The video game industry in the Czech Republic has produced numerous globally successful video games such as Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis and the subsequent Arma series, the Mafia series, the Truck Simulator series, the Kingdom Come: Deliverance series, the Samorost series, Factorio, Space Engineers and others. There were 300–400 video game developers and around 30 video game companies focusing on video game development in 2014. In 2017, the country had 1,100 developers and 47 companies. Video games are also considered by some experts to be the country's biggest cultural export. The video game industry did not enjoy a good reputation and was unsupported by the state until 2013, when the Ministry of Industry and Trade started to seek ways to kickstart the economy. By 2014, programs were planned to support the video game industry.

In 2014, the Czech video game site Bonusweb ran a survey searching for the best video game developed in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. The winner was Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, having received 3866 votes out of 13,143. Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis placed second and Vietcong third. In 2019, made a list of the 15 best video games developed in the Czech Republic. It was also topped by Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven.

History

The first games were developed in Czechoslovakia during the late 1970s as part of experimentation with Czechoslovak computers SM 52/11 (minicomputer version of PDP-11). These titles lacked graphics and were not meant for wider distribution. Card games were particularly popular. Card games were played through printer due to lack of displays. There were also games based on chances such as electronical version of Rock–paper–scissors. Some games were competitive such as Dělostřelba (Cannonade) in which player had to count the trajectory of his cannon shot to hit his rival. Some games were developed on universities. Some universities taught programming at the time. Games at universities included Chess and Plivátko. The first real-time game was Přistání na měsíci (Landing on the Moon). One of the first games for character displays was Zombíci (Zombies). Players had to run for zombies and stay alive as long as possible.

In the 1980s, the first graphic video games development in the country were mostly part of the Svazarm clubs. The most popular video game platform of the time were ZX Spectrum, Czechoslovak computer PMD 85 and Atari 8-bit computers (mainly Atari 800XE). Hobbyists could come explore computing and teach themselves programming. Games developed by members of these clubs include Hlípa and Flappy. Text adventures were very popular, accounting for more than half of the total output of Czechoslovak programmers. Czechs produced games for these platforms even in 1990s when were outdated. After 1989, the market changed, improving opportunities for programmers and gamers alike.

In the 90's, the most known Czech video games are of the adventure type. During this period, the company Vochozka Trading was established, which first distributed games for Amiga computers, such as Světák Bob. The game was not successful; however, in 1994 Vochozka Trading released the first Czech commercial games for PC, two adventure titles – Tajemství Oslího ostrova (Donkey Island) and 7 dní a 7 nocí (Seven Days and Seven Nights). Both were developed by Pterodon and widely regarded as successes. This was followed by adventures like Dračí Historie (Dragon History, the first Czech dubbed game on CD, 1995), Gooka (the first Czech game on Windows, 1997), Horké léto (Hot Summer, 1997) and DreamLand: Final Solution (1999). Games released in the 1990s also include real-time strategy game Paranoia (1995) and RPG Brány Skeldalu (Gates of Skeldal, 1998). Among the most widespread Czech logical DOS games were also (Train, 1993), Achtung, die Kurve! (1995) and Boovie (1998). The game Polda was released in 1998, this was the beginning of the most popular Czech adventure series.

The first internationally successful Czech game was Hidden & Dangerous by Illusion Softworks, a third person action game released in 1999. More notable games by Illusion Softworks include Flying Heroes (2000), Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven (2002) and Vietcong (2003). In 2008 American publisher Take-Two Interactive acquired Illusion Softworks and renamed it to 2K Czech. The dark adventure Black Mirror from 2003 was a great success abroad, but two more sequels have already been made in Germany.

Bohemia Interactive became the most successful Czech developer with its worldwide bestseller Operation Flashpoint: Cold War Crisis and the series of Arma games, first released in 2006. The success of Bohemia Interactive is regarded as having overshadowed other independent development studios.

Czech development studios such as Amanita Design along with their Machinarium from 2009, with its Original War and UFO series and SCS Software with its Euro Truck Simulator were established in these years.

In July 2011, several people formerly of 2K Czech and Bohemia Interactive opened Warhorse Studios, which produced Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018).

Consumer availability The video game market in the Czech Republic is currently growing, with a spend of 2.202 billion Czech koruna (CZK) across both the Czech Republic and Slovakia in 2011. The corresponding total for 2012 was 2.436 billion CZK, a growth of 10.6%.In 2024 the market grew to 9.18 billion CZK.Purchased video games made up one third of this amount.

The most popular genres among Czech players are action and sports games. The growth of the market is expected with next-generation consoles such as the PlayStation 4 and the Xbox One.

Video game associations Czech Games is a community of video game developers based in the Czech Republic. It was established in 2001 and since then has supported video game development beginners. It has its own forum where developers can share their experience and showcase their work. The association also organizes the Game Developers Session conference and the GAMEDAY Festival.

Video Game Industry Association of the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic exists to promote video games in the two named countries. Video game developers, publishers, importers and distributors all belong to the organization. The association also organizes the BOOOM Contest.

MU Game Studies is an association composed of Masaryk University students and graduates. It aims to improve and support video game education at Czech universities.

Education Some Czech universities offer programs of study related to video games. These universities are Masaryk University in Brno, Charles University in Prague, University of West Bohemia in Plzeň, Czech Technical University in Prague and Academy of Performing Arts in Prague.

