these days, even if triple-digit file sizes aren't exactly something to scoff at.

Something important to note is that the developers confirmed these requirements do not take upscaling into account, which means you can use performance boosting Super Resolution technologies like DLSS 3 and AMD FSR to squeeze some extra frames out of your rig. These features can have a significant impact on overall performance, and may even be able to help you hit a performance target without meeting the spec that Warhorse suggests for it. The availability and efficacy of these technologies varies depending on the hardware you have, though, so keep that in mind; DLSS 3, for example, is only usable if you have a 40 Series NVIDIA card.

How to check your PC specs

Now that you're aware of the hardware you'll need to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 comfortably, the next thing you should do is check to see if your PC has it — or has something similar — under the hood already. If it does, you should be all set. If it doesn't, though, you'll need to make some upgrades or buy an entirely new system.

Thankfully, checking the specs you have is simple, quick, and easy, and only takes a few short minutes. To do it, follow the steps below:

1. Click the Windows button on the taskbar.
2. Type dxdiag in the taskbar.
3. Click dxdiag to see your PC's specifications.
4. Select the System tab for your component details relating to memory, processors, and Windows version.
5. Click on Display tab for GPU details.

How to upgrade your PC for KCD2

Don't have the specs you need for the Kingdom Come sequel? If not, you'll either need to upgrade your existing rig, buy parts for a brand new one, simply purchase a pre-built one yourself, or get something like a gaming laptop. All four options are viable, but since there's an ocean of PC parts and systems out there and it's hard to know which ones are worth your time and money, going down any of these avenues can be a tricky process.

To help you decide what to do and how to best navigate your chosen process, I've included a list of helpful Windows Central tips, suggestions, and guides below that go over everything from our top PC part recommendations to explainers on building PCs or upgrading specific components.

• Recommendations: Best pre-built gaming PCs | Best gaming laptops
• Memory: How to upgrade and install RAM in a laptop | How to upgrade and install RAM in a desktop
• Storage: Best SSD for PC | How to upgrade laptop HDD to SSD | Tips to free up space on Windows 11
• CPU: Best CPU for your PC | How to install an Intel CPU in your PC
• GPU: Best graphics cards | How to install a new graphics card
• Overall tips: How to build your PC the right way

Can KCD2 run on gaming handhelds?

I expect that most folks planning to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 on PC platforms like Steam and the Epic Games Store will do so using a traditional gaming desktop or laptop, but in recent years, a third option has risen to prominence: gaming handhelds. These devices pack the power of a low-end gaming PC into a small form-factor with smaller screens and lower resolutions, making them an excellent option if you like to game from the couch or your bed or you want to be able to play on the go.

If you own a handheld gaming PC and want to know if you'll be able to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 with it, read on.

Is your PC ready for this medieval adventure?

It's been a full six years since the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance released, and now that the sequel is only a few weeks away, now is the time to make necessary PC upgrades so that you can play it once it's out. Its processor and memory requirements in particular are quite demanding, though you'll probably need to upgrade your graphics card and/or storage drive as well if you're not using a system that was put together in recent years. Make sure you give the system requirements a close read, check out our recommendations for new components, and follow our guides for PC building and upgrading if you need them.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is scheduled to come out on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC (both Steam and the Epic Games Store), and PS5 on February 4, 2025. It's available to preorder now for $59.99 on PC and $69.99 on console, though the Steam version is currently on sale at CDKeys for $45.19. That makes the PC edition the best one to get as long as your rig is capable of running it.

What you need to know

• Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is an upcoming medieval RPG from developer Warhorse Studios coming to Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5.
• The game takes place in the early 15th Century after the events of the first game from 2018, and follows protagonist Henry — a blacksmith apprentice who became a man-at-arms — as he pursues the man responsible for an attack that led to the death of his parents amidst a Bohemian civil war.
• First revealed in April, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has now gotten a new trailer shown during Summer Game Fest on Friday that showed off additional parts of its story and gameplay.
• However, the trailer didn't give us a more concrete release date, which is fairly disappointing for a game that's less than six months away.

Look, Henry's come to see us — this time at Summer Game Fest 2024, where developer Warhorse Studios unveiled a new trailer for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, the highly anticipated sequel to its 2018 historical fiction RPG. First announced in April and given a release window for some point later in 2024, we've now seen even more of its combat gameplay and story.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is slated for launch on Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and Windows PC, with full availability for the latter platform expected on Steam, GOG, and the Epic Games Store (these are the launchers the first game was sold on). You can watch the "Saints and Sinners" trailer via the embed below:

Like the original Kingdom Come, the sequel will have a large open world with tons of quests and side activities to engage with, along with the varied character building systems and world reactivity you'd expect from an RPG. There will also be a strong emphasis on combat mechanics with the arms and armor of the era, with Warhorse striving to deliver players an immersive and authentic experience derived from real-world battle techniques.

