Warhorse Studios delivers a swan song of efficiency for Henry of Skalitz
In the world of AAA gaming, post-launch support typically lasts 12 to 18 months. Yet Kingdom Come Deliverance—the notoriously ambitious, crowdfunded medieval RPG from Czech developer Warhorse Studios—has shattered that timeline. Years after its 2018 release, the studio surprised its dedicated fanbase by rolling out two consecutive updates: Version 1.9.5 and Version 1.9.6.
On the surface, patch notes appeared modest: bug fixes, quest tweaks, and performance adjustments. However, the headline that sent shockwaves through the community was hidden in the download size. Depending on your platform (PC, PS4, or Xbox One), these cumulative updates effectively reduced the game’s total installation footprint by approximately 16 GB. Kingdom Come Deliverance update 1.9.5-1.9.6 -16...
This article dissects exactly what 1.9.5 and 1.9.6 contained, why the file size reduction matters, how it impacts gameplay, and why this might be the final, definitive version of Kingdom Come Deliverance.
To understand the importance of these patches, one must understand the rendering backbone of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. The game utilizes the CryEngine, a platform notorious for high hardware demands. The 1.9.x branch was primarily focused on the implementation and stabilization of the Vulkan Renderer. Warhorse Studios delivers a swan song of efficiency
For a long time, players on Windows and Linux (via Proton) struggled with the DirectX 11 implementation, which suffered from shader compilation stutters and memory leaks. The move to the 1.9.x branch was Warhorse Studios' attempt to modernize the renderer for better compatibility with modern GPUs and the Steam Deck.
The -16 typically refers to a small hotfix after 1.9.6, addressing: To understand the importance of these patches, one
The 1.9.5–1.9.6 update cycle marked the moment Kingdom Come: Deliverance transitioned from an ambitious RPG into a polished, complete experience. With the addition of Hardcore Mode 2.0 and the emotional weight of the "A Woman's Lot" DLC, this patch cycle gave players a reason to return to Bohemia one last time.
Status Today: If you are playing the game currently on Steam, GOG, or Console, you are likely running a version built upon the foundation of these critical updates.