Warhorse Studios, the Czech developer behind the Kingdom Come: Deliverance series, appears to be working on something completely new. Recent job listings reveal the studio is actively hiring talent with Unreal Engine expertise, marking a significant departure from the CryEngine technology that’s powered their medieval RPG franchise. What makes this particularly interesting is that it contradicts the studio’s own public statements about Unreal Engine being unsuitable for open-world games.
The Evidence From Job Listings
Multiple job postings on Warhorse’s official careers page point to an Unreal Engine project currently in development. The studio is seeking a Senior Technical Animator with production-level knowledge of Animation Blueprints and state-based animations, which are core Unreal Engine workflows. They’re also hiring a DevOps or Infrastructure Engineer familiar with TeamCity and Unreal Engine Horde, the build automation system specific to Epic’s engine.
Perhaps the most telling sign comes from an external tech-art recruitment post by Jakub Holík, Warhorse’s Lead TechOps. The announcement explicitly references a next Unreal Engine project and links back to the studio’s official job listings. A Lighting Artist position also mentions familiarity with Blueprints and Python scripting as advantageous skills, further confirming Unreal Engine involvement. These aren’t vague requirements that could apply to any engine. They’re specific technical qualifications that only make sense if you’re actively developing in Unreal.
Kingdom Come 3 Likely Sticking With CryEngine
Before anyone panics about the Kingdom Come franchise abandoning its roots, it appears Warhorse is running two parallel projects. Evidence suggests Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3 is still being developed in CryEngine, the same technology used for the first two games. The studio has job postings seeking candidates with Lua programming expertise, which is CryEngine’s primary scripting language.
Warhorse has been transparent about continuing the Kingdom Come series. The studio confirmed in its October financial report that it started working on new games in January 2025, shortly after Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 launched. Given the team’s deep familiarity with CryEngine and the engine’s proven capabilities for historical open-world environments, maintaining that technology for the franchise makes practical sense. The Unreal Engine project appears to be something completely different, possibly the new IP Warhorse has hinted at developing.
The Vávra Contradiction
Here’s where things get awkward. Daniel Vávra, co-founder of Warhorse Studios, has been extremely vocal about his issues with Unreal Engine 5, specifically for open-world game development. In a February 2024 interview, he stated that CryEngine could handle Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s scope in ways Unreal Engine couldn’t manage even at that time.
Vávra criticized Unreal Engine 5 for struggling with terrain and vegetation generation, essential elements for expansive open-world games. While he acknowledged that Nanite technology has improved vegetation handling, he maintained the engine was better suited for static environments like rock formations rather than dynamic, living worlds. He even mentioned conversations with CD Projekt RED developers working on The Witcher 4, saying they faced significant hurdles implementing open-world functionalities in Unreal Engine 5 despite being years into development.
Why the Change of Heart
So why would Warhorse hire Unreal Engine specialists if their leadership believes the technology is problematic? Several theories exist. First, the new project might not be an open-world game at all. If Warhorse is branching into a different genre, perhaps something more linear or hub-based, Unreal Engine 5’s limitations with open environments become irrelevant.
Second, there’s speculation the studio is working on a space-themed or sci-fi project. One Reddit commenter noted rumors about Warhorse developing a game set in space, and adapting CryEngine for that environment would require substantially more work than using an engine already equipped for diverse settings. CryEngine excels at realistic terrain and vegetation, but space environments play to different strengths where Unreal might have advantages.
Studio Expansion and Parallel Development
Warhorse has been rapidly scaling up its operations. During development of the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance, the team consisted of around 100 people. That number has now grown to 250 employees, with many currently working on DLC content for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. According to PR manager Tobias Stolz-Zwiling, the studio plans to expand further to 300 people and develop another RPG in parallel with ongoing Kingdom Come projects.
This ambitious expansion strategy allows Warhorse to maintain its successful medieval franchise while experimenting with new intellectual property. The studio has committed to continuing what it does best, creating deep, emotional, cinematic, story-based RPGs. Whether that’s in 15th century Bohemia or somewhere entirely different remains to be seen, but the core focus on narrative-driven experiences will remain constant.
