Once Upon a Time in Medieval Europe
Ah, medieval RPGs! A time of gallant knights, noble quests, and the glorious clang of swords meeting the terribly fragile armor of your foes. But hold your trebuchets, dear players, because the latest installment in the Kingdom Come: Deliverance saga has become embroiled in a different kind of war—one not fought on the battlefield, but in the battlefield of opinions.
The Historical Accuracy Debate
It all began back in 2017, when the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance galloped onto the gaming scene. Critics swiftly dubbed it as a less-than-colorful portrayal of medieval Europe, arguing it lacked the diversity that we’d expect to find in a historical setting. Some asserted that the game was an overtly homogenous look at the past, while others took up arms in its defense, claiming it upheld historical accuracy—after all, they argue, history rhymes, doesn’t it?
Warhorse Games and Woke Culture
Fast forward to today, and the developers at Warhorse, led by the charmingly controversial Dan Vávra, find themselves once again traversing these treacherous waters. Vávra’s past support for Gamergate has only stoked the flames further. It seems that no matter how many swords they forge, they can’t quite slice through the heated dialogue over whether the medieval world can be presented in a manner that fits contemporary values. The banner of ‘woke’ has been hoisted high, and just like a stubborn knight, this debate doesn’t seem to be laying down its sword anytime soon.
