After the first game’s surprise hit, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has surpassed another lofty expectation. KCD 2 has become a massive success on Steam despite cracked copy, piracy concerns, and vocal criticism from certain audiences. At the time of writing, the medieval RPG sits comfortably in sixth place in Steam’s Top 10 most-played games list.
The game, which launched without the Denuvo anti-piracy software, has already been cracked and distributed on torrent sites. The report indicates over 2,200 peers are actively sharing a cracked version, raising concerns about potential lost sales.
KCD 2 also stirred critics from the so-called ‘anti-woke’ crowd, claiming the sequel compromised the series’ historical accuracy. Said crowd objected to the inclusion of a gay romance option for protagonist Henry and Moorish, or African merchants in 15th-century Bohemia.
Despite this backlash, the other side of the fence has praised the developer’s decision as it expands storytelling possibilities.
Julio La Pine, in our review, wrote, “What elevates the narrative aspect even further is the cast of characters. All of them are perfectly developed and unforgettable.”
“[…] Even those you meet as you travel through this medieval tapestry, all of them are highly unique and add to the marvelous storytelling aspect of KCD 2.”
Cracked copy, piracy, and social controversy aside, KCD 2 has been an undeniable triumph for Warhorse Studios.
As of now, KCD 2 has reached 155,214 concurrent players on Steam and secured a spot in the platform’s Top 10 most-played games. Beating popular multiplayer releases like GTA Online, Rust, Apex Legends, and Palworld. On social media, the studio celebrates the launch with fellow European developers such as STALKER‘s GSC Game World and The Witcher‘s CDProjekt Red.
In spite of the piracy threat, the decision to launch without Denuvo also becomes a talking point. Players commend the studio for not using the controversial DRM, which is often criticized for causing performance issues.
Whether the ongoing piracy and criticism will impact the long-term success of KCD 2 remains to be seen. For now, though, the team at Warhorse Studios can celebrate Henry’s latest victory.