The narrative of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will follow Henry, the blacksmith apprentice protagonist from the first game who ultimately became a man-at-arms during his vengeful pursuit of the battlefield commander who sacked his village and ordered his parents — along with the settlement's other innocents — killed. That quest for revenge will continue in the sequel amidst a growing civil war between the lords of 15th Century Bohemia.

Analysis: Great trailer, but no release date?

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's announcement earlier this year was a wonderful surprise, as before that, there wasn't any official confirmation from developer Warhorse that a sequel was even coming. This new trailer only adds to my excitement for the RPG, as everything on display in it looked absolutely fantastic.

To give you an idea of the scale we're dealing with here, Warhorse previously stated that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is twice the size of KCD — a game I put well over 100 hours into during my playthrough, before any of its DLC was released. Indeed, this sequel sounds like it's going to be one of the biggest RPGs — and one of the best Xbox games and best PC games — ever made, and I can't wait to dive into it when it arrives later this year.

Overall, I thought the new trailer was awesome. The only thing that left me disappointed was the lack of a more concrete release date, as there's now less than six months left in the year that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is scheduled to arrive in. I wouldn't say that this worries me, but I was definitely hoping to learn when specifically I could expect to get the game in my hands.

Anywho, if you've never played the first Kingdom Come, now is a great time to give it a shot. It's available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, Windows PC, and Nintendo Switch, with a current MSRP of just $30 (sales happen decently often, too). For a game as expansive and deep as KCD is, that's a steal.

One of the best RPGs I've played from the last decade is Kingdom Come: Deliverance (KCD), a 2018 open world adventure through 15th Century Bohemia. Featuring a massive and beautifully detailed map, tons of opportunities for deep roleplaying, and tense combat that prominently features the era's arms, armor, and styles, it's an amazing game — and there's never been a better time to play it than right now, directly after the announcement of its ambitious sequel Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

That's because currently, KCD is on sale on Xbox, PC, and PlayStation with discounts so big the game's never been more affordable than it is now. This includes both the Royal Edition of the RPG that features all its DLC — it's only $7.99 at Steam and just $3.99 on Xbox — and the base game, which is going for $5.99 at Steam. Note that there are also additional deals on its expansions you should take advantage of if you own KCD, but not its add-ons, and also some on Xbox you can only access if you're a Game Pass subscriber.

KCD is a gem, and there's nothing else like it

At the end of the day, there's really nothing else out there quite like Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which translates historically authentic swordplay, battle techniques, and interactions between arms and armor to video game mechanics in a way that no game has before. Its combat heavily emphasizes watching the movements of your opponents closely and changing your stance to defend against their attacks while trying to land your own, and as you improve, you'll eventually be able to weave maneuvers like feints and ripostes into your repertoire. The equipment you choose also has a significant impact; a sword will be effective against simple clothing or a linen gambeson, but you'll need something with more concussive force like an axe or a mace to effectively combat chainmail and plate. Different types of armor can also be worn in layers, providing more well-rounded protection at the expense of your maneuverability.

Combat is also influenced by various different skills you'll unlock as you level and perform actions in the world, which give you access to unique moves and allow you to specialize with certain weapons or attacks. These affect dialogue options and roleplaying too, which KCD has in spades; many of the choices you make during both moment-to-moment gameplay and quests have a major impact on what happens to different characters and locations, as well as how you're perceived and spoken to by others. The world itself — a huge 16 square-kilometer chunk of medieval landscape in what's now known as the Czech Republic — is stunning, with painstakingly recreated castles, cities, and towns, along with lush fields and dense forests.

KCD puts you in the shoes of Henry, a young adult that gets caught up in the brutality of the 1402 civil war between the lords of Bohemia and Sigismund, the half-brother of King Wenceslaus IV, whom he kidnapped in order to usurp the crown. Sigismund's men attack Henry's mining village Skalitz at the start of Kingdom Come, which results in the slaughter of his parents; vowing to get revenge, he enters the service of a knight loyal to Wenceslaus named Sir Radzig Kobyla and begins to aid him and his allies. As you explore and progress the story, you'll meet a wide cast of characters, including his close friend (and potential love interest) Theresa and the pompous, but ultimately good-natured nobleman Sir Hans Capon.

Henry's journey is truly a grand one, with KCD featuring well over 100 hours of stellar content for players that wish to get the most out of what is undoubtedly one of the best Xbox games and best PC games. Its DLC expansions — of which there are four — make it even better by adding new activities and storylines.

Ultimately, Kingdom Come is a one-of-a-kind experience I can't recommend enough, and since its bigger, bolder sequel is scheduled to launch later in 2024, now is the time to jump into the first game if you haven't played it yet. Just make sure you pull the trigger on these excellent deals while you can, as they likely won't be around for long.

