A Deep(ish) Dive on Warhorse & Embracer 'inclusivity' controversy

[Actalo]

Warhorse Studios, founded 2011, was never fully self-funded or crowd-funded. Their 2014 Kickstarter campaign was designed only to show potential gamer interest and secure investor funding, not fund the game itself.

Zdeněk Bakala, a Czech billionaire, invested in Warhorse and was was one of the sources of the funds to get KCD made. I say invested, not granted or gifted, which means money invested gets paid back, with interest and/or dividends. Keep this in mind for later.

In late 2018 War horse were sitting on 28.4 MEUR (million Euros) after operating costs but before taxes. This may seem like a lot but it's not; there's no information I could find on how much of the 34 MEUR it cost to make KCD was paid pack already to investors, nor how much investors were entitled to beyond the original cost. In addition, Warhorse were planning to release at least 3 DLC, and eventually develop KCD2 with a higher budget.

There's no evidence, Zdeněk Bakala, or any other investors forced the sale of Warhorse; I don't know the details of the investment contracts, but it's safe to assume that of the 28 MEUR they made, some of that had to go to investors, soon(ish).

Thus, in early 2019, Warhorse made the decision to sell to Koch Media, who owns Deep Silver, the publisher they'd been working with to get KCD made. However, Koch Media, was bought by THQ Nordic in 2018, who are owned by Embracer Group. When all was said and done, whatever arrangement Warhorse had planned with the German Koch Media, they now had to contend with the Swedish Embracer Group.

As far as Warhorse's statement at the time, concerning outside influence, Martiin Klima said "if push comes to shove, yes the new owner THQ (Lars) can influence us, as is his right legally. But we entered the acquisition with absolute certainty and understanding between us that THQ will let us do what we do, because we have proven we can be successful at it".

I believe a lot of people commenting on this forum have never built anything, ran a company, nor been responsible for anyone but themselves, and can thus pass myopic judgement on the decisions made by Warhorse concerning their acquisition. It's very easy to say "I would never sell out", when you've nothing to sell.

Now, about the "controversy".

Most of the information coming out about KCD2's 'inclusive representation' is second or third hand hearsay, and of course, the Dev's often unhelpful reaction to said hearsay. Now, you can trust the word of Twitter and Youtube 'ragebaiters' who have a social and financial incentive ($$$) to pontificate about "based" and "woke" using out-of-context screenshots and quotes, or you wait until the game is released and judge the game as an individual, with agency.

In my opinion, whether or not Warhorse were pushed to add 'inclusivity' to KCD2 by Embracer or decided on their own to to do so, matters less than how its presented in-game. And so, I, as an individual person with agency, reserve judgement until once I've played the game.




If you want to read more about the events surrounding Warhorse's acquisition, here's a press release, article link, and forum where it's discussed:

https://embracer.com/releases/thq-nordic-acquires-award-winning-warhorse-studios-the-studio-behind-kingdom-come-deliverance/

https://www.polygon.com/2018/2/14/17011564/thq-nordic-koch-media-deep-silver-saints-row-homefront-dead-island

https://rpgcodex.net/forums/threads/warhorse-studios-acquired-by-thq-nordic-subsidiary-koch-media.126179/

[Saizo]

So we should blame Embracer and not Warhorse?
But a few things would not make sense then.

Why would the creative director claim that he wasn't forced to do this?

Was he forced to say that he wasn't forced?

Did he included the bare minimum of diversity to satisfy the owners of Warhorse in the hope they don't come and say that a certain amount of that has to be in the game and it could be much more than if they simply do it themselfes?

And also why never saying a word about it but giving reviewers a whole month time to play the game?
Are their hands tied and they hoping for some leaks?

I don't get it and even if we wait for the release of the game, we could not see why they did this.
So I'd wish they could be more transparent in their decisions.
Can we ever hope it gets better or since Warhorse sold out it's over with no way back?

[Wise]

Originally posted by Bech:

Originally posted by Wise:

I think subject of ideological warfare is beyond the scope of the thread.

