The massive patch 1.2 for the medieval action RPG Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 released last week did not include the promised hardcore mode, but that doesn’t mean it’s not in the game.
Image source: Steam (the dude)
While there’s no official release date for Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s hardcore mode yet (expected mid-April), some tech-savvy fans were able to access it after update 1.2.
As Aall137906 from the Reddit forum discovered, the hardcore mode is actually already in the game and is hidden behind the console command wh_sys_GameModeSelecting = 1 (to activate it, you need to specify -devmode in the launch settings).
Following this, when selecting a new game, you will be able to start the adventure in hardcore mode. It includes ten negative modifiers (you need to activate at least three), which complicate the passage.
One reduces the amount of experience gained, another makes the hero get dirty faster, a third makes strangers more willing to fight the player, a fourth makes the character more shy, and so on.
Description of all modifiers in hardcore mode (image source: inertSpark on Reddit)
It is also worth noting that the version of the hardcore mode in Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 found by players is not the final one, so it may contain a number of bugs and negatively affect performance.
Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 was released on February 4 on PC (Steam, EGS), PS5, Xbox Series X and S, and will be released on GOG on March 28. The game has received high marks from critics and has sold 2 million copies in less than two weeks since its release.