After six years, Henry's come to see us once again in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Warhorse Studios' long-awaited follow-up to its popular historical medieval 2018 RPG has finally been announced, and it looks to be even bigger, bolder, and better than the first game that I and so many others fell in love with.

Though the Kingdom Come: Deliverance sequel was only just revealed, there's actually a ton of great information we know about it thanks to an incredible overview video Warhorse recorded within Kuttenberg's St. Barbara's Church. This includes details about its gameplay, story, open world, and more.

I'm willing to bet good groschen you've got questions about all of these topics, and luckily, I've got the answers you're looking for down below. For those as well as everything known about Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's release date and platforms, read on.

What is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

Best answer: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a historical open world RPG from Warhorse Studios that features realistic medieval combat and an authentic recreation of 15th Century Bohemia (a region in what is now known as the Czech Republic). It follows Henry, a young man-at-arms on a quest for revenge against the people who sacked his village and slew his parents at the start of the first game.

Like the game that came before it, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a historical open world single-player RPG set in medieval 15th Century Bohemia — a region that's part of what's now known as the Czech Republic in Europe. Like other RPGs, Kingdom Come allows players to freely explore its world, make impactful choices, resolve quests in various different ways, and unlock useful skills as they gain experience and level up. What makes Kingdom Come unique, though, is its combat systems that feature real-world battle techniques of the era, as well as realistic interactions between different types of medieval arms and armor.

Kingdom Come 2's map will be twice the size of the first game's, and will prominently feature Kuttenberg, a large Bohemian city that was mentioned, but not accessible, in KCD. Additionally, players can look forward to adventuring through smaller settlements and towns, as well as authentic recreations of Bohemian landscapes.

The story of Kingdom Come is directly inspired by historical events and takes place in 1403 after King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia was kidnapped by his half-brother Sigismund and forced to give up his rule. In it, you play as Henry, the son of a blacksmith who hails from the silver mining village Skalitz; at the start of the 2018 game, Skalitz is sacked by an army of Cuman mercenaries commanded by Sir Markvart von Aulitz, a knight of Sigismund's aiming to find and kill Sir Radzig Kobyla, a man loyal to Wenceslas IV. The attack results in the slaughter of Henry's friends and family, including his parents, which drives him to enter Radzig's service and begin a quest for revenge.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is expected to pick up directly where the first game left off, with Radzig and his allies organizing a resistance against Sigismund's forces while Henry continues to pursue revenge against Markvart. Another returning character is Hans Capon, a nobleman Henry became close friends with over the course of KCD's main questline.

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What is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's release date?

Best answer: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is "Coming 2024," so expect to be able to play it later this year. We don't have any information about a specific release date yet, though.

If you're hoping to play Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 later this year, there's good news: the game is currently slated to release in 2024, so we won't have to wait long to step into Henry's boots once more. With that said, we don't have a more specific release date yet, so whether it's coming in summer or fall is currently unknown.

Once more information is shared by Warhorse, I'll make sure to update this article with the latest details. In the meantime, though, you can look forward to enjoying the game in the coming months.

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What platforms is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 coming to?

Best answer: Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC. On the latter platform, it will presumably be available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG.

The original KCD launched on Xbox One, PS4, and PC when it came out in 2018, so it's not surprising that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is releasing on the next-gen versions of these platforms. As confirmed by the game's reveal trailer, we know it's coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC.

Notably, the PC version of Kingdom Come was made available on Steam, the Epic Games Store, and GOG, so Kingdom Come 2 will presumably be distributed on these platforms as well. However, we won't know for sure until Warhorse gives an official confirmation of this.

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Do you need to play the first KCD game before Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2?

Best answer: Warhorse has stated that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been designed with new players in mind, so you don't have to play the first game to understand it. However, I strongly recommend doing so, as it's an amazing game.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 continues Henry's story, but that doesn't mean you'll have to have played the first Kingdom Come in order to understand what's going on in the sequel. In fact, Warhorse has noted that the game has been structured to help onboard new players to the narrative, so you should be able to jump into the game and have a great time whether you're a longtime fan or a newcomer.

Even so, though, I strongly recommend playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance if you've got the time (check out our review). It's a rich, beautiful RPG that oozes historically authentic detail everywhere you look, and once you get past its quirks — Henry, like a real person would be, is sluggish and slow at sword fighting until you train, for example — you'll have an absolute blast with it. It's one of the best open world games I've ever played, and one of the best PC games and best Xbox games in general.

