Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Director Defends DLSS 5 Against AI Criticism

The gaming world is currently locked in a heated debate over the role of artificial intelligence in graphics, with DLSS 5 at the center of the storm. While many critics label such advancements as mere ‘AI slop’ that strips away the human touch from game design, Daniel Vávra, director of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance franchise, is firmly pushing back. He argues that this technology isn’t just a gimmick—it is a vital tool for fulfilling the developers’ original creative vision in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.

The Argument for DLSS 5 in KCD 2

Vávra recently took to social media to address the backlash, providing a side-by-side comparison of character models within the game engine. According to Vávra, the standard engine lighting was creating significant issues that compromised the art team’s goals. He noted that the base system struggled with:

Proper rendering of dynamic shadows on character faces.
Accurate skin texture representation.
Correct rendering of normal maps, leading to a loss of detail.

By utilizing DLSS 5, the team was able to address these limitations without modifying the underlying geometry of the character models. For Vávra, this wasn’t about replacing artistry; it was about fixing technical hurdles that prevented the game from looking the way it was intended to look.

Preserving Artistic Intent vs. Technical Flaws

The core of the controversy lies in the fear that AI-driven upscaling and enhancement might sanitize games too much, removing the ‘human’ imperfections that give a title character. However, Vávra contends that some visual artifacts—like a lack of shadows under a helmet—are not artistic choices, but rather technical failures of older engine tech.

Having no shadows from helmets on faces and messed up normal map rendering WAS NOT OUR ORIGINAL ARTISTIC VISION.

This perspective forces a difficult question for the gaming community: where do we draw the line between a ‘glitch’ that adds character and a ‘limitation’ that detracts from immersion? For the team at Warhorse Studios, the practical impact of DLSS 5 is a clearer, more polished representation of their medieval world.

The Future of AI Graphics

Whether you view the rise of AI-enhanced graphics as a step forward or a slippery slope toward soulless imagery, it is clear that developers are beginning to use these tools to overcome the rigid constraints of game engines. The backlash from users who feel that characters look too ‘oily’ or unnatural highlights a tension between raw technical fidelity and aesthetic preference.

As we move deeper into this generation of gaming, DLSS 5 will likely remain a polarizing subject. However, as Vávra’s defense of Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 demonstrates, many creators see it not as a replacement for human craft, but as a necessary bridge to reach the visual fidelity they have always envisioned.

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