Method for operating a drive device and corresponding drive device

A method for operating a drive device, including an internal combustion engine with a plurality of cylinders, to reduce a drive torque produced by the internal combustion engine, comprising:

• adjusting ignition timing set at the internal combustion engine in a retarded direction starting from an initial ignition time until the ignition timing corresponds to a threshold ignition timing;
• deactivating at least one cylinder, among the plurality of cylinders, by suspending fuel injection into the at least one cylinder;
• and
• continuing to operate each remaining cylinder, among the plurality of cylinders excluding the at least one cylinder, using the threshold ignition timing and supplying each remaining cylinder of the internal combustion engine with a subsequent quantity of fuel larger than an initial quantity of fuel supplied before cylinder deactivation, thereby setting a substoichiometric fuel/oxygen ratio in each remaining cylinder, while reducing the drive torque from an initial drive torque prior to said adjusting.