When the trailer of "Kingdom of Heaven Saves 2" exploded on the whole network, there was a popular message in the comment area: "These crazy people really made it!" ”

From a small team of 7 people who relied on crowdfunding in 2014 to an upstart in Eastern Europe who now holds the benchmark game of the Middle Ages, Warhorse Studios has spent ten years interpreting the most inspirational counterattack script in the game industry. While players marvel at the game's vivid medieval streets, perhaps it's time to ask: how did the studio, once nicknamed the "Medieval Nail Household", fight its way through the wave of fast-food games?

A true hardcore reborn in the ruins

Former 2K Czech creator Daniel Vávra rented an abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Prague on the day he resigned. When the seven core members huddled in a leaky steel room and discussed "making a more realistic medieval RPG than The Elder Scrolls", no one believed that this group of idealists would survive three years.

In order to finance the development of the prototype of Kingdom Deliverance, Wavra mortgaged his apartment, and the team members collectively signed a personal guarantee agreement. Within 30 days of Kickstarter's launch, they set a record for Czech crowdfunding: £1.1 million from 62,000 players worldwide, with one message framed in the studio lobby: "Don't let capital corrupt your souls".

In 2018, "Heavenly Deliverance" finally came out, which became a key turning point in the development of War Horse Studio. Set in 15th-century Bohemia, the game authentically recreates the Middle Ages, and players embark on an adventure as Henry, the son of a blacksmith. With a unique combat mechanic, players need to flexibly use tactics, manage resources, develop skills and improve abilities, and a highly free character building and combat system make every adventure full of variables.

On the day of the release of the first game, the number of simultaneous online users on Steam exceeded 80,000. This "anti-market" work with no magic and no elves finally became the dark horse of the year and sold more than 8 million units in 2024.

From workshop to benchmark

The success of "Heavenly Deliverance" has put War Horse Studios at a higher starting point, but it has also brought more pressure. How to further improve the quality of the game on the basis of the previous game has become a new challenge for War Horse Studio.

When Kingdom Deliverance was developed, the studio was small, with limited funding and immature technology. The development team was under tremendous pressure to recreate the realism of the Middle Ages, and encountered many technical difficulties, such as environment rendering, detailed character movements, etc.

However, with their in-depth research on history and insistence on the quality of the game, they continued to try new technologies and optimize the content, and finally completed the game after a long period of hard work.

By the time Kingdom Deliverance 2 was developed, the studio had greatly improved in terms of manpower, money, and technology due to the success of its predecessor. The scale has been expanded to attract many outstanding talents to join; Sufficient funds to devote more resources to development; The technology is mature, and progress has been made in picture rendering, physics engine performance, etc.

The scale of the new game is far greater than that of the previous game, with longer cutscenes, significantly larger world scale, longer stories and more freedom for players to play, bringing players a richer game experience.

The combat system, which is the essence of the "Kingdom of Salvation" series, has also been fully upgraded, the operation is more intuitive and smooth, and the sword fighting system has been renovated to be more strategic and enjoyable, making the combat more exciting and exciting.

However, it wasn't all smooth sailing. During the development of Kingdom Saved 2, War Horse Studios faced many challenges. How to make the game more interesting while maintaining historical authenticity was a key problem for the team to solve. In addition, the game was also subject to DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion) controversy during development, and the studio had to issue a statement on social media in response to players' doubts.

Despite facing many challenges, War Horse Studio still successfully completed the development of "Kingdom of Salvation 2" with its professional team and rich experience. On February 4, 2024, Kingdom Deliverance 2 will be officially released. As soon as the game was launched, it received high praise from the media and players. IGN gave it a high score of 9, praising it for its "melee combat and storytelling". The average score of Station M also reached 87 points, which fully proves the success of "Kingdom Salvation 2".

The continuation of glory and dreams

The success of Kingdom Rescue 2 is not only reflected in the high scores of the media, but also in the enthusiastic feedback of players. After the game's release, players took to social media to share their experiences and raved about the game's story, combat, and open-world design. Many players said that Kingdom Saved 2 not only continued the excellent tradition of its predecessor, but also innovated and improved in many aspects, giving them a new gaming experience.

From a start-up studio in 2011 to now stunning the game world again with "Kingdom of Salvation 2", War Horse Studio's journey is full of glory and challenges. The success of Kingdom Saved 2 is not only a reward for the studio's years of hard work, but also an affirmation of the team's perseverance and innovative spirit.

From their humble beginnings to the high-profile they are today, their journey has inspired countless game developers. I believe that "Kingdom of Heaven Deliverance 2" will bring players an unforgettable medieval adventure, and I also look forward to more exciting games created by War Horse Studios in the future.

Players of Kingdom Saved 2 will continue to explore, fight, and write their own legends in the medieval world.

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