Kingdom Come: Deliverance Gets Massive 1.9.7 Update and Officially Launches on Next-Gen Consoles

Kingdom Come: Deliverance has finally received its long-anticipated next-gen upgrade, as Warhorse Studios officially released Update 1.9.7, a substantial patch that brings the historical RPG to modern console hardware. The upgrade is completely free for existing owners on previous-generation systems, allowing players to experience the enhanced version without any additional purchase.

This long-rumored release marks a major technical leap for the studio’s debut title, aligning it visually and performance-wise with modern standards while preserving the immersive realism that originally defined the game.

A Landmark RPG Returns Stronger Than Ever 🏰

When it first launched in 2018, the game stood out for its historically grounded medieval setting rather than fantasy tropes common in RPGs. Set in the Kingdom of Bohemia, it delivered realism-focused combat, survival mechanics, and narrative depth. While critics praised its ambition, the title’s demanding systems and early technical roughness meant it wasn’t universally accessible.

Interest in the original has surged again following the success of its sequel, Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, which achieved major commercial and critical acclaim and reignited curiosity about Henry’s original journey.

Next-Gen Upgrade Highlights 🎮

The centerpiece of Patch 1.9.7 is a massive graphical and performance overhaul, bringing console versions up to a standard previously reserved for high-end PCs.

Key visual improvements include:

• Ultra-quality assets as the new console baseline
• Higher-resolution textures and models
• Native rendering at 2560×1440 resolution
• Upscaling support up to 3840×2160 (4K)
• New graphical features previously exclusive to PC

Performance has also been dramatically refined. The game now runs at 60 FPS, enabled by deep engine optimizations tailored specifically for current-generation hardware.

Engine-Level Optimization and Performance Gains ⚙️

The update introduces extensive backend enhancements to the game’s CryEngine framework, delivering smoother gameplay and better hardware utilization.

Major performance upgrades:

• Improved multithreading to use all CPU cores efficiently
• Optimized asset streaming to reduce pop-ins and stutter
• Reworked rendering pipeline using modern APIs
• Dynamic resolution for stable framerates in demanding scenes
• Reduced unnecessary draw calls through improved culling

These changes noticeably boost performance in the most demanding scenarios, including:

• Large cities filled with NPCs
• Dense foliage environments
• Battles, dialogue scenes, and cinematics

Free Upgrade + Save Transfer Support 🔁

Existing players can seamlessly continue their adventures thanks to cross-generation save transfer. Anyone who already owns the game on older consoles can load their previous save files and pick up exactly where they left off.

Additional platform features include:

• Account integration via Deep Silver, granting a cosmetic horse caparison after the prologue
• PS5 activity cards support
• Expanded localization options

New Languages and Audio Options 🌍

The update significantly broadens accessibility with new voice-over and localization additions:

• Czech voice acting added
• Japanese voice acting added
• Ukrainian interface and subtitles
• Brazilian Portuguese interface and subtitles
• Improved Turkish localization
• Refined achievement translations

Stability Fixes and Gameplay Corrections 🛠️

Patch 1.9.7 also resolves a long list of legacy issues affecting stability, quests, and performance.

Notable fixes include:

• Infinite loading screens during specific quests
• Rare physics synchronization deadlocks
• Multiple crash scenarios across systems
• Memory leaks and rendering issues
• AI pathfinding problems causing performance drops
• Achievement unlock bugs
• UI overlap, missing text, and subtitle errors

One particularly rare bug that could permanently corrupt save files during the Siege quest has now been eliminated, addressing one of the most serious lingering technical problems.

Perfect Timing for New Players 📈

Although rumors about a next-gen upgrade circulated for months, the developer remained silent until release. With the sequel’s success driving renewed interest and the original now available on subscription services, the timing couldn’t be better for newcomers to experience the story from the beginning.

Warhorse Studios recently stated that the sequel’s final DLC has already shipped, leaving fans wondering what the studio will tackle next. Given the strong reception to its recent work, expectations are high for whatever project comes after.