Warhorse Studios, the team behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, just made a move that’s stirring up a lot of talk. Their longtime Czech-to-English translator, Max H., was told his job was “obsolete” and that AI would take over all future translations. This came out of nowhere for Max, who worked there for over three and a half years and was openly against using AI for this kind of work.
They Didn’t See It Coming: Translator Out, AI In
On March 27, Max was called into a meeting and told his position would be cut to “make the company more effective” and “save finances.” He shared this on Reddit, explaining how shocked he was since AI had been discussed before but never as something that would actually cost him his job. Max helped translate everything from dialogue and quest logs to item names and marketing materials for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and its DLCs.
He told fans, “I feel incredibly betrayed by the management of the company I’ve come to care about greatly these past almost four years.” Despite being upset, Max asked people not to harass anyone at Warhorse Studios or review-bomb their games on Steam. Instead, he just wants people to understand what’s happening behind the scenes in the game industry.
Why This Hits Harder Than You Think
Translating a game like Kingdom Come: Deliverance is no small task. It’s not just about swapping words from Czech to English. It involves capturing cultural nuances, the style, and even the poetry of the original text. This is especially tricky because Czech and English are very different languages – one Slavic, the other Germanic.
Max himself pointed out how complex this work is. AI can handle literal translations okay, but it often misses the flair and context that make the story feel real and immersive. For a game praised for its historical accuracy and rich storytelling, replacing human translators with AI could seriously hurt the quality players expect.
The Bigger Picture: AI Creeping Into Game Dev
Warhorse isn’t the only studio turning to AI. Recently, Pearl Abyss admitted to using AI-generated art in Crimson Desert, which upset a lot of fans. Studios see AI as a way to cut costs and speed up production, but the backlash keeps growing. This move by Warhorse feels like a clear sign of where things are headed, especially when it comes to localization and writing.
Warhorse Studios has not commented publicly on Max’s claims yet. Meanwhile, Max made it clear he won’t break his NDA or try to take legal action, but he won’t stay silent about his experience either.
At a time when Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was still riding high after its 2025 release and multiple Game Awards nominations, this AI switch for translations feels like a sharp turn. It’s a reminder that even behind beloved games, big changes are happening – sometimes at the expense of the people who helped create them.
