Alongside the reveal of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II was the news the game is set in a big city, where players can expect a “wide range of ethnicities.”
The blurb that the game will feature a “wide range of ethnicities” has stirred a debate online as to what that actually means, since the original game famously didn’t include people not in historical medieval Bohemia, i.e. sub-saharan Africans or hispanics.
The sequel takes place directly after the first game and once again stars Henry, though it will be “twice as big” as the original and moves from rural Bohemia to the sprawling Kuttenberg city. It is here that developer Warhorse teases the game will feature a “wide range of ethnicities.”
“The story and plot of has evolved — it’s darker, deeper, and more cinematic, yet also crueler with pivotal decisions and plot twists that challenge the players’s conscience. Nevertheless, it retains its humor and down-to-earth approach,” Warhorse spokesperson Tobias Stolz-Zwilling previously said to IGN. “As mentioned already, Henry is embarking on a journey from the countryside and local quarrels to a relatively cosmopolitan city that is besieged and occupied by the invading king. Naturally, in a place like this, people can expect a wide range of ethnicities and different characters that Henry will meet on his journey.”
To hopefully quell any confusion or speculation, we reached out to Warhorse Studios for clarification on what that last bit means and what fans can expect. When asked if more ethnicities means other European groups like the Italians, French, Byzantines, Magyars, and so on – Warhorse responded:
“At this moment we don’t want to delve deeper into story related topics,” Stolz-Zwilling said to Niche Gamer. “But as stated in the interview, Henry’s journey will lead him into Kuttenberg which by that time was a relatively cosmopolitan city.”
He added, “So naturally you will meet a wider range of ethnicities and different characters – who, what, when, where and why will be discussed at a later date. ”
Right after the game’s reveal and the debate on non-Bohemian people in the game, Warhorse co-founder and game director Daniel Vavra posted a humorous image (seen above) and the following message:
“I’m here to bring you historically accurate exploding barrels!,” Vavra said. “Among other historically accurate things! Its going to be accurate! You can trust me :)”
This is an important topic because the original game made a clear case for pursuing historical accuracy, even going so far as hiring a PhD in medieval Czech Republic (modern day Bohemia) history, while most of their staff are from the area where Bohemia existed.
It’s not wrong to note some areas historically only featured a majority of one ethnic group or a notable admixture. However, other websites attacked their team at the time for refusing to include non-white / non-Bohemian people in a game set during medieval Bohemia.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is launching in 2024 for Windows PC (via Steam and the Epic Games Store), Xbox Series X|S, and PlayStation 5.
