Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Goes DRM-Free

Medieval action-RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD 2) is not launching with a digital rights management (DRM) tool, as confirmed by developer Warhorse Studios following gamers claiming that the game otherwise would.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Dev Clarifies They Won't Use DRM At AllClaims of KCD 2 Launching With DRM Absolutely Not True

Developer Warhorse Studios has confirmed that its medieval action-RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD 2) is not using digital rights management (DRM) tool, after gamers have claimed that DRM will be integrated with the game. Addressing fans' concerns during a recent showcase on Twitch, Warhorse Studios PR head Tobias Stolz-Zwilling clarified KCD 2 will not launch with Denuvo DRM, as well as addressing the confusion and "misinformation" that arose from the messages the devs have continued to receive regarding the tool.

"The exact situation is that KCD 2 will not have Denuvo in there," Tobias said, "it will not have any DRM system at all. We never confirmed it. There were some discussions of course. There was some misalignment, there was some misinformation, but at the end of the day there won’t be any Denuvo at all."

He added, requesting gamers to stop spamming the devs about the game using DRM. "With that, I would like you to close the case already. Stop [going under] every post we do asking ‘Is Denuvo in the game?’" He added that "as long as Warhorse doesn't announce anything," whatever's going around regarding KCD 2 is "not true."

DRM has often been linked to performance issues in games, hence gamers' apprehension with its integration in games. In particular, the use of Denuvo, which also serves as an anti-piracy software that protects a game's code, has not always sat well with players, especially those on PC, as it has been claimed that the DRM tool renders games unplayable in some capacity.

Denuvo product manager Andreas Ullmann has addressed the criticism the tool has received. In an interview, Ullmann said that the negative perception the gaming community has regarding Denuvo stems from misinformation and confirmation bias, additionally remarking that the vehement backlash of its use is very toxic.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 releases in February 2025 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X|S. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 takes place in Medieval Bohemia and revolves around Henry, a blacksmith-in-training who sees his village suffer a devastating fate. A free copy of the game is available to fans who pledged at least $200 in KCD 2's Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign.