The joke in the movie Snatch is that people don’t understand what the fuck Brad Pitt is saying because he’s speaking pikey. And you take that as a good example for this game?
As Maso said, Modern English is now only VERY distantly related to Old English. It got screwed up by that massive influx of Norman French sometime around 1066CE. 
Modern GERMAN is closer in grammar and vocabulary (though NOT pronunciation. There was a pretty significant vowel and consonant shift in the later Middle Ages) to Old English than Modern English is.
If they could find a balance between the two it would be neat. Say something that adds feel and atmosphere so words like thy, aye, etc. but without making it hard to understand. Maybe have it kind of how it is in AC2-ACR where every so often the characters will speak in their native language. Just food for thought but I’ll get used to whatever system will end up being chosen.
I think there should be a balance between the two. When I first started watching the live stream, the language threw me for a loop for a second. But after having watched the entire thing, I would be sad if the ‘archaic’ sounding language was dropped completely.
For example, it took me about six tries to understand ‘Gramercy,’ and English is my native language. Yet hearing something like ‘pray, do tell’, ‘footpads,’ and most of the dialogue in the feasting scene was really immersive. I don’t think the scene AS WRITTEN that needs to be completely redone - rather I think the voice acting simply needs to be improved and the awkward pauses between lines need to be fixed. Drop the thee and thou, and drop a few words that have absolutely no modern equivalent so they can’t be understood without Google, but keep the rest.
You shouldn’t generalize all speakers of English like that. Many people like to play with subs on because some actors don’t speak clearly and you can’t always replay a cut scene.
I would like it if it were a mixture of Old and Contemporary styles. I know it isn’t authentic but more people would be able to understand. “Verily, I say to thee” then make the most important quest information in a more modern style so no one is confused about what is happening or what is needed.
i do hope you keep the various terms, like churls. they’re interesting and add flavor to the dialog. i like the use of pope’s nose, due to the double entendre. it means a turkey’s ass, but can be interpreted as a slur for a representative of the catholic church.
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I’m not just a English-Speaker but an American, so feel free to judge me all you want but I like you watch stuff with subs. If it was made in a different language than I’m going to play it or watch it in that language.
Ok, here’s what I think after watching the stream video. As a non-native speaker I understood almost everything. I had to listen more closely but wasn’t that tiring, though. Therefore, the point even native English speakers wouldn’t understand a thing isn’t valid. So, Warhorse please have at it.
Now that the English aspect is settled what about the other part, the ‘authentic’ option with localized subtitles?
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The problem isn’t that it would be difficult to understand. The problem is that it sounded incredibly stilted and would actually damage immersion if the final game sounded like that. Better direction may help but I still think using modern English with the slang taken out is the best option.
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I think the modern English used in the Assassin’s Creed series shows that you can have a fine experience and period atmosphere without digging into archives for an authentic Damascus dialect from the crusades times or details of renaissance Italian. Assassin’s Creed choices seems optimal to me - for KCD use “modern” English with some German swear words, Latin prayers and old Czech minstrel songs to add color, but the main story and side quests dialogue should be easily understandable.
I’m not a native English speaker, but I work in English speaking environment for the past 10 years. Despite that, I can’t say I fully enjoyed Macbeth presented in period English. I can’t imagine to play something like AC IV with all dialogues in Shakespearian English, instead of just a couple of period words and romantic shanties.
Why reinvent the wheel indeed.
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To be honest I like the accent which is used in the video. On the other hand, you should not forget about an economic point of view. There are mostly the backers who gave you more than £940,952 (and hopefully it will be more than £1,000,000) on this forum, but it is only 1/10th or less of the final budget. It means that you’ll have to sell a lot of copies.
In the light of a trying to sell the maximum of copies, I personally would choose a decent modern English (not US English) as a first language for voice acting, even though it will disappoint a number of guys from this forum.
The Czech voice acting would be added later when there will be a time and money, as it was mentioned in the video about the Czech voice acting. By the way, it would be nice if you put English subtitles to the video to avoid a rumor about the Czech conspiracy 
I would like the language to be English, but nothing more modern than early 20th century, preferably more along the lines of late 18th century. (there’s just something about the language at the time of the American Revolutionary War that I rather like) Some thees and thous thrown in wouldn’t bother me, but “forsooth” would be a bit over the top.
@Dizzylemon and @Tsskies. Guys, I’m an English speaker also! I know there are many people who do like to play with subs, but I was talking more generally.
Since most big games and movies are released in English, most English-speakers are not used to using subs (with the exception of foreign languages in English-language films). Whereas most Europeans will have to watch these movies/games with subs.
I have many friends from Eastern Europe who see it as a cultural thing. Just generally, English-speakers are less used to using subs.
Personally, I would like to hear contemporary English without neologisms and with “old fashioned” words where those are appropriate.
For example see the game Gothic III. Set in fantasy pseudo-medieval times, the contemporary English speech (but without modern slangs or “21st century words”) didn’t break the immersion a bit for me.
I’m a Korean. I want you to make this game that is localized several languages especially Korean!!
Just I want subtitle. not dubbing.
I’d like to have a choice between for example “Modern English” and “Ancient English” ; or for my case “Modern German” and “Ancient German” I know this would cause more work but it would make the game better 
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I prefer good ol’ English. The Shakespearian touch is pretty awesome, too.
Putting the money on a Czech version would only please a minority I’m pretty sure, it’d be way more accessible and enjoyable for most people if its in English. Thats what I figure anyway.
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If a player is meant to understand, then using a modern language makes sense. On the other hand, using a few easily understood localisms of the period would add to the atmosphere, such as words indicating social status and relative levels of respect. For example, a medieval Peasant saying to a Noble something like ‘I am your servant, my Lord’ had very diferent connotations to the same words used today by a butler to his boss in London. So, perhaps, we could use the local words for ‘servant’ and ‘Lord’ to remind ourselves of the radically different and very hierarchical society in which the game is set. I’d also like some juicy insults, jokes and ribaldry, and unusual metaphors translated from the Czech or German of the ‘Bohemians’ to add flavour and amusement to the game without breaking the immersion. PS I’m an actor who speaks with a British accent and would love to be audiitioned for a voice part if such is being considered.
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I think there are a lot of good ideas here. Ultimately it is the atmosphere that is created that matters, a creative mix of speech from different periods used to create the impression in the modern day gamer’s mind that they are in historical Bohemia could be the answer.
Sounds simple, but I wouldn’t want to be the one to try to figure out how to implement it…