We sat down with Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, one of the gaming industry’s prominent voices, to talk about career, Warhorse Studios, Kingdom Come, and the future. And yes, we couldn’t resist asking about the new Lord of the Rings game.
Behind every successful game studio are people who help shape not only its public image, but also its relationship with the community. Tobias Stolz-Zwilling, Communications Director at Warhorse Studios, has been part of that journey since the early days of Kingdom Come: Deliverance. From community management to global PR and corporate communications, he has witnessed Warhorse’s evolution from an ambitious Kickstarter project into one of Europe’s most respected RPG studios. In this interview, we spoke with Tobias about his career, the growth of Warhorse Studios, and what makes the Kingdom Come community so special.
Before moving on to the interview, here is a brief look at Warhorse Studios and the Kingdom Come: Deliverance series. Warhorse Studios, based in Prague, Czech Republic, has become one of Europe’s most distinctive RPG developers. The studio is best known for the Kingdom Come: Deliverance series, widely praised for its grounded and immersive approach to medieval storytelling, offering one of the most detailed and authentic representations of the Middle Ages in modern gaming. Built on a strong vision and a passionate team, Warhorse has grown from a small, ambitious studio into an internationally recognized name in the industry. Today, following the global success of Kingdom Come: Deliverance II, the studio is entering an exciting new phase with both a newly announced Kingdom Come adventure and an ambitious open-world game set in the world of Middle-earth currently in active development.
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- Could you briefly introduce yourself to our readers? How did your journey from journalism to the video game industry begin?
Hey, I’m Tobi, Communications Director at Warhorse Studios. I started in journalism, but I quickly realized that I am much better at answering questions than asking them. By happy accident, I met one of the Warhorse Studios founders (Daniel Vavra) in the elevator of the apartment building we both lived in, and this is pretty much where my story begins. Shortly after the original Kingdom Come: Deliverance Kickstarter, I joined Warhorse, and somehow I never left.
- You have worked in journalism, community management, public relations, and corporate communications throughout your career. Which of these experiences has contributed the most to the professional you are today?
Honestly, all of them. Journalism taught me how media think. Community taught me how players feel. PR taught me how to tell a story. Corporate communication taught me when to shut up, which is by far the hardest skill of all, and I hardly manage that one. 🙂
- You joined Warhorse Studios in 2014. What was the studio like back then, and what convinced you to become part of the team?
It was chaos, ambition, passion, and a lot of blind faith. We were a small team with a huge dream, and you could feel that everyone was fighting for something bigger than just “making another game.” It was very punk in a way, and most of our marketing efforts for Kingdom Come: Deliverance I consisted of me travelling with a backpack. 🙂
- You started as a Community Manager and later became Global PR Manager before taking on the role of Communications Director. How have your responsibilities and perspective evolved throughout that journey?
I honestly think that most of these are just flashy titles, but of course I am learning things on a daily basis. In the beginning, I was very close to the players every day. Later, I started working more with press, partners, campaigns, strategy, and crisis communication. Today my job is basically to help shape how people see Warhorse and our games, while still trying not to lose that direct connection to the community. I try to appear on streams and at community events to stay close and to continue giving Warhorse Studios a face and voice.
- Over the years, you have worked closely with developers, publishers, media outlets, and content creators. How do you think communication within the gaming industry has changed over the past decade?
Everything became faster, louder, and more direct. Ten years ago, you could plan a message and control it a bit more. Today, one tweet, one leak, or one misunderstood sentence can become the topic of the day. That means communication has to be more honest, more human, and much quicker.
- You have witnessed Warhorse Studios grow from a relatively small team into an internationally recognized studio. Looking back, what do you consider the most important milestones in that growth?
I still consider Warhorse Studios to be a bunch of punks… we are just a bit more numerous and better organized than before. 🙂 The Kickstarter was the first big moment, because it proved that people believed in the idea. Then shipping the first Kingdom Come: Deliverance changed everything. And of course, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II reaching such a big global audience showed that Warhorse Studios belongs among the top European developers.
- Kingdom Come: Deliverance has built a large and loyal community over the years. What do you believe are the key reasons behind the series’ success, and what sets it apart from other open-world RPGs?
I think players feel that the game has a soul and that there are real people and real gamers behind the studio. Kingdom Come is not trying to be everything for everyone. It is very specific, very grounded, sometimes demanding, sometimes inconvenient, but that is exactly why people love it. It gives you a world that feels real, not like a theme park.
- Given your background in community management, you have spent a great deal of time interacting directly with players. Is there anything that makes the Kingdom Come community unique compared to other gaming communities?
Our community is incredibly passionate, but also very knowledgeable. They notice everything. Sometimes that is wonderful, sometimes it is terrifying. But they care deeply, and I think they understand that Kingdom Come was always built with a lot of love, sweat, and stubbornness. That’s one of the reasons why we live by the motto “Community first.”
- Looking back on your career, which project or achievement are you personally most proud of, and why?
I am very proud of the Kingdom Come: Deliverance II campaign and especially our preview event in Kutná Hora (Kuttenberg), where we invited over 108 international media representatives. We didn’t just show a game for the first time, we brought people into the world behind the game. Instead of just saying “this is an immersive experience” we actually showed them! 😊
- For young people hoping to build a career in the gaming industry, what skills, experiences, or qualities do you believe are most important today?
Be curious, reliable, and don’t be an asshole 😊. Skills matter, of course, but games are made by teams under pressure, so attitude is extremely important. Learn how to communicate, learn how to take criticism, and understand that passion is great, but discipline gets things finished.
- I have to try my luck with this one. The simultaneous announcement of the next Kingdom Come adventure and the upcoming Middle-earth project created quite a buzz among gamers. Is there any tiny tease, hint, or exclusive detail you could share with us?
Nice try. I respect the attempt. What I can say is that both projects are being made by people who deeply care about immersive RPGs, strong worlds, and meaningful player experiences. So no secret detail today, but I can say that the journey ahead will be very exciting.
- Finally, is there a message you would like to share with our readers and the gaming community in Türkiye?
Merhaba, my friends! Thank you for playing, supporting, discussing, criticizing, and caring. The Turkish gaming community has always been very passionate, and we really appreciate that. I hope we can continue giving you worlds worth getting lost in.
A big thank you to Tobias for his honest and insightful answers. Dear readers, you can find our other interviews and articles here.