KCD is available for $30 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and various different PC platforms, though right now it's on sale for a huge 80% discount. There's also a more expensive Royal Edition that includes all of the game's DLC expansions; notably, this is the only version of KCD you can get on Nintendo Switch.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 trailers

Below, you'll find all of the trailers that have been released for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Right now, this includes Warhorse Studios' official reveal and overview of the game as well as its announcement trailer.

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What you need to know

• Developer Warhorse Studios has announced Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, a direct sequel to its popular 2018 medieval open world RPG.
• Kingdom Come 2 is scheduled to release at some point in 2024, and will be available on the Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC platforms.
• The game looks to follow up on where the first left off, with Henry's pursuit of revenge against Markvart von Aulitz for burning his village Skalitz and killing his family continuing amidst the 15th Century conflict between Bohemian lords and Sigismund, the half-brother of King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia who kidnapped him to take the crown.
• Notably, the news came from a special livestream in which Warhorse showed a reveal video it recorded in St. Barbara's Church, a famous cathedral in Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg). Kutná Hora will be a major location in Kingdom Come 2.

Following a tease that it would reveal the next game it was working on last week, developer Warhorse Studios has announced Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, a follow-up sequel to the original historical open world RPG from 2018. It's scheduled to release sometime later this year, and is headed to Xbox Series X|S, PS5, and PC systems.

The news came in a livestream on YouTube and Twitch, though this wasn't just some run-of-the-mill trailer drop. Instead, the studio filmed an entire 15-minute long overview video at St. Barbara's Church in Kutná Hora to introduce the game, complete with a sweet horse, appearances from KCD actors Tom McKay (Henry) and Luke Dale (Hans Capon), and commentary from several Warhorse developers like co-founder Daniel Vávra.

St. Barbara's Church stands as one of Europe's most famous Gothic cathedrals, with its construction taking place over the course of 500 years (1388-1905). It's an absolutely beautiful piece of architecture, and along with Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg) itself, it's been made a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fact Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2's reveal was shot here easily makes it one of the coolest I've ever seen, and it's also quite fitting since St. Barbara is known as the patron of miners and KCD protagonist Henry hails from the silver mining town Skalitz. You can watch it below:

Pretty awesome, right? What's even cooler, though, is how amazing the actual game looks. Kingdom Come: Deliverance was beloved by fans for its rich open world, deep roleplaying, and historically authentic combat mechanics, and its sequel looks to deliver all that and more in spades. Its map is said to be two times larger than the first game's, with five full hours of cutscenes — and based on what's been shown thus far, the graphics of its "Bohemian paradise" landscapes look stunning, too. Kingdom Come 2 is also introducing a reputation mechanic that's influenced by your actions and affects how the people in its world react to your presence, and on the action side of things, there are new weapons like crossbows and the oft-forgotten handgonne.

Narratively, the game will pick up where the first left off, continuing Henry's quest for revenge against Markvart von Aulitz amidst conflict between men loyal to King Wenceslas IV of Bohemia and those fighting for his half-brother Sigismund. In case you're not familiar with the real-world history KCD adapts, the TL;DR is that Sigismund kidnapped Wenceslas in 1402 to take the crown, and his men — including Markvart — began warring with lords that didn't swear fealty. In the first Kingdom Come game, this led to an attack on Henry's village Skalitz that resulted in the killing of his parents. Swearing to avenge them, he enters the service of knight Sir Radzig Kobyla and joins the fight against Sigismund's forces.

Radzig is sure to come back for this new chapter of Henry's story — no spoilers about who he is here, but he plays a very important role in it — as are several other characters from the first game, such as the escaped traitor Istvan Toth and perhaps even Henry's close friend (and possible love interest) Theresa. The return of Hans Capon, a spoiled nobleman who grows up quite a bit during KCD and eventually enters something of a bromance with Henry, was directly confirmed by the reveal.

Just a few weeks ago I was thinking about how much I enjoyed the first Kingdom Come and that I hoped Warhorse was going to announce its next project soon, so I'm sure you can imagine how happy I was when I was given the opportunity to watch this video early at a press event. There's really nothing else quite like KCD out there, and I'm ecstatic that it's back.

Speaking of the original game, I strongly recommend grabbing it and getting started with a playthrough now if you've never played before. Though it originally launched with some serious performance issues, it's in a much more polished state now, and is one of the best Xbox games and best PC games out there for RPG fans. It's got some interesting quirks you'll have to get used to — for example, Henry's combat actions are initially pretty clunky since the poor lad doesn't know what he's doing until he gets training — but once you do, you'll fall in love with it.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is available for $30 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC, though right now, it's on sale for a huge 80% off. There's also a Royal Edition that includes all of its DLC, which is the only version of the game you can get on the Nintendo Switch.

