HBO’s New Game of Thrones Show Is the Best Ad Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Could Ask For

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HBO’s A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms feels like a fresh start for the Game of Thrones universe, and it’s already helping Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. The game saw a jump in players on Steam after the show’s first episode, which makes sense – both focus on the realistic, and often funny, struggles of lower-ranking knights instead of epic, large-scale fantasy. If the show stays true to George R. R. Martin’s original stories, playing Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 will be a great way to enhance your enjoyment of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms.

The series follows Dunk and Egg as they discover that understanding social rules isn’t enough – you also need to be adaptable. It also shows that honor isn’t always simple or easy. The popular game Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 explores similar themes, forcing players to navigate realistic systems that don’t change just because they’re the main character. For those fascinated by medieval life, both this series and the game offer a gritty, unromanticized look at the period.

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A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms Reframes Westeros

Unlike the epic scale of the original Game of Thrones, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms focuses on more personal stories. It’s based on novellas that are deliberately smaller in scope, centering around things like tournaments, local conflicts, and the challenges of navigating Westeros without power or status. While this new Game of Thrones show is just starting, it seems to be aiming for that same close-up feel instead of trying to become another grand, world-threatening saga.

What I really love about this show is how different it feels from things like House of the Dragon. It’s just so much more grounded! It doesn’t rush into epic power struggles; instead, it really focuses on building up the world and making it feel real. Power isn’t this huge, overwhelming force here – it’s smaller, tied to specific people and places, and honestly, a bit alien to our main character, Dunk. It feels like Dunk’s journey is all about navigating and even dismantling those established powers – the rules, the reputations, and sometimes just the plain ridiculousness of it all.

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Why Weakness Is the Point

Image via HBO

Both A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Kingdom Come: Deliverance (and its sequel) share a similar core idea: characters grow by overcoming limitations. In Kingdom Come, the player has to work hard to make their character, Henry, skilled. While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms has more fantastical elements, both games focus on the interesting idea of characters learning to thrive within strict, unchangeable worlds.

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Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 Already Nails Medieval Realism

While Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 doesn’t need the show A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms to prove its design choices, the show does a great job of explaining those choices to people who haven’t played the game – and those people really should! The game is special because it avoids fantastical elements, opting instead for a realistic and enjoyable take on medieval social life and history. Battles are challenging, politics are complicated and don’t always affect everyday people, and learning from your mistakes is just as important as winning.

Similar to the game Dunk, players controlling Henry often find that using strength alone isn’t the best approach. Instead, they need to act like a true knight and consider their place in the world. Both Henry and the other knight start their journeys relatively powerless, which makes watching them develop and grow even more compelling.

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What Makes A Hedge Knight

Image via HBO

While technically not a masterless knight like the one in A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, the sequel Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 captures a similar feeling. Being far from home and without a lord, the player experiences the same sense of being a poor knight looking for work. Just as the show makes you consider the realities of medieval life, the game realistically delivers on those challenges through its gameplay.

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Why A Low Fantasy Vibe Feels So Timely (Even If It’s Not)

Image via HBO

For a long time, fantasy stories in TV and games focused on grand, world-altering events. Now, there’s a growing appeal for stories that are more grounded and focused on smaller scales. However, A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms actually revisits the kind of storytelling that made the early seasons of Game of Thrones so popular. Similarly, the video game Kingdom Come: Deliverance has been building this type of realistic, limited-scope fantasy experience since 2018.

These creators are reviving a style of fantasy that’s been overlooked – one that believes audiences can enjoy both complex stories and impressive visuals. While epic, large-scale fantasy will always be popular, shows and games like A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms and Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 demonstrate that compelling storytelling and spectacular effects can coexist beautifully.

Why the Latest Game of Thrones Show Is the Perfect Excuse to Play KCD2

Since we’ve only seen the first episode of A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms, it’s crucial to remember that our expectations are based on trust. Whether the show succeeds really depends on how well it stays true to George R.R. Martin’s original stories. While adaptations are never perfect copies, the creative direction from Martin and showrunner Ira Parker gives us good reason to be optimistic.

If the show continues to develop well, it’s a great match for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2. Players who enjoyed the game before will appreciate seeing its mechanics presented in a fresh way, and those new to the series can get a taste of the action firsthand.

A Knightly Moment in the Culture

Image via Warhorse Studios

While A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms isn’t quite a video game advertisement and its long-term plans are still unfolding, George R.R. Martin has already established a strong foundation. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 is a fantastic addition for fans eager for more immersive storytelling. Both stories share the understanding that fantasy can explore real-world issues without needing to shy away from them – they’re a perfect pairing, and a great way to tide over viewers between episodes.

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2026-01-24 17:05