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Everything you need to know about Kingdom Come Deliverance 2’s PC optimization, including the best settings for optimal performance.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, much like its predecessor, features incredible visuals. Although the game uses the same engine as the original Kingdom Come Deliverance, it does come with some major improvements, particularly in terms of lighting and global illumination.
Much like the original, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 is built using the CryEngine. However, instead of using the same iteration of the engine used by CryTek, Warhorse Studios uses a highly modified version of the CryEngine. Although the game does use ray tracing for its global illumination, it does so only on the Ultra and Experimental presets. Naturally, these presets come with some hefty system requirements.
For presets lower than Ultra, the sequel employs a similar baked lighting solution as the original. This not only makes the game run better on consoles but also on lower and mid-range PCs. However, despite the game’s excellent optimization, KCD2 does require some tweaking to get it working perfectly on lower-end PCs. Here’s a comprehensive PC optimization guide for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, including the best settings for optimal performance.
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 PC System Requirements
Here are the official PC specifications for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2:
Minimum
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)
- Processor: Intel Core i5-8400, AMD Ryzen 5 2600
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 (6GB), AMD Radeon RX 580
- Storage: 100 GB available space
Recommended
- Requires a 64-bit processor and operating system
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit (or newer)
- Processor: Intel Core i7-13700K, AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- Memory: 32 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4070, AMD Radeon RX 7800 XT
- Storage: 100 GB available space
It should be noted that the minimum specifications target 1080p (upscaled) and a 30 fps target. Whereas the recommended specifications are for 1440p at 60fps. Furthermore, you will need more than 8 GB of VRAM to play the game at 4K, even with upscaling enabled.
Best Settings for Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 on PC
Kingdom Come Deliverance 2, much like the original, is highly dependent on VRAM. The CryEngine, since its inception in the original Crysis, was incredibly VRAM-hungry. And that remains the same for the newer iteration of the engine. Furthermore, due to the game’s open-world nature, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 also requires a decent CPU to maintain a steady frame rate.
However, as long as you have a modern 6-core/12-thread CPU, you should be able to maintain a solid 60 fps. Like the original game, the sequel is incredibly well-optimized, with plenty of options to tweak based on your PC’s specifications. The game also ships with multiple upscalers to choose from.
Although the optimization is great, KCD2 still requires plenty of VRAM to maintain a solid performance. The settings that impact performance the most are – Lighting, Global Illumination, Shadows, Textures, and Volumetrics.
In the case of Textures, you would want to limit yourself to Medium if you have less than 8 GB of VRAM. If you have an 8 GB GPU, it’s best to stay on Medium or High, with Shadows on Medium. That way, you’ll stay well within your GPU’s VRAM limits. That said, here are the best settings to use in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2:
| Settings | Low | Recommended | Ultra |
|---|---|---|---|
| Antialiasing | Low | High | Ultra |
| Object Quality | Medium | High | Ultra |
| Particles | Low | High | Ultra |
| Lighting | Low | High | Ultra |
| Global Illumination | Low | Medium | High |
| Postprocess Quality | Low | High | Ultra |
| Shader Quality | Low | High | Ultra |
| Shadows | Low | High | High |
| Textures | Low/Medium | High | Ultra |
| Volumetric Effects Detail | Low | Medium | Ultra |
| Vegetation Detail | Low | High | Ultra |
| Character Detail | Medium | High | Ultra |
If you’re facing GPU-related bottlenecks, you can try turning on upscalers. This should help alleviate some of the VRAM-related issues. Furthermore, if you’re using a 6 GB VRAM GPU, don’t go below DLSS/FSR’s Quality preset at 1080p. Instead, lower the Texture and Shadows to Medium or Low. Although the game does look noticeably worse at Low, it’s still better than the “blurriness” exhibited by DLSS/FSR’s Balanced or Performance presets.
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