What you need to know

• Warhorse Studios, the dev team behind the 2018 medieval open world RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance, has announced that it's revealing a new game next week.
• Specifically, the title is being announced on Thursday, April 18, at 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CEST. The reveal will be livestreamed, meaning you'll be able to watch it live. Links to the streams are below.
• Naturally, many are assuming that the new game is a sequel to Kingdom Come, though we won't know anything for sure until it's officially revealed.
• Kingdom Come: Deliverance is an excellent game, and one of the best to play if you like the sound of an RPG set in 15th Century Bohemia. You can pick it up for $30 on Xbox, PS5, and PC via Steam, or the Royal Edition that includes all of its DLC for $50 on these platforms and Nintendo Switch.

Warhorse Studios, the developer behind the acclaimed 2018 medieval open world RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance (KCD), has teased on social media that it's revealing a new game. Specifically, the title will be officially announced on YouTube and Twitch livestreams on Thursday, April 18 at 11:00 a.m. PT / 2:00 p.m. ET / 8:00 p.m. CEST.

The news came in the form of a teaser image from the official Warhorse Studios account on X (Twitter), which shows a person clad in dark clothing riding a horse. You can check the post out yourself with the embed below — it's a cool picture, though there's nothing concrete to take away from it.

Notably, this game will be the first new publicly revealed project from Warhorse since it released the A Woman's Lot expansion for KCD in 2019 that allowed players to play as the character Theresa from the main story. We won't know what the game is for sure until it's fully revealed, though naturally, everyone's groschen is on a Kingdom Come sequel. However, it could also be something else entirely; only time will tell.

Whatever it is, I'm sure I'm going to be incredibly excited for it. Kingdom Come: Deliverance is undoubtedly one of the best PC games and best Xbox games I've ever played (check out our review), with an excellent story, rich medieval melee combat that draws directly from historical techniques, and a gorgeous open world that faithfully recreates early 15th Century Bohemia. Warhorse has proven it's a studio that can hang with the best of them, and I can't wait to see what they've been working on during the last several years.

If you've never played KCD, you can pick it up for $30 on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC (on Steam). There's also a pricier Royal Edition that includes all the DLC on these platforms as well as Nintendo Switch.

What's so good about A Woman's Lot?

The 'A Woman's Lot' DLC for Kingdom Come: Deliverance delivers a very well-written narrative from the perspective of one of the most important characters in the base game: Theresa. It takes place before, during, and after the infamous raid on Skalitz by the Cuman forces that occurs at the beginning of Kingdom Come: Deliverance, and shows us how Theresa managed to survive it. The experience is slower and more stealth-driven than most of the base game's gameplay, and there's enough content here to last you several play sessions.

The 'A Woman's Lot' DLC summarized

• Gripping narrative.
• A well-designed change of pace in terms of gameplay.
• Superb motion capture/voice acting.
• Plenty of content.

A fresh perspective

Kingdom Come: Deliverance players will know Theresa as the woman who Henry can romance during the main story, but getting to actually play as her allows us to understand who she is and what she's like on a deeper level, which is something I really love. The story of the DLC, as you may expect by the title of the expansion (it comes from the phrase "A woman's lot is to suffer" from the critically-acclaimed novel, Pachinko), is quite a depressing one. It follows what Theresa did the day before, of, and after the raid on Skalitz, and how she managed to survive it.

The part of the DLC set before the slaughter serves to show the player how much Theresa cares about her family and friends, and also to give the player a chance to meet some of Skalitz's inhabitants. The people here have traits, concerns, desires, and flaws of their own, which makes the Skalitz folk feel unmistakably human. It feels like a real community, made up of real people — and Theresa is at center stage, who frequently second-guesses herself in a way that feels genuine. As someone who used to be insecure myself, I felt myself connecting with this character.

Once the raid occurs, though, Theresa's strength as a person becomes apparent. After she manages to break away from the Cumans trying to violate her, Theresa's ability to persevere through all of the horror and death and manage to not only survive, but even help others, is inspiring. Even if Theresa doesn't recognize her own strength, the player does, and after playing this DLC and getting to see Theresa's iron willpower in the flesh, she's become one of my favorite characters in Kingdom Come: Deliverance.

Out of sight, out of mind

In terms of gameplay, the 'A Woman's Lot' DLC is more stealth-oriented and strategic than what the base game offers, which is a lovely change of pace. Where you would normally run up to a group of Cumans and beat the stuffing out of them with a mace as Henry, Theresa doesn't have the luxury of combat training. You can fight, but it's generally a last ditch option. Thankfully, the DLC gives you a helpful (and cute!) doggo called Tinker who can bite at the legs of a foe, giving players a few seconds of time to line up a good sword strike or bow shot. Even so, it's best to stick to the shadows.

There's lots of different quests to complete in this DLC, both required and optional, which is great considering an issue I had with most of the other DLCs for Kingdom Come: Deliverance was that they felt too short; here, though, you get your money's worth. The presentation of the story is also superb, as both the voice actors and the mocap animators did a stellar job — on par with Rockstar's Red Dead Redemption 2, in fact, which is no easy feat.

