Daniel Vávra, the Czech game developer behind Mafia and Kingdom Come: Deliverance, has revealed that during the development of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, he feared being fired due to his political views and public reputation. The remarks—originally made in Czech—were translated and shared by Reddit user u/AboveSkies in a detailed post on /r/KotakuInAction.
From Defiance to Fear
Back in 2018, Kingdom Come: Deliverance was hailed by many as a rare, uncompromising RPG experience. Rooted in authentic medieval Bohemia, it emphasized realism, masculine themes, and immersive gameplay—without the performative identity politics that had infected much of the AAA industry. Players embraced it. The press did not.
Vávra was attacked by mainstream games media for his refusal to include people of color in a historically white 15th-century European setting. He defended historical accuracy and was smeared as a reactionary. Despite massive sales, the attacks stuck—and they lingered as a warning.
With Kingdom Come II, that pressure became internal.
Sensitivity Readers, Internal Fear, and Narrative Caution
According to the Reddit translation, Vávra admitted that his team consulted sensitivity experts—especially around the depiction of Judaism and Islam—to avoid offending modern audiences. He confessed to self-censorship and noted that even the game’s publisher, PLAION, considered firing him due to fears he’d become a PR liability.
“They were afraid that the media backlash would be so strong it could damage the studio or the game.”
—u/AboveSkies (translated from Czech)
“He admits to self-censoring… being afraid of cancellation… being criticized for being too harsh or too soft… afraid of media again. That he’s no longer fighting the culture war because he knows he can’t win.”
—u/AboveSkies
Despite trying to preempt criticism, the game still drew fire from multiple directions.
A Jarring Gay Romance and Signs of Concession
Fans began raising concerns months ago when they encountered a gay romance subplot involving the male protagonist—something not teased in marketing and at odds with the tone of the first game. Combined with the more politically cautious handling of religious themes, it became clear: Kingdom Come II was shaped not just by creative ambition, but by fear of offending critics.
The dissident media saw the shift immediately. Independent commentators and outlets widely reported on the game’s tonal change and speculated—correctly, as it turns out—that studio leadership had chosen to avoid another media firestorm by proactively conceding ground.
The Clair Obscur Comparison: A Pattern Emerges
This isn’t an isolated case. The same pattern is now visible in Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, a stunning, French-made RPG currently enjoying widespread praise—but which features a conspicuously large number of black NPCs. The game draws heavily from early 20th-century Parisian aesthetics, yet presents a racial makeup that is wildly disproportionate to the actual demographics of the time.
In that era, the black population in Paris was extremely small. Yet Clair Obscur showcases an environment that appears tailored to meet modern DEI expectations, rather than reflect the setting’s historical or cultural reality. The message is clear: many developers are now front-loading performative representation to fend off criticism, even at the cost of immersion and believability.
But here’s the reality: a good game doesn’t excuse ideological posturing. In fact, the better the game, the more glaring these compromises become—and the more disappointing the intrusion feels.
3 Takeaways for Developers
🔹 Appeasement Doesn’t Work
Vávra tried to play it safe. He still got criticized. Once you start compromising, the critics just push further.
🔹 Corporate Ownership Is a Pressure Point
PLAION’s fear of reputational damage shows how publishers can become ideological enforcers within the creative process.
🔹 A Good Game Isn’t a Get-Out-of-Woke-Free Card
Kingdom Come II and Expedition 33 show that strong design and rave reviews don’t make up for shallow, ideological insertions that break immersion.
Conclusion: Conformity Is the Enemy of Creativity
What happened at Warhorse Studios is not unique—it’s a symptom of a broader cultural illness infecting game development. Even those who once resisted, like Daniel Vávra, are now publicly confessing to fear, self-censorship, and compromise. And even great games like Kingdom Come II can feel tainted when they bend the knee to ideological expectations.
The dissident media saw this trend coming years ago. We reported it, we criticized it, and we warned where it would lead. Not because we demand counter-narratives—but because we believe in creative freedom. The freedom to make games without ideological shackles.
If the industry keeps choosing conformity over courage, we’ll keep losing the very voices that once made gaming bold, immersive, and real.
—Wolfshead
