Kingdom Come II gets a packed May 15 update - first major DLC, horse-racing & more

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It's been a while since Kingdom Come: Deliverance II's last major content update, Hardcore Mode, arrived on April 13. The team at Warhorse Studios has been cooking up something big, and we can confirm that the game's first DLC, Brushes with Death, will be launching May 15.

As shared on X, the new DLC starts when Henry encounters a mysterious painter tied up in the woods. From there, the story unravels, centered around "a skull, a secret, and a painter with a past."

Warhorse Studios has been tight-lipped about the story in Brushes with Death, leaving us only with a summary of how the story begins. The DLC, bound to contain twists and turns, is the game's first major story expansion. It follows several updates in March and April, including barber mode and hardcore mode, which were released as free DLC. The remaining roadmap, which includes Brushes With Death, and Legacy of the Forge DLC, now focuses on paid expansion content.

However, Brushes with Death doesn't mark the end of free content, with horse racing officially arriving in the update as a new, repeatable activity. Players can jump into wagered horse races throughout the game world, competing for the fastest speeds - or even the most accurate shot. Horse-mounted archery is also a new feature addition in the patch.

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Credit: Warhorse Studios

Brushes With Death will also introduce the new mechanic, 'shield painting,' which allows players to personalize Henry's shields with different combinations of colors, patterns, borders, and symbols. The feature also ties to story progression, as certain symbols are only unlockable by completing quests throughout the world.

Brushes with Death will also be available at any point in the game, making it an ideal entry point for both new and returning players when the update goes live May 15, 8 AM PT / 11 AM ET.

Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is also on sale for the first time, with PC players able to purchase the game through Steam at 15% off.

• Read more: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II is on sale for the first time prior to upcoming DLC launch
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• Read more: Kingdom Come: Deliverance II update arrives March 13 - mod support, barber mode, more