The highly anticipated sequel to Kingdom Come: Deliverance may already be facing steep hurdles in the global market. According to reports from Saudi Arabian outlets, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has allegedly been banned in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia due to “unskippable scenes” that they claim promote “hidden agendas.” This seems to insinuate depictions of non-traditional romances within the narrative, something banned by Saudi Arabian governmnet.
Saudi gaming news outlet VGA4A announced on X that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 would be banned in Saudi Arabia, due to unskippable scenes in the story mode.
A tweet from Saudi Arabian outlet VGA4A stating that Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been banned in the kingdom – X, @VGA4A
The outlet’s website further elaborated, stating, “The game has been banned in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia because it contains an immoral scene that promotes hidden agendas in video games.” The source claimed that the developer’s refusal to create a modified regional version ultimately led to the decision.
Another local outlet, SaudiGamer.com, echoed these claims, reporting, “Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 has been officially banned in Saudi Arabia.” They point to a graphic intimate scene between two people, with no ability to cancel or override it as the primary reason. The scene is said to last over a minute, with no current plans for an edited version tailored to regional sensitivities.
While the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s restrictions are rooted in specific cultural and moral standards, the potential inclusion of unskippable controversial Pride-centric scenes could potentially raise red flags in other major markets.
A screenshot from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (2024), Warhorse Studios
China, notorious for its stringent content regulations, is known to ban games for reasons ranging from depictions of intimate acts to perceived “socially disruptive” messaging. If the rumors are true, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 could find itself facing similar scrutiny in one of the world’s largest gaming markets, further jeopardizing its global launch potential.
Grant Taylor-Hill of Insider Gaming has played a preview of the game and noted that while the game does feature nudity and graphic mature content, he hadn’t encountered any Pride-centric themes outside of “romantic conversation options with a same-sex character.”
“I’ll also stress that I’ve not come across a single cutscene in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 that couldn’t be skipped, which casts further doubt upon this claim,” he said.
However, the presence of romantic conversation options with such characters does seem to allude to there being graphic mature scenes of an alternative nature later in the narrative.
A screenshot from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (2024), Warhorse Studios
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Warhorse Studios’ Creative Director, Daniel Vávra, has a history of siding with players who resist DEI-centric trends in modern gaming, which makes this report all the more confusing.
Vávra has frequently spoken out against what he perceives as pandering to politically correct narratives, famously defending the historical authenticity of the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance.
In 2018, when accusations of historical exclusion were levied against the title, he defended the game’s accuracy, pointing to extensive research into Bohemia’s demographics during 1403. Games journalists often want racial diversity in every game, even when it would break historical accuracy and immersion. Vávra, however, drew a line in the sand.
A screenshot from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (2024), Warhorse Studios
“We have already dealt extensively with historians and historical sources while preparing for the work on the game,” he said. “When the first allegations were made, I reiterated and intensified this discourse to make sure that we do not portray history in any altered form.”
Vávra has not responded to social media questions about the reports coming out of Saudi Arabia.
What do you think this means for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2? Sound off in the comments and let us know.
