Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which garnered significant acclaim last year by winning PC Gamer’s Game of the Year award, has recently found itself at the center of a controversy involving artificial intelligence. Game director Daniel Vávra took to X last Monday to advocate for the merits of DLSS 5, a technology designed to enhance gaming performance. Meanwhile, a thread emerged on the Kingdom Come subreddit, where a user named ThousandDemons claimed to have been a translator for KCD2. This user revealed that he had been dismissed from his position and replaced by AI.
Unfolding Events
Our inquiries to Warhorse Studios for clarification are ongoing, and we will provide updates as they become available. Although the identity of ThousandDemons remains unverified, the timeline of events and his self-identification as “Max H” strongly suggest he is Max Hejtmánek, one of the two developers credited as “English Editor” on KCD2. Hejtmánek’s LinkedIn profile indicates a recent departure from Warhorse. Attempts to reach him for confirmation are underway, but KCD subreddit moderator Tabnam has stated that he has privately received verification confirming ThousandDemons’ identity as Hejtmánek.
In his post, ThousandDemons detailed his contributions to KCD2 and its downloadable content, stating, “I primarily worked on KCD2 and its DLCs, including dialogues, quest logs, item names, and various other things. Simply put, if you’ve ever played KCD2 in English, you’ve quite likely seen my work.”
He recounted a disconcerting meeting on March 27, where he was informed that his role would be rendered “obsolete” in favor of AI-driven translations, a decision framed as a move to enhance company efficiency and reduce costs. ThousandDemons expressed his opposition to the use of AI translation tools at Warhorse, admitting that he never anticipated it would jeopardize his employment. He conveyed feelings of deep betrayal by the management and clarified that while he does not seek his job back, he intends to speak out about his experience.
In a follow-up edit, he expressed gratitude to those who offered support and urged fans to refrain from review-bombing or harassing other staff members at Warhorse.