The 'A Woman's Lot' DLC is out now for $12 on PC, but Xbox players will have to wait until June 11 for the DLC to release.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is about to set players off on a quest for love. Warhorse Studios today announced that the next DLC for the medieval RPG, titles "The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon," will arrive on October 16. And alongside it, all players will get a free update that adds the Rattay Combat Tournament.

From the DLC's description:

Kingdom Come: Deliverance plants players in the shoes of Henry, who finds himself plunged from the humble life of a blacksmith's son to fighting in major battles and helping to shape the political landscape around him. Set in 1403, there's plenty of medieval battling to be had through the game's first-person combat system.

Players will get access to "The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon" on October 16. If you haven't given Kingdom Come: Deliverance a shot yet, you can pick the game up for around $60 on Xbox One and PC.

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Recently, Warhorse Studios released a roadmap for some new content that will be released over the course of the next year for the medieval role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The title is currently available for $59.99 on Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4. In a report by TICGN, details about "The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon" DLC and the "Tournament Update" surfaced.

The Tournament Update is free for all players and features a combat arena. Taking part in it will give players unique rewards. The Amorous Adventures of Bold Sir Hans Capon is much more interesting because you have to help the infamous Sir Hans Capon win over his latest love interest. Instead of simply speaking with the woman, you have to track down a necklace and brew a love potion. It's rather strange to say the least.

It's unclear when the update and DLC will launch, but we'll keep you posted as soon as we receive a concrete release date.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is set in 1403. You play as Henry, a humble blacksmith's son, who winds up in not-so-humble circumstances. The game starts off in a fairly benign way, where you resolve village disputes, learn your father's craft, and play real dice games from the time period. The opening is quite deceptive because Henry's simple life is disrupted in a severe way and the adventure begins from there. You will eventually find yourself taking part in large-scale battles, and helping solve a political crisis that threatens all of Bohemia.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance's first major DLC, From The Ashes, sees you rebuilding the fallen town of Pribyslavitz. Using money, management and patience, you can turn the rubble of the forgotten land into a thriving mini-city. The process isn't quick, but it is enjoyable and you get some great payoff for your investments.

Read: Kingdom Come Deliverance gets a 'Hardcore Mode'

• See Kingdom Come at Amazon
• See Kingdom Come at Steam
• See From The Ashes at Steam
• See From The Ashes at Microsoft Store

From ruin to prosperity

From The Ashes begins when you travel to the city of Talmberg. The lord of the land, Sir Divish, will name you the bailiff in exchange for the help you lent him during the game's main story. But before you can start rebuilding Pribyslavitz, you need to cleanse the land of bandits first. There's a fair amount of combat in the introductory section of From The Ashes, so having your blade and armor at the ready is important.

Once you do this, the real meat of the expansion becomes accessible: constructing Pribyslavitz from the ground up. Everything from a church to produce shops to armorsmiths are structures and services that you can create, but workers, guards, and buildings all cost money — and quite a lot of it.

The high monetary costs are what drive the long-term experience with From The Ashes. As you travel Bohemia and build your wealth, you can set aside funding for Pribyslavitz. 100 coins here, 500 coins there. It's a game of saving, building up a small fortune over time in order to use as an investment. It's slow, but it gives the player something to work towards...and it isn't without rewards.

Sticking with the renovations and will eventually pay you your money back, and then some. If you put in the effort, you can turn Pribyslavitz into a profitable location that can help fund the cost of buying and maintaining late game items. What I found myself relishing in, though, was the fact that I had turned a land of despair into one of growth and opportunity. That pride is priceless.

Not without faults

Overall, this expansion is great, but it does have some problems. For one, it's disappointing that despite all of the hard work the player needs to put into the town, you don't get to own a house in it. There were already very few options for permanent living in Kingdom Come prior to From The Ashes, and this was a missed opportunity.

Another thing that's unfortunate is that there's no real reason to go back to Pribyslavitz after the fact. It offers goods and services, but they are all things you can obtain in the rest of the game's towns or cities. I would have liked to see something unique to Pribyslavitz only.

Final thoughts on KCD: From the Ashes for Xbox/PC

While there's not much in Pribyslavitz that's worth returning to, rebuilding it and reaping the monetary benefits is a great experience.

Pros:

• Excellent long-term gameplay.
• Very rewarding.
• Satisfying to see through.

Cons:

• No player house.
• Lack of unique items.

From The Ashes is available for $9.99 on both Xbox One and Steam. The base game is available for $49.99.

