Kingdom Come 2 Skips Denuvo DRM

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

Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Dev Clarifies No DRM UseClaims of KCD 2 Launching With DRM False

Developer Warhorse Studios has confirmed that its medieval action-RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 (KCD 2) is not employing a digital rights management (DRM) tool, after players asserted that DRM would be incorporated into the game. Addressing fans' concerns during a recent Twitch presentation, Warhorse Studios PR head Tobias Stolz-Zwilling clarified KCD 2 will not launch with Denuvo DRM, and also addressed the misunderstanding and "misinformation" stemming from messages the developers have received concerning the tool.

"The precise situation is that KCD 2 will not include Denuvo," Tobias stated, "it will not have any DRM system whatsoever. We never confirmed it. There were some discussions naturally. There was some misalignment, there was some misinformation, but ultimately there won’t be any Denuvo at all."

He added, urging players to cease contacting the developers about the game's use of DRM. "With that, I would like you to consider this matter closed. Stop [commenting on] every post we make asking ‘Is Denuvo in the game?’" He added that "unless Warhorse announces something," any circulating information regarding KCD 2 is "untrue."

DRM has often been associated with performance problems in games, hence gamers' concerns about its inclusion in games. In particular, the use of Denuvo, which also functions as anti-piracy software protecting a game's code, hasn't always pleased players, especially PC gamers, as it's been alleged that the DRM tool makes games unplayable to some extent.

Denuvo product manager Andreas Ullmann has addressed the criticism the tool has received. In an interview, Ullmann stated that the negative perception the gaming community holds regarding Denuvo originates from misinformation and confirmation bias, further noting that the strong negative reaction to 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 is set in Medieval Bohemia and centers on Henry, a blacksmith-in-training whose village suffers a devastating fate. A free copy of the game is available to fans who contributed at least $200 to KCD 2's Kickstarter Crowdfunding Campaign.