As it stands now, it's still hard to believe that Warhorse Studios has announced a sequel. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 transmission. It makes a bit more sense considering it may not be a direct sequel, nor is it the biggest news story from the studio's reveal stream. Confirmation that it's also working on an open-world Middle-Earth RPG is naturally a bit surprising. But the hard-to-shake details actually have less to do with that incredibly exciting second title and a little more to do with it. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Warhorse is targeting launch in the next fiscal year and is expected to launch between April 2027 and March 2028.
That window will put the following kingdom come Less than three years later, the game was in players' hands. KCD2 Released in February 2025. On paper, it sounds like a gift from Warhorse to a fan base that has been waiting for it all along. In the end, it took seven years for the studio to release a sequel to the original game. That said, a less-than-three-year turnaround time for a part 3 that should (theoretically) be bigger or better in some way sounds ambitious in a way that makes it worth a rewatch.
Rumor: Big Kingdom Come Deliverance update reportedly coming early next year
According to a new rumor, Warhorse Studios may be working on a significant update to the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance, with an early 2026 release date.
Seven Years of Progress in the Real World of the Kingdom: Deliverance 2
In context, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Just because it took a long time to make doesn't mean it was a small game. It nearly doubled the map size of the already ambitious indie-developed original, was nominated for Game of the Year multiple times (and won a few), and sold over 5 million copies in its first year of release. It was truly the product of seven years of intensive development, and the layered quest design, authentic Bohemian historical displays, and density of everyday life in the Middle Ages made the world feel less like a collection and more like something to inhabit and participate in.
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Looking at the numbers alone, this is a stark contrast to what appears to be a three-year development cycle. Warhorse Communications Director Tobias Stolz-Zwilling even personally acknowledged the timeline in a community stream following the announcement. But of course his language was direct enough to be disarming.
“If all goes well, it will be next financial year. That means we won’t have to wait seven years for the next financial year. kingdom come game. “That’s good!”
The spirit of the statement is hard to argue with, but the opening conditional “if all goes right” nonetheless seems like it could end up doing a lot. The good news is perhaps that the studio has already established a solid foundation with its first two efforts. Kingdom Come: Salvation And if you really want to, you can use this as a template for the next item instead of writing the third one from scratch.
Warhorse is also working on an open-world Middle-Earth RPG.
Additionally, Warhorse is simultaneously developing a fully open-world RPG set in J.R.R. Tolkien's Middle-Earth, and Daniel Vavra, director of the last two games, has taken on a different role, overseeing the film adaptations. kingdom come franchise. At the same time, it's an ambition that makes even the most experienced and well-funded AAA developers nervous. Despite numerous wins over the years, Warhorse Studios certainly isn't, and Stolz-Zwilling even admitted in the same stream that “this is something new for Warhorse Studios.”
A less-than-three-year turnaround in a trilogy that should (theoretically) be bigger or better in some way sounds ambitious in a way that makes it worth a rewatch.
On the gaming side alone, two parallel open-world RPGs from a studio that has built a reputation on precision and patience in historical world-building are capable of logistical expansion under any conditions. Warhorse has grown and developed significantly, with approximately 120 employees. KCDCurrently, close to 300 people are being released. However, raw headcount does not automatically produce as concentrated a skill as before. KCD2 Feeling considered as if it were. This isn't just about labor, as splitting development across two ambitious projects simultaneously means splitting or doubling down on creative direction, development practices, and more.
Just as these divisions can make things sound, the creative assignments behind each project make the assignments more concrete. Prokop Jirsa served as Chief Designer KCD2will go in a new direction kingdom come It's a reassuring sign that it's being helmed by someone deeply familiar with the series' design DNA. But Victor Bokan, KCD2's design director has been moved to lead the Middle-Earth game. That means two of the game's top Chief Creative Architects. KCD2 Now, rather than bringing our instincts together, we are running separate projects.
What 3 years of development will actually look like
The most practical explanation of how Warhorse delivers new features kingdom come The thing about being able to make an open world RPG in three years is that you're not starting from scratch. Elements such as engine, animation rig, combat system, NPC simulation KCD2 While not intended to be condescending, new maps with new stories built on the existing framework are a way for the studio to realistically condense its development cycle without giving up what the franchise does best. The bones are already standing.
However, in some cases, optimism must be carefully tempered; KCD threequel definitely qualifies. KCD2's foundation risks making the resulting game feel closer to an expansion than a sequel. This is a significant concern, especially considering how intrinsically connected they are. KCD Its sequel already follows. In an interview with GamesRadar, Stolz-Zwilling said: KCD2 “The game we always wanted to make.” Three years is absolutely enough time for a credible team to build something worthwhile, but presenting something convincingly in half the time with the bone-deep density that has defined the series thus far is more difficult.
“If everything goes right”
It's also important to keep in mind that Warhorse's current title target is for Embracer's fiscal year (April 2027 to March 2028). The gaming industry's relationship to open-world RPG timelines has ample warning examples in the book that “fiscal year goals” should be read as aspirations as much as projections. It's a historically volatile target that has become more reliant on landing the vertical, given that Warhorse's parent company is restructuring as of last month.
Why I Want Daum KCD Now
Ultimately, none of these concerns change the fact that more problems arise. kingdom comeThis is a result that fans will sooner or later accept without hesitation. The developers have done nothing to undermine fans' trust. KCD2 Without revealing meaningful ground, the possibility of returning to that world, whether in a direct sequel or not, before the end of the decade feels like a matter worthy of skepticism. No one is upset about these announcements, but splitting focus between the third game, the movie adaptation, and one of the biggest IPs on the planet seems difficult. Essentially, it's a lot of “firsts.” That might be too much for a studio that has only recently (deservedly) soared into the AAA space.
The most practical explanation of how Warhorse delivers new features kingdom come The thing about being able to make an open world RPG in three years is that you're not starting from scratch.
Will Warhorse have new landing gear available? kingdom come Responses to Middle-Earth RPGs developed upon entry will begin in the coming months. The studio's track record has definitely given it the benefit of the doubt, and whether fans want it or not isn't the question. Of course it is. But if April 2027 comes and goes without a release, the real questions about what was worth rushing and what wasn't will become much sharper.
- released
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February 4, 2025
- ESRB
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Ages 17+ / Alcohol, blood and gore, sexual content, strong language, intense violence, partial nudity
- developer
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Warhorse Studio