• See Kingdom Come at Amazon
• See Kingdom Come at Steam
• See From The Ashes at Steam
• See From The Ashes at Microsoft Store

Recently, Warhorse Studios released a roadmap for some new content that will be released over the course of the next year for the medieval role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The title is currently available for $59.99 on Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4.

Updated July 5, 2018: Kingdom Come: Deliverance's latest expansion is now available on the Xbox Store. From the Ashes costs $9.99 and unlocks the content in the base game without the need for another large download.

A new "Hardcore Mode" launched on June 26, 2018, and the "From the Ashes" expansion releases next week. In a new developer diary, Warhorse Studios announced that From the Ashes would be available on July 5, 2018. It's unclear how much it'll cost, but given the scope of the content, we don't expect it to be cheap.

In From the Ashes, you have an opportunity to build a new village. As a newly-appointed bailiff, you have to decide what buildings to erect, what people to bring, and how to settle disputes. Buildings are upgradable and require different materials.

Set in 1403, you play as Henry, a humble blacksmith's son, who winds up in not-so-humble circumstances. The game starts off in a fairly benign way, where you resolve village disputes, learn your father's craft, and play real dice games from the time period. The opening is quite deceptive because Henry's simple life is disrupted in a severe way and the adventure begins from there. You will eventually find yourself taking part in large-scale battles, and helping solve a political crisis that threatens all of Bohemia.

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• See at Green Man Gaming

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Recently, Warhorse Studios released a roadmap for some new content that will be released over the course of the next year for the medieval role-playing game Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The title is currently available for $59.99 on Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4.

A new "Hardcore Mode" launches on June 26, 2018 and the "From the Ashes" expansion releases shortly after that. Hardcore Mode is a free update for all Kingdom Come: Deliverance owners. The mode adds a new layer of challenge by modifying how the game is saved to how you navigate the map. You can read about Hardcore Mode and From the Ashes below or view the complete notes on Reddit.

Hardcore Mode

• In Hardcore Mode there is no autosaving. The game can only be saved by drinking "Saviour Schnapps", sleeping in your own bed, paying for a bathhouse full service, or exiting the game.
• In Hardcore Mode you can't rely on eating from open cooking pots. The best way to regenerate health is to sleep. Food and healing potions take quite a while to kick in.
• You're only alerted to your current health and stamina levels by means of in-game visual effects.
• Henry's position is not shown on the map and there are no indicators on the compass. Waypoints are shown only when you get close to them.
• Fast travel isn't possible in Hardcore Mode.
• Combat is more realistic in Hardcore Mode. Strikes have more realistic impact, and engaging in combat with an experienced warrior without wearing quality armor is very deadly.
• Hardcore Perks are a form of customizable difficulty. You can enable a lot — like "Consumption", "Nightmares", "Tape Worm", "Claustrophobic", or "Shakes" — to make the game even harder.
• Traders pay less for goods and rewards are lower overall. Repairing items is even costlier.

From the Ashes

In From the Ashes, you have an opportunity to build a new village. As a newly-appointed bailiff, you have to decide what buildings to erect, what people to bring, and how to settle disputes. Buildings are upgradable and require different materials.

Set in 1403, you play as Henry, a humble blacksmith's son, who winds up in not-so-humble circumstances. The game starts off in a fairly benign way, where you resolve village disputes, learn your father's craft, and play real dice games from the time period. The opening is quite deceptive because Henry's simple life is disrupted in a severe way and the adventure begins from there. You will eventually find yourself taking part in large-scale battles, and helping solve a political crisis that threatens all of Bohemia.

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• See at Green Man Gaming

Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

Kingdom Hearts III is one of the most anticipated titles coming out soon, and gamers have been eagerly anticipating news about the project for months now. Recently, Square Enix invited select outlets to preview the game and the results are rather interesting. According to publications like Tom's Guide, the game runs at 60 FPS on Xbox One X. However, when can gamers actually play it?

In a rather curious decision, Square Enix just announced that Kingdom Hearts III will launch on Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on January 29, 2019. Those hoping to play the game this year will be disappointed by the slight delay, but given the jam-packed holiday season, a January release date seems like a safe bet to maximize sales.

Kingdom Hearts III is an action role-playing game that combines the universes of various Disney franchises and Final Fantasy. It sounds almost like it shouldn't work, but somehow, it just does, and the franchise has won itself millions of fans across the world. This is the latest entry in this long-running series which has been mostly exclusive to Nintendo and PlayStation systems up until now.

Hopefully Kingdom Hearts III will be a polished experience when it launches on consoles soon. The game hasn't been announced on PC but that might change in the future.We'll keep you posted as soon as we know more.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance is a medieval role-playing game which launched to mixed reviews a few months ago. The game was praised for its story and fighting mechanics, but there were numerous bugs that detracted from the experience. Luckily, Warhorse Studios has been hard at work on making the game even better and today the team released a new patch on Xbox One.

