The creative director of Kingdom Come Deliverance II, Daniel Vávra, has waded into the ongoing debate over artificial intelligence in video game development, declaring that AI is 'here to stay' despite widespread backlash. In a post on X, Vávra shared a fan-made trailer created using Artlist.io's Kling 3.0 video generation model, which he said was made 'in two days by one person', adding that the 'movie (and gaming) industry will never be the same'.
Vávra has previously voiced support for generative AI, arguing it can help developers 'realise ideas faster' and reduce tedious tasks. He pointed to the 500 hours spent by voice actor Tom McKay recording generic lines for Kingdom Come Deliverance II as an example of work that could be streamlined. 'If AI can help me make an epic game in a year with a smaller team like in the old days, I'm all for it,' he said last year.
However, industry sentiment remains divided. A recent survey by the Game Developers Conference found that 36 per cent of developers now use generative AI in their work, but only 13 per cent reported a positive impact, with 30 per cent saying it has actually made development worse. Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick, whose company publishes Grand Theft Auto, acknowledged that AI tools can drive 'cost and time efficiencies' but stressed that 'tools don't replace creativity'.
Kingdom Come Deliverance II, which launched to critical acclaim with an 89 Metacritic score, was largely handcrafted. Vávra confirmed that only minor elements—such as low-resolution textures—were upscaled using Topaz Labs. The game narrowly missed out on the Game of the Year award, losing to Clair Obscur: Expedition 33.
