Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 offers a stunning medieval world, and HDR can make it even more immersive on a compatible display. However, getting HDR to work reliably, especially when using the Gamescope compositor on Linux or Steam Deck, can be tricky. Many players find the option grayed out or the signal not activating, even when everything seems configured correctly. This guide walks you through the steps to enable HDR, troubleshoot common pitfalls, and get the best visual experience in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 with Gamescope.
Understanding HDR Support in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2
Before diving into configuration, it’s important to know how the game handles HDR. Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 has native HDR support, but it relies on the display output being correctly negotiated between the GPU, the compositor, and the screen. On Windows with an HDR monitor and a compatible GPU, enabling HDR is usually straightforward through the game settings. On Linux, the situation is more complex because the display stack (Wayland, X11, or Gamescope) must properly expose HDR capabilities to the game.
Gamescope acts as an intermediary, providing a virtual display that can emulate HDR modes even on systems where the native window manager doesn’t. This is particularly useful on the Steam Deck, where the built-in screen supports HDR but the default gaming mode compositor may not expose it directly to all titles. Understanding this layer is key to troubleshooting why HDR might not be available.
What Is Gamescope and Why It Matters for HDR
Gamescope is a microcompositor developed by Valve, originally for the Steam Deck. It allows games to run in a controlled environment with features like integer scaling, frame rate limiting, and HDR command passthrough. When you launch a game with Gamescope, it creates a nested display session that can be configured with specific attributes – such as color depth, resolution, and HDR metadata – independent of your main desktop setup.
For HDR, Gamescope can negotiate with an HDR-capable output (like an external monitor or the Steam Deck OLED panel) and present a 10-bit color surface to the game. The game then sees a display that reports HDR support, enabling the in-game HDR toggle. However, this requires the correct Gamescope flags and, in some cases, additional tweaks for the game to recognize the capability.
Step-by-Step: Enabling HDR in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 with Gamescope
Prerequisites
- A display that genuinely supports HDR (hardware capable, not just software emulated).
- An AMD GPU with open-source drivers (RADV) or an Intel Arc GPU. NVIDIA support under Gamescope for HDR is experimental and may not work reliably.
- Gamescope version 3.12.0 or later (older versions lack stable HDR handling).
- Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 updated to the latest patch.
Configuring Gamescope Launch Options
The most critical step is setting the right launch options for Gamescope when starting the game. For Steam, right-click the game in your library, select Properties, and in the Launch Options field, enter a command like this:
gamescope -w 2560 -h 1440 -r 120 --hdr-enabled --fullscreen -- %command%
Let’s break down the flags:
-wand-h: Set the internal resolution. Match your display’s native resolution for best results.-r: Refresh rate. Use your display’s maximum HDR refresh rate.--hdr-enabled: The essential flag that tells Gamescope to expose HDR to the game.--fullscreen: Forces fullscreen mode, which is often required for HDR signaling.
If your display supports HDMI 2.1 or DSC, you may also need --hdr-itm-enable (inverse tone mapping) for SDR content to look correct inside the HDR container. Experiment with this if colors seem washed out.
In-Game Settings
Once the game launches inside Gamescope, navigate to the video settings. Look for an HDR toggle or a brightness calibration screen that mentions HDR. If the toggle is available, enable it and adjust the peak brightness to match your display’s capabilities (typically 400, 600, or 1000 nits). If the toggle remains grayed out despite the Gamescope flags, proceed to the troubleshooting section.
Common Issues and Fixes
HDR Option Grayed Out
This usually indicates that the game doesn’t see an HDR-capable display. Double-check your Gamescope launch command and ensure --hdr-enabled is present. Also verify that you’re not accidentally overriding the display mode with incompatible arguments like --force-windows-fullscreen or an SDR-only color depth. On Steam Deck OLED, the gaming mode already runs under Gamescope, so you may not need to nest another Gamescope session – launching the game normally should expose HDR, but if not, try adding --hdr-enabled to the game’s launch options anyway.
No HDR Signal Despite Correct Settings
If the HUD shows HDR is on but your monitor’s OSD doesn’t confirm an HDR signal, the issue might be at the display connection level. Ensure you’re using a high-quality HDMI 2.0b or DisplayPort 1.4 cable (or HDMI 2.1 for 4K 120Hz). Some monitors require manually enabling HDR in their on-screen menu or setting the input to “PC” mode to accept full color range. On Linux, double-check that your compositor (KWin, Mutter) isn’t already occupying the HDR output. Gamescope works best when it’s the sole compositor on that output, so consider running it in a dedicated TTY session if dual-compositor conflicts arise.
Gamescope Crashes or Performance Problems
Older Gamescope builds had stability issues with HDR. Update to the latest git build or your distribution’s latest package. If using an NVIDIA GPU, be aware that HDR support in Gamescope is still under active development and may require explicit EGL stream patches; stick with AMD for now if you need reliable HDR. Reducing the resolution or refresh rate can also improve stability if you hit GPU memory bandwidth limits.
HDR on Steam Deck Specifics
The Steam Deck OLED’s native screen handles HDR in gaming mode without extra launch options for many titles. However, Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 may not automatically trigger HDR. In that case, forcing --hdr-enabled in the launch options can help. Also check that the Deck’s display is set to a high enough brightness (the slider in the Quick Access Menu affects peak HDR nits). If you’re docked to an external TV, the same Gamescope rules apply, but you’ll need to ensure the TV’s HDMI port is enabled for HDR (sometimes labeled “Ultra HD Deep Color” or similar).
Advanced Troubleshooting
For persistent issues, you can debug the HDR capability with the gamescope --hdr-debug-force-output flag to force the output even if the display doesn’t report HDR support (useful for testing but colors may be wrong). You can also check the EDID of your monitor using tools like edid-decode to confirm its HDR static metadata block is present. If the game still won’t enable HDR, you might try launching a nested Gamescope session inside a standalone Gamescope session with --nested and explicit resolutions. Finally, check for any game-specific config files that might force SDR; Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 stores settings in ~/.config/kingdomcome2/ (or similar), and you can manually set hdr_enabled = 1 in the configuration file if the UI toggle is broken.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why can’t I enable HDR in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 even with Gamescope? The most common reason is missing the --hdr-enabled flag or using an incompatible GPU driver. Ensure your Gamescope command is correct and that your system actually supports HDR output to the monitor.
Does Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 support HDR on Linux? Yes, but it requires a compositor or Gamescope that can pass HDR metadata. Without Gamescope, you need a Wayland compositor that supports the HDR protocols (like KDE Plasma 6 with HDR enabled). Gamescope is the most reliable option for now.
Can I use Gamescope HDR with an NVIDIA GPU? HDR support under Gamescope with NVIDIA is experimental and often broken. For now, AMD GPUs with RADV are recommended for HDR gaming on Linux.
My Steam Deck OLED shows HDR but the colors look washed out. Why? This often happens when inverse tone mapping is not configured. Add --hdr-itm-enable to your Gamescope command, or adjust the in-game HDR calibration. Some games also need the Deck’s refresh rate set to 90Hz rather than 60Hz for correct HDR color space.
HDR in Kingdom Come Deliverance 2 brings the game’s vivid landscapes to life, but it requires a careful dance between the game, Gamescope, and your hardware. With the right flags and a compliant display, you can unlock the full visual potential. If problems persist, check for updates to Gamescope and your GPU drivers, and don’t hesitate to experiment with different launch combinations – the open-source community is constantly improving HDR support.
