The medieval-themed game "Kingdom of Heaven: Deliverance 2" was a huge success, and the castle depicted in the game attracted a large number of tourists.The game's extreme realism inspired people to make pilgrimages to these castles.
On October 23, the Czech National Institute of Cultural Heritage and Heritage Research (an institution specialized in the research and management of heritage and cultural assets) released an overview of the number of tourists visiting the historical sites managed by the institution as of the end of September this year.The agency reported that the number of visitors to Trosky Castle increased by more than 30,000 compared to the previous year due to the influence of the game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2.
According to the report, as of the end of September this year, the historical sites managed by the agency had received a total of 3.8 million tourists, an increase of 7% over the same period last year.Among them, Troski Castle received 114,769 tourists as of the end of September, an increase of about 30,000 from 84,761 in the same period last year, an increase of 35%, much higher than other historical sites.It is said that this is mainly due to the growth in the number of young tourists driven by the popularity of "Kingdom of Heaven: Deliverance 2".
"Kingdom of Heaven: Deliverance 2" is the sequel to the first-person open-world action RPG "Kingdom of Heaven: Deliverance", developed by Czech developer Warhorse Studios.The background of the game is set in the turbulent Kingdom of Bohemia in the early 15th century.Players will play the role of apprentice knight Henry Scalitz and embark on an adventure.The game is known for its realistic style and degree of freedom. Just three months after its release in May this year, sales exceeded 3 million copies, making it a popular work.
In Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, Trosky Castle is an important location in the early stages of the main mission "For Whom the Bell Tolls".Henry sneaks into the castle to find witnesses in order to save a man facing hanging.After completing this task, players can freely enter and exit the castle.
The real Troski Castle is also located in the Czech Republic.It is located in an area known as "Bohemian Paradise", a vast basalt field formed by the cooling of magma from ancient eruptions.The castle is built on a raised rocky mountain. Its unique shape makes it integrated with the rock. There are also two forts built on the top of the mountain on the east and west sides.The castle was burned down during the Thirty Years' War in the first half of the 17th century, and today only the stone ruins remain, but tourists can visit its interior.From the top of the towering rocky mountain top, you can enjoy stunning views.
Warhorse hired a full-time historian for the game, and despite it being "just a game," their goal was to create a world that was as authentic and believable as possible.The Trosky Castle in the game is no exception. It is based on the real castle ruins and incorporates some speculation to truly reproduce the original appearance of the castle before its destruction.
The recent increase in the number of tourists may not only be due to the "pilgrimage" mentality to the game scenes, but also because players are eager to witness the high degree of restoration of the game scenes with their own eyes.In addition, "Kingdom of Heaven: Deliverance 2" itself has been well received and was even shortlisted for the "Game of the Year" award at the 2025 Golden Joystick Awards.
In short, whether it is through hot topic discussions or data, it is clear that a game can have such a huge impact and even attract more tourists.
In addition, "Kingdom of Heaven: Deliverance 2" plans to release a plot DLC called "Mystery of the Church" on November 12. The background of the story is set in the real-life Sedlec Monastery.It is exciting to see whether this DLC can have such a high degree of restoration like the main game.
