Kingdom Come: Deliverance II developer Warhorse Studios got here beneath fireplace throughout a reddit AMA through which followers repeatedly questioned the crew on its use of generative AI after it allegedly dismissed a translator to minimize prices.
In March, former Warhorse translator Max Hejtmánek took to reddit to reveal his place had been made “out of date” because the studio pivoted to AI in a bid to lower your expenses and “make the corporate extra environment friendly.” On the time, Hejtmánek stated the choice “got here as an enormous shock,” including: “The dialogue about utilizing AI for translating had steadily come up previously, one thing I used to be at all times strongly and vocally towards, however by no means to the extent that it’d really price me my job sooner or later. It had, in fact, crossed my thoughts many occasions, however I naively thought my work at [Warhorse Studios] was valued sufficient that I may not be at instant threat.”
Maybe unsurprisingly, Hejtmánek’s firing took middle stage through the crew’s AMA, with most questions in regards to the dismissal — and there have been a lot of them — answered with an HR-friendly boilerplate assertion insisting that as the difficulty “touche[d] on inner HR issues, I can’t touch upon any current or previous worker. That might be deeply unprofessional.”
Nonetheless, inventive director Prokop Jirsa did state that the studio was “presently within the means of hiring new English translators. Precise people,” and deliberate to “have a minimum of the identical variety of human translators on the subsequent undertaking as we had on KCD2.”
A number of the questions have been brutal, although. The crew was asked by one particular person, “which one of many 5 of you can most simply get replaced with AI, and when will you be doing so?” and to its credit score, they did reply, writing: “Hopefully none of us, and by no means. And that applies to the entire crew.” One other said, “I at all times dreamt of working as a translator for Warhorse Studios, do you suppose I’ve an opportunity?” to which the studio invited the commenter to get in contact. Others requested if it was okay to write their questions with AI, write Kingdom Come: Deliverance II with ChatGPT, and, is “(*2*) because you fired the man that did the English translation?”
One other particular person stated that as a translator themselves, they’d been “hurt and saddened by the news” of Hejtmánek’s firing. The redditor was directed to a pinned comment through which the generic Warhorse Studios account stated: “We hear you and your considerations. Hopefully this explains the state of affairs a bit.
“We don’t see AI as an alternative to human work, and we’re presently wanting to develop the corporate, together with our translation crew. Some crew members discover AI helpful throughout early levels of manufacturing. Nonetheless, we don’t use AI-generated content material within the remaining sport and we’ve no plans to change this sooner or later.”
With Warhorse outlining its alleged dedication to utilizing “precise people” for translation, some followers have been annoyed that the crew’s responses have been being downvoted, whereas others have been unsatisfied with their responses, mentioning that the firing got here after followers had called out the allegedly AI-generated art discovered in-game.
It wasn’t fairly all in regards to the firing, although. One fan requested for extra particulars in regards to the subsequent undertaking, to which designer Ondřej Bittner teased: “I personally can’t look ahead to the reveal! However the one timeframe I can placed on it’s: close to future. Sorry for the in the end obscure reply, however my fingers are tight [sic].” The crew was additionally suitably obscure when a commenter requested in regards to the rumors of Warhore making an open-world Lord of the Rings sport, saying: “We’re exhausting at work on… one thing. I can’t disclose particulars however I can inform it’s a big, immersive RPG.”
There was additionally an fascinating remark about how difficult the Rabbit UI was to implement. The system — which signifies whether or not you are secure, being hunted, or in energetic fight — reportedly generated “plenty of inner controversy.”
“Lots of people thought that it was problematic that it indicated plenty of crucial data to the participant which Henry had no possible way of figuring out, e.g. letting the participant know that an NPC is beginning to recognise them despite the fact that the enemy is behind them,” the crew defined. “We additionally did not like the way it shifted the participant’s consideration from the precise NPCs on the planet to a man-made UI aspect. In the long run, we went forward with it, as a result of in the end it did make the stealth gameplay a lot readable and playtesters beloved it. However I believe that each single particular person within the openworld crew nonetheless to this present day has a special opinion about how we must always have finished it proper.”
Clearly, the speak about AI dominated the reddit AMA, main one particular person to declare it a “practice wreck.” Inventive director Prokop Jirsa responded to this remark to say “it was a very scorching subject in our places of work whether or not to do that AMA, but it surely offers us the chance to clear the air. Let’s see if we handle that.”
Then: “Avid gamers care deeply about our business and the folks creating the issues all of us love, and typically that may create some toxicity. However actually, I wouldn’t have it another approach, as a result of it additionally creates an enormous quantity of fascinating and constructive interactions.”
Final week, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II secured a 2026 BAFTA Games Award for Best Narrative.
Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, in addition to a critic, columnist, and marketing consultant with 15+ years expertise working with among the world’s largest gaming websites and publications. She’s additionally a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually Excessive Chaos. Discover her at BlueSky.