You're the one parroting Stalin-era ideological warfare points - not me. You don't get to do that and then claim that me pointing to it is off limits.

Originally posted by Wise:

Are you trying to diminish my point by labeling me ?

Absolutely. Your being an obvious apologist negates your point - not me observing you are an apologist.

Originally posted by Wise:

None knows, but it simply makes sense based on what OP wrote.

Forestalling you playing No True Scotsman. If what you say is true, then everyone in this thread would have reached the same conclusion.

This conversation of ours proves that not everyone reached the same conclusion, therefore your premise is wrong.

Please, don't insult my intelligence with 'then not everyone has sense'.

Originally posted by Wise:

Product is what metters, If it is bad they didn't save the studio for long. If it is public will not remember anything else.

Wrong. Loyalty matters. If Warhorse stayed loyal and put out a mediocre game, the player base would still love them. Games that are absolute train wrecks - clogged with bugs and continuity errors - are loved and played to this day because the devs stayed true to their original vision and were loyal to their base.

Loyalty is rewarded and remembered. Integrity is what happens when nobody is looking, there is no accountability or you think nobody can see you.

Warhorse did what they did when nobody was looking.

Check my first post.
Sorry but normal people don't consider adding a gay romance is a betrayal.

[drow25]

Originally posted by Saizo:

So we should blame Embracer and not Warhorse?
But a few things would not make sense then.

Why would the creative director claim that he wasn't forced to do this?

Was he forced to say that he wasn't forced?

Did he included the bare minimum of diversity to satisfy the owners of Warhorse in the hope they don't come and say that a certain amount of that has to be in the game and it could be much more than if they simply do it themselfes?

And also why never saying a word about it but giving reviewers a whole month time to play the game?
Are their hands tied and they hoping for some leaks?

I don't get it and even if we wait for the release of the game, we could not see why they did this.
So I'd wish they could be more transparent in their decisions.
Can we ever hope it gets better or since Warhorse sold out it's over with no way back?

You have to understand how evil works. ALL of this sh*t is a sliver of the overall globalist agenda. They are after your children because if they can subvert them then they will easily be under their control in a generation or 2. AS SUCH -

Of course he isn't going to claim that he was forced to do it because that would make the agenda even MORE obvious than it already is (or should be) and he like many were paid for it anyway. Why do you think this nonsense is taking hold over ALL of media??? Hint: It's not because the majority wants it..

He never said a word about it to hide those facts and get you to buy the game.

[Actalo]

Originally posted by Saizo:

So we should blame Embracer and not Warhorse?
But a few things would not make sense then.

Why would the creative director claim that he wasn't forced to do this?

Was he forced to say that he wasn't forced?

Did he included the bare minimum of diversity to satisfy the owners of Warhorse in the hope they don't come and say that a certain amount of that has to be in the game and it could be much more than if they simply do it themselfes?

And also why never saying a word about it but giving reviewers a whole month time to play the game?

Are their hands tied and they hoping for some leaks?

I don't get it and even if we wait for the release of the game, we could not see why they did this.

Can we ever hope it gets better or since Warhorse sold out it's over with no way back?

These are all the same questions I've asked myself and yet, without getting into the weeds, I dunno how to answer them.

1. WH is ultimately responsible for their decisions regarding the content of KCD2.

2. As WH Creative Director, Vavra HAS TO take ownership of any creative decisions.

3. Most publicly traded companies have DEI requirements for staff, products, etc... there's no getting away from major shareholders forcing policy and creative changes. It's possible, like you said, WH did the minimum DEI required.

4. 30 days could possibly give the devs time to leverage creative changes against Embracer. But, we'll never know until the game's release, or never know period.

5. WH doesn't own any part of KCD IP, their contracts may give them decision influence, but 100% ownership is THQ/Embracer.

[Bech]

Originally posted by Wise:

Check my first post.
Sorry but normal people don't consider adding a gay romance is a betrayal.

Point proven. You're an apologist.

