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Warhorse Co-Founder Labels Popular YouTuber “Grifter” Amid Preorder Backlash

Writer's picture: Smash JTSmash JT

Daniel Vávra’s Attack on Rev says desu Backfires COMPLETELY...

The gaming world has been goin' WILD with controversies surrounding Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2... and not for the reasons you’d expect from a highly anticipated sequel. In a not-so-great turn of events, Warhorse Studios co-owner Daniel Vávra has found himself embroiled directly in a feud with YouTuber Rev says desu, a very highly respected channel in the gaming community and one that I personally enjoy as well.

Content creators are typically not professional video game creators, and video game creators typically have no idea how to make a YouTube video - and this situation perfectly exemplifies that.


Daniel's accusing Rev of being a “grifter” for DARING to discuss preorder cancellations in his video. But to be honest, it’s pretty damn clear to anyone paying attention that Vávra’s move wasn't just unwarranted... but a gigantic misstep that could actually alienate the very community he seeks to engage.

After a period of confusion where Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was accused of being "woke" by some gamers, Daniel Vávra did his best to try and clear the air on X with a detailed 10-part thread. It contains spoilers, so read through it at your own risk:



The explanations provided about the game's historical context included things like character diversity, and optional romantic scenes that were thorough and reasonable, leaving me (at least initially) inclined to sympathize with the studio's position. But nah, any of that goodwill evaporated instantly when he decided to attack Rev, a content creator who had ironically defended the game against harsher criticisms. Vávra’s unprovoked hostility undermines the credibility he worked to build, making it really hard for me to stand by his side on this one.


Here's Rev's video that started it all:


The Tweets That Followed:

Daniel Vávra began by refuting claims that preorders for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 had dropped due to any actual backlash. He tweeted:

Daniel Vávra "Another grifter. No. Our pre-orders haven't dropped because of backlash. The sold/returned copies ratio is the same as it was. What happened is, that the preview hype has naturally waned and 9 massively discounted games entered the chart. Monster Hunter is down as well."

This comment was directed solely at Rev, whose video discussed preorder cancellations due to controversies surrounding the game’s alleged inclusion of unskippable queer romance scenes and the behavior of Warhorse’s community manager on Steam.


Rev responded:

Rev says I love my wife "Labeling me a ‘grifter’ in a video where I defend your game from being labeled ‘woke’ over a rumored gay scene is wild. Yes, people cancelled preorders. Many did because you won’t address the actions of the community manager’s ‘code of conduct’ posted on Steam. Even now you still..."

Vávra then fired back, accusing Rev of sensationalism:

Daniel Vávra "Well, sorry, but maybe don’t use titles with phrases like 'massive exodus' to avoid confusion."

Which right away tells me that Vavra has no understanding of the world of content creation. Rev also clarified that he never used the phrase that he's being accused of:

Rev says I love my wife "I didn’t use that phrase? You have the data for preorder cancellations, I do not. I can only form an opinion based on my own observations. And as I SHOWED in my video, there are many people on Twitter, Steam, and other platforms cancelling their preorders as a result of various reasons (even some that I thought were unreasonable). And now, ironically, more people are announcing that they have cancelled their preorders as a result of these posts attacking me. I understand a lot of people are hounding you recently, but I was not one of them. This was a mistake."

Why This Was a Terrible Move

Daniel Vávra’s aggressive response to Rev is not just unnecessary but completely counterproductive. Rev’s video didn't attack Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. In fact, it defended the game against accusations of being “woke” while offering constructive criticism on Warhorse’s communication strategy and community management. By labeling Rev a “grifter,” Vávra immediately draws attention to criticism that he could have easily addressed in a wayyyy more professional manner.

This public spat has only amplified the ongoing controversy, with more players announcing they're cancelling preorders in reaction to Vávra’s behavior. While I don't typically preorder, I did have this game on my watchlist. Now? Not so much... For a studio aiming to build goodwill and hype for its game, this approach was disastrously short-sighted.


Rev Did Nothing Wrong

Rev's a respected content creator known for fair and balanced takes on gaming controversies. His video presented observable trends without extreme sensationalism, offering his own insight into why some folks are reconsidering their preorders. Sure the developer is going to be defensive about a game they've been working on for years, but this is NOT the way to try and handle that IMHO. The accusations of "grifting" are not just baseless, but damaging to Vávra’s credibility.

The Bigger Picture

Vávra’s actions highlight to everyone a troubling pattern of developers lashing out at critics instead of engaging with their concerns. Why is it so hard to understand this simple concept? His approach alienates the very gaming community he's trying to sell his game to and also paints the entire studio in a negative light. If Warhorse wants Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 to succeed, they need to focus on transparent communication and addressing player concerns, not attacking content creators who offer constructive criticism. I'm actually legit in shock here.

Daniel Vávra’s attack on Rev is a big misstep that now brings even further backlash against Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Instead of fostering dialogue, Vávra has chosen confrontation, a move that will backfire as players and content creators rally behind Rev. As the gaming community watches this drama unfold, one thing's clear: this whole feud could have been avoided easily with a more measured response.


~Smash

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13 Comments



What is it with developers these days? So thin-skinned and limp-dicked. Any bit of questioning or criticism at all and they lash out in a hormonal rage as if isn't the right (and frankly, responsibility) of the game community to call out anomalies and voice concerns. I would love to see a return of REAL MEN to the industry so that maybe, just maybe, we can get some decent video games back onto shelves. Exhausted by all these little sensitive, reactionary soy boys in charge of our entertainment.

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Well, thats for sure a pre-order canceled now for me, and probably wont buy it after this, if this is how they will treat those supporting them.

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Mr0303
Mr0303
Jan 21

This is what people like Mark Kern and this Rev guy deserve for trying to cape for a woke product and a woke director. It’s very simple – don’t give money to people who hate you and Vavra proved that he does.

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Endymion called this out months ago. Devs are going to start pretending to be anti-woke but actually push woketivism. I mean, who else uses the term "grifters" to refer to independent journalists like rev?

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