Video game companies from the Czech Republic Company Location Founded Type1C Publishing EU(Now Fulqrum Games)Prague2002Publisher2 Stupid DevsCzech2020Developer, publisher2K CzechBrno1997DeveloperAbout FunPrague2011Mobile game developerBrno2013Mainly mobile game dev, publisherAllodium GamesPrague2007Online game developerAmanita DesignBrno2001DeveloperAshborne GamesBrno2020DeveloperBadFly InteractiveUherské Hradiště2014DeveloperBeerDeer GamesPrague2011DeveloperBlue Brain GamesPrague2016DeveloperBohemia InteractivePrague1999Developer, publisherBoomer Games s.r.o.Prostějov2021Developer, publisherCBE SoftwareBrno2010DeveloperPrague1988PublisherPrague2000DeveloperCGE DigitalPrague2014Mobile game developerCharged MonkeyPrague2014Mobile game developerCharles GamesPrague2017Developer, publisher2002DeveloperCinemaxPrague1997Developer, publisherComputer Games DistributionPrague2002PublisherConQuest EntertainmentPrague1990PublisherCraneballs StudioOstrava2008Developer, publisherDigital Life ProductionsHradec Králové2009DeveloperDreadlocks LtdPrague2011DeveloperElectronic Arts Czech RepublicPrague2001PublisherFineway StudiosBrno2004DeveloperPrague2002Video game developer, audiovisual production, graphics, web, marketingFlow StudioPrague2011DeveloperGamajun GamesBrno2012Mobile game developergamifi.ccBrno2007DeveloperGeewaPrague2005Mobile game developerGoldKnightsPrague2015DeveloperPrague2010Developer, publisherHammer GamesPardubice2016Developer, publisherHangonitBrno2012DeveloperHexagePrague2009DeveloperHonestly Games LimitedPrague2019DeveloperHyperbolic MagnetismPrague2010DeveloperIcarus GamesBrno2011DeveloperinDev BrainBrno2013DeveloperINGAME STUDIOSBrno2020DeveloperPrague1988Video game distributor. Former publisher (1988–1999), dev & localizer.Keen Software HousePrague2010DeveloperKubat SoftwareCzech2011Video game, app & web developerKUBI GamesBrno2013Developer, publisherLatest PastOstrava2021DeveloperLukáš Navrátil GamesZnojmo2013DeveloperMadfinger GamesBrno2010Developer and publisher (Mostly mobile & online)McMagic ProductionsPrague2012Developer, publisherMicrosoft Česká RepublikaPrague2006 (video game division)PublisherMingle GamesPrague2012DeveloperNepos GamesPrague2019DeveloperNeronian StudiosPrague2023Developer, co-dev (AR/VR, apps, sims), publisherNorth Beach Games PraguePrague2024Developer, co-devOxymoron GamesPrague2017Developer, publisherPaper Bunker s.r.o.Ostrava2014Developer and publisher (Mobile, core & VR)PaperashBrno2014DeveloperPerun CreativeOstrava2017Developer, publisherPlayitoPrague2012Mobile game developerPlaymanHradec Králové2001PublisherPurple NebulaCzech2017DeveloperPurpledoor Studios s.r.o.Prague2021Developer, publisherRake in GrassPrague2000DeveloperRocking ToyPrague2022Developer, publisherRunning PillowBrno2009DeveloperSCS SoftwarePrague1997DeveloperSilver Eye StudiosPrague2023Developer, publisherPrague1996Publisher, developerSony CzechPrague1993PublisherSoulbound GamesZlín2013DeveloperSpytihněvPrague2011Developer, publisherT19 GamesCzech2021DeveloperTeam 21Prague2012DeveloperTouch OrchestraBrno2015DeveloperTrickster ArtsBrno2012Developer, publisherValdabro GamesLiberec2015DeveloperVicious MimeOlomouc2013DeveloperVolcanoid s.r.o.Prague2017Developer, publisherWarhorse StudiosPrague2011DeveloperWube SoftwarePrague2014DeveloperZakroutilPrague2017Developer, publisherPrague1995Developer

Defunct video game companies Company Founded Dissolved Notes7FX s.r.o.19992010Developer.19972010Developer & former publisher.20002010Developer. Acquired by Bohemia Interactive.Bone Artz20042007Developer & publisher.Disney Mobile Prague Studio20052014Developer. Former co-dev & porting.eeGon Games20122013Mobile game developer. Inactive. Website down in 2014.20132016Czech office of Slovak developer.Future Games19962011Developer. Former publisher & distributor.Hammerware, s.r.o.20052017 (Inactive afterwards)Developer & publisher.20022011Developer.19942016Developer. Inactive. Website down after 2021.NoSense19941997Developer.19941998Developer. Former publisher.Plastic Reality Technologies20002006Developer. Closed. Staff moved to Illusion Softworks.Pterodon (Ex-Pterodon Software in 1993–⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠1995)19932006Developer.Unknown Identity19962005Developer. Staff moved into Future Games, & Unknown Identity's name use ceased.Silicon Jelly s.r.o.20112017Developer & publisher (mobile-focused).Slightly Mad Studios (Prague)20082017Developer.Vatra Games20092012Developer.19932008Publisher & distributor.

Appearance of the Czech Republic in video games The country has been featured in numerous games created by Czech developers, such as Euro Truck Simulator, Euro Truck Simulator 2 and Kingdom Come: Deliverance. It has also served as the inspiration for the fictional countries of Operation Flashpoint: Resistance and Arma 2.

Command & Conquer takes place in Central Europe and some missions occur within the country's borders.

Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 features a fictional uprising within Prague. The city also appears within a mission in Sly 2: Band of Thieves, and a race track in Forza Motorsport 5.