"Sorry by NORMAL people don't consider adding a gay romance is a betrayal"

Yes. We do. The player base is posting endless threads and videos doing nothing but voicing outrage at this betrayal.

You are an apologist for forcing a corporate narrative and the main character of KCD being turned into a sodomite is a humiliation ritual. You're nothing but a modern Red Guard engaging in a struggle session.

The only question of any merit is: Were you sent here or did you come here voluntarily? If you were sent, I wonder what betraying your people pays these days...

White Christian males are to be denied everything - anything that they could possibly feel proud about - even a fictional story set in a historical time period in our own homes...

That's why this was done.

[Wise]

Originally posted by Bech:

Originally posted by Wise:

Check my first post.
Sorry but normal people don't consider adding a gay romance is a betrayal.

Point proven. You're an apologist.

"Sorry by NORMAL people don't consider adding a gay romance is a betrayal"

Yes. We do. The player base is posting endless threads and videos doing nothing but voicing outrage at this betrayal.

You are an apologist for forcing a corporate narrative and the main character of KCD being turned into a sodomite is a humiliation ritual. You're nothing but a modern Red Guard engaging in a struggle session.

The only question of any merit is: Were you sent here or did you come here voluntarily? If you were sent, I wonder what betraying your people pays these days...

White Christian males are to be denied everything - anything that they could possibly feel proud about - even a fictional story set in a historical time period in our own homes...

That's why this was done.

Don't flatter yourself. Normal people are not here. The videos are made by none else than outrage farmers.
So you that deep down eh ? Sorry I just have common sense.
Please contrinue to outraged about culture war just like intended and don't ask yourself why would business invest in culture war.

[Bech]

Originally posted by Wise:

Don't flatter yourself. Normal people are not here. The videos are made by none else than outrage farmers.
So you that deep down eh ? Sorry I just have common sense.
Please contrinue to outraged about culture war just like intended and don't ask yourself why would business invest in culture war.

Enjoy your silver, Judas.

[Saizo]

Originally posted by Actalo:

These are all the same questions I've asked myself and yet, without getting into the weeds, I dunno how to answer them.

1. WH is ultimately responsible for their decisions regarding the content of KCD2.

2. As WH Creative Director, Vavra HAS TO take ownership of any creative decisions.

3. Most publicly traded companies have DEI requirements for staff, products, etc... there's no getting away from major shareholders forcing policy and creative changes. It's possible, like you said, WH did the minimum DEI required.

4. 30 days could possibly give the devs time to leverage creative changes against Embracer. But, we'll never know until the game's release, or never know period.

5. WH doesn't own any part of KCD IP, their contracts may give them decision influence, but 100% ownership is THQ/Embracer.

You might be right with 1 and 2, but it seems to me like the big corporations making the decisions and he has to take the blame which brings us to point 5.

How much influence do they still have?
I don't think anyone here can answer that, so my speculation is that they have the control about the gameplay itself, but their owners decide what it has to include (diversity stuff we don't want to see) and Warhorse have to do damage control by doing the bare minimum and hoping they can make changes to that, based on the reviews.
But all that is mere guessing and may not be true.

Anyway, this whole thing gives me a bad feeling and I miss the time when I could simply looking forward the release of the game and the rumors where just lies.
It feels the game series is stuck in a dead end and just because they had not enough money and had to sell out.

[Bech]

Originally posted by Saizo:

Anyway, this whole thing gives me a bad feeling and I miss the time when I could simply looking forward the release of the game and the rumors where just lies. It feels the game series is stuck in a dead end and just because they had not enough money and had to sell out.

First rule of leadership: Everything is your fault. Even when it is not your fault, it is still your fault. You get to take credit for the good and bad in equal measure. That's what wearing the big hat and being in charge means. You don't get to pick and choose what you get the credit for.

If a Man cannot accept that, then he should not seek leadership. When things go wrong around here, people look to me to fix things. Or to blame. If I am "in charge" when things go to sh** then I am in charge when things are going well...

Like the song says:

"Loved by few and judged by many, he bears that weight alone"