During the renowned Gamescom 2024 event, I had the opportunity to explore the highly awaited medieval RPG sequel, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, and engage in a detailed conversation with Martin Klima, the Executive Producer at Warhorse Studios. The full dialogue will be available soon, but here’s a sneak peek into the technological aspects discussed related to the game.

Did you explore alternative engines, or was CryENGINE the primary choice from the beginning?

Following the completion of Kingdom Come Deliverance (KCD), we assessed our technological foundation and contemplated various options. Ultimately, we opted to retain CryENGINE due to the extensive customizations we had implemented to align with our requirements. This decision proved fruitful as we are content with the current performance levels achieved. Enhancing performance was a key focus for us as it significantly impacts the overall gaming experience, and we aimed for a seamless and optimized gameplay encounter.

Have you transitioned to the latest CryENGINE version, or are you still utilizing the customized engine from the initial installment?

Collaborating closely with Crytek has provided us access to the most recent engine updates. While incorporating advancements from KCD 1, we maintained our tailored engine modifications. Although our current engine isn’t identical to the one used in Hunt: Showdown by Crytek, the proximity in functionality is noteworthy.

Does Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 offer hardware ray tracing and support for multiple upscalers?

Our game embraces upscaling technologies such as NVIDIA DLSS and AMD FSR. While we do not employ hardware-based ray tracing, CryENGINE boasts robust software-driven ray tracing capabilities.

Previous feedback highlighted the demanding nature of the original Kingdom Come Deliverance on PCs.

Indeed, the initial installment posed significant performance challenges, with many processes relying on sheer power. The extended development period for this sequel enabled us to refine, parallelize, and optimize operations, making better use of CPUs. Furthermore, advancements in hardware capabilities and enhanced console performance have further facilitated our optimization efforts.

Can players expect a consistent 60 frames per second on console platforms?

While Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is still a work in progress, achieving a stable 60FPS target is well within our reach.

Following Gamescom, I touched base with Warhorse’s PR Manager, Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, who confirmed that the software-based ray tracing highlighted by Klima actually entails an upgraded iteration of Sparse Voxel Octree Global Illumination (SVOGI). SVOGI, present in the original Kingdom Come Deliverance and other CryENGINE-powered titles like War of Rights and SNOW, will also be accessible on consoles for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2.

The highly anticipated game is scheduled for release on February 11 next year. In the meantime, delve into Chris’s latest hands-on review for a glimpse of what awaits.