What Could Project X Actually Be
The mysterious Unreal Engine project, sometimes referred to as Project X in speculation circles, remains completely unannounced. Warhorse has been careful not to reveal details, leaving fans to piece together clues from job listings and scattered comments from developers. Lead designer Prokop Jirsa dropped a tease on the Kingdom Come Discord after the final DLC for Deliverance 2 launched, saying there’s something new on the horizon and inviting the community to stick around for what comes next.
Community speculation ranges wildly. Some fans hope for a Viking-themed RPG that would let Warhorse apply its historical authenticity approach to Norse culture. Others wonder if the studio might tackle a different historical period entirely, perhaps ancient Rome or feudal Japan. The space game theory persists, though it would represent a radical departure from Warhorse’s established medieval identity. Without official confirmation, Project X could be literally anything, from a smaller experimental title to a full AAA production on par with Kingdom Come.
Industry Context and Engine Wars
Warhorse potentially adopting Unreal Engine reflects broader industry trends. More studios are consolidating around established engines rather than maintaining proprietary technology. CD Projekt RED made headlines by switching from REDengine to Unreal Engine 5 for The Witcher 4, citing the massive resources required to evolve and adapt internal engines with every release. Even studios with successful custom tech are evaluating whether those systems are worth the ongoing investment.
Unreal Engine 5 has become increasingly dominant despite criticisms about performance in certain implementations. Epic Games CEO Tim Sweeney has defended the engine, arguing that optimization issues stem from developers leaving performance tuning until the end of development rather than treating it as an ongoing priority. Whatever its flaws, Unreal Engine 5 offers powerful tools, extensive documentation, and a massive talent pool of developers already trained on the platform. For a studio looking to branch into unfamiliar territory, those advantages might outweigh the open-world concerns Vávra highlighted.
FAQs About Warhorse Studios’ Unreal Engine Project
Is Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3 being made in Unreal Engine?
No, all evidence suggests Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3 will continue using CryEngine, the same technology from the first two games. Warhorse has job listings seeking Lua programming skills, which is specific to CryEngine development.
What is Warhorse Studios’ new Unreal Engine project?
The project hasn’t been officially announced and remains mysterious. Based on job listings, it appears to be a separate game from Kingdom Come: Deliverance 3, possibly a new intellectual property entirely.
Why is this surprising given Daniel Vávra’s criticism of Unreal Engine?
Warhorse co-founder Daniel Vávra has publicly stated that Unreal Engine 5 struggles with open-world game development, particularly terrain and vegetation systems. The studio hiring Unreal Engine specialists contradicts these previous statements.
When will Warhorse announce the new project?
No announcement timeline has been provided. The studio is still in the hiring phase, suggesting early development. Based on typical AAA development cycles, an official reveal might not happen for several years.
Could this be a space-themed game?
Community speculation suggests a possible space or sci-fi setting, as adapting CryEngine for non-terrestrial environments would be challenging. However, this remains unconfirmed speculation based on hiring patterns.
How many people work at Warhorse Studios now?
The studio currently employs approximately 250 people, up from 100 during the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s development. Warhorse plans to expand to 300 employees to support parallel development of multiple projects.
Will Warhorse continue making historical RPGs?
The studio has committed to continuing its focus on deep, emotional, cinematic, story-based RPGs. Whether all future projects will maintain the historical setting of Kingdom Come remains unclear.
When did Warhorse start working on new projects?
According to the studio’s October financial report, Warhorse began working on new games in January 2025, shortly after Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 launched in February 2025.
Conclusion
Warhorse Studios finding itself in the Unreal Engine camp, even partially, represents one of gaming’s stranger plot twists. A studio whose leadership has openly questioned the engine’s suitability for their type of games is now actively building something with that exact technology. Whether this represents pragmatic adaptation to industry realities, an experiment in a different genre, or simply the right tool for a specific creative vision, it shows Warhorse isn’t content to rest on Kingdom Come’s success. The medieval RPG franchise will apparently continue in CryEngine while Project X explores new territory with Unreal Engine 5. For a studio that built its reputation on historical authenticity and attention to detail, this dual-engine strategy suggests ambitions that extend well beyond 15th century Bohemia. Whatever they’re cooking up, it’s different enough from Kingdom Come to warrant completely different technology, and that alone makes it worth watching.