Aside from publishing the patch notes on the Xbox One Reddit page, the developer issued the following statement about the improvements.

It's great to see Warhorse Studios working diligently to fix problems like broken dialogue options and performance. Hopefully we will see a steady stream of patches in the coming months so that Kingdom Come: Deliverance becomes even better.

Set in 1403, you play as Henry, a humble blacksmith's son, who winds up in not-so-humble circumstances. The game starts off in a fairly benign way, where you resolve village disputes, learn your father's craft, and play real dice games from the time period. The opening is quite deceptive because Henry's simple life is disrupted in a severe way and the adventure begins from there. You will eventually find yourself taking part in large-scale battles, and helping solve a political crisis that threatens all of Bohemia.

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Today, Warhorse Studios released a DLC roadmap for some new content that will be released over the course of the next year for the medieval role-playing game (RPG) Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The title is currently available for Xbox One, PC, and PlayStation 4.

Starting this summer with the release of "From the Ashes", the team will be developing four larger story add-ons, a "Hardcore Mode", a "Tournaments Mode", and mod support. You can see the complete list of content below. It's unclear how much these downloads will cost because only some are marked "Free".

A lot of plot points were left unresolved in Kingdom Come: Deliverance so here's hoping that these DLC packs change that.

Set in 1403, you play as Henry, a humble blacksmith's son, who winds up in not-so-humble circumstances. The game starts off in a fairly benign way, where you resolve village disputes, learn your father's craft, and play real dice games from the time period. The opening is quite deceptive because Henry's simple life is disrupted in a severe way and the adventure begins from there. You will eventually find yourself taking part in large-scale battles, and helping solve a political crisis that threatens all of Bohemia.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is currently available for $59.99 at various retailers like Amazon and Microsoft.

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Keep an eye on WindowsCentral.com/Gaming for all the latest in Xbox and Windows 10 gaming, accessories, news, and reviews!

There's no denying that Kingdom Come: Deliverance, a story driven role-playing game (RPG) by Warhorse Studios set in medieval Bohemia, has been a huge hit across the gaming community. Praised for its intense combat, elements of realism, and more, most RPG fans are having a blast with it.

Read: All hardcore RPGs should strive to mimic Kingdom Come: Deliverance's design

Despite all the success, though, one specific mechanic in the game is very controversial: the saving. Unlike most RPGs where you can save where and when you please, Kingdom Come instead limits your ability to save to only two options — sleeping in a bed, or drinking a rather expensive beverage called "Saviour Schnapps". Neither of these opportunities are always available to the player, so a lot of people playing the game have to remain in constant fear of losing all their progress. Here's why I think this system is great.

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Reap what you sow

A popular practice many players exercise when they play RPGs is "save scumming," or saving right before they commit crimes or charge headfirst into a situation that is guaranteed to get them killed. This way, the player in question doesn't have to worry about facing the consequences of killing innocents or dying; all they have to do is reload their save.

Kingdom Come's saving mechanics, though, make save scumming incredibly difficult to do. The only way that it's even possible to do it in the game is through the use of Saviour Schnapps, and they cost quite a bit. Paired with the fact that making large amounts of money in Kingdom Come is a lengthy process, successfully save scumming will be quite a challenge for most people.

This also forces you to think carefully about your actions because you'll only be getting a save from sleeping once a day. Dying is punished heavily because you can potentially lose an entire day of progress, so players are going to play the game with caution, just as they would if they were in the game itself. This also fits incredibly well with Kingdom Come's emphasis on realism.

Learn things the hard way

Rare saving in Kingdom Come has another benefit: it helps the player learn things through experience. For example, if the player is able to easily save before getting into a fight, they can just reload their save whenever they think they'll lose and mindlessly throw themselves at the enemy again until they get lucky. However, if you don't have that cushion to fall back on, the game demands that you step up and learn the mechanics or else risk failure.

Of course, this seems harsh, but I think that's a good thing. Punishing experiences sharpen skills much better than ones that give you an easy out, and while you can die, you can also opt to surrender to your foes. Though they will take some of your items, you'll still come out of that loss understanding why you lost and how you can do better next time.

A compromise is coming

For people who still think the save system is flawed, don't fret; in the upcoming 1.3 patch for Kingdom Come, the developers are adding a Save and Quit functionality that lets you save the game when closing the software. The save file is automatically deleted once you load it, but this feature will make it so you don't have to rush to a bed to save or leave the game running for hours if you need to leave.

An alternative available to PC players is the Unlimited Saving mod. This mod makes it possible to save wherever and whenever you want, similar to most other RPGs.

Your thoughts

What do you think of Kingdom Come: Deliverance's save system? Let me know.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance is available on Xbox One and PC for $59.99.

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