2K Czech

2K Czech, s.r.o.
Formerly
  • Illusion Softworks, a.s. (1997–2008)
  • 2K Czech, a.s. (2008–2011)
Subsidiary
Industry Video game industry
Fate Merged into Hangar 13
Founded 12 August 1997 (1997-08-12)
Founder Petr Vochozka
Defunct 2017 (2017)
Headquarters Brno, Czech Republic
Key people
 Erik Gloersen (studio manager)
Number of employees
 150 (2011)
Parent 2K Games (2008–2017)
Website 2kczech.com

2K Czech, s.r.o. (formerly Illusion Softworks, a.s.) was a Czech video game developer based in Brno. Founded as Illusion Softworks, by Petr Vochozka in August 1997, the company was acquired by Take-Two Interactive in January 2008 and subsequently organized under the 2K Games label, becoming 2K Czech. The company was merged into Hangar 13 in 2017.

History

Illusion Softworks was established by Petr Vochozka on 12 August 1997. In September 2007, several Illusions Softworks employees left the studio to found The Easy Company, which went on to produce MotorM4X (2008).[1] On 8 January 2008, Take-Two Interactive announced that they acquired Illusion Softworks for an undisclosed sum.[2] As a result of the acquisition, Illusion Softworks became part of Take-Two Interactive's 2K Games label under the name 2K Czech.[3] According to Take-Two Interactive's chief executive officer, Ben Feder, the agreement was made to expand the company's "strategic focus on owning high-value intellectual property".[4] In July 2011, several people formerly of 2K Czech and Bohemia Interactive opened Warhorse Studios, which would produce Kingdom Come: Deliverance (2018).[5]

In September 2011, 40 staff members were laid off from the company's Brno studio, with another few personnel made redundant in its Prague studio.[6] Both studios previoulsy housed a total of 200 staff, wherefore around 25% of them had been cut in the layoffs.[7] 2K Czech began hiring new staff by November 2012.[8] On 10 January 2014, 2K Games announced that 2K Czech's Prague office was to close, and that 10 staff as well as the development of Mafia III would be relocated to 2K Games' headquarters in Novato, California, with the most other staff moved to 2K Czech's remaining Brno studio.[9][10] Of an unrevealed number of laid-off staff, some were later hired by Warhorse Studios.[11] Mafia III was later shifted to 2K Games' new studio Hangar 13, with 2K Czech receiving a supporting role.[12] In 2017, the studio was quietly merged into Hangar 13.[13][14]

Games developed

Year Title Platform(s)
1997 Lurid Land MS-DOS
1998 Léto s Oskarem
1999 Hidden & Dangerous Dreamcast, Microsoft Windows
2000 Flying Heroes Microsoft Windows
2002 Mafia Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox
2003 Vietcong Microsoft Windows
Hidden & Dangerous 2
2004 Vietcong: Fist Alpha Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox
2005 Vietcong 2 Microsoft Windows
2010 Mafia II Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360
2011 Top Spin 4 PlayStation 3, Wii, Xbox 360
2016 Mafia III Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, Xbox One

Cancelled

References

  1. ↑ "The Easy Company opens in Prague". mcvuk.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  2. ↑ "Welcome 2K Czech: Take-Two brings Mafia dev Illusion Softworks into the family". engadget.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  3. ↑ Purchese, Robert (8 January 2008). "Take-Two acquires Illusion Softworks". eurogamer.net. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  4. ↑ "Take-Two swallows Illusion Softworks". arstechnica.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  5. ↑ Phillips, Tom (22 July 2011). "Mafia creator founds new studio". eurogamer.net. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  6. ↑ "Mafia 2 developer 2K Czech lays off 40". engadget.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  7. ↑ "40 staff axed from Mafia studio 2K Czech". mcvuk.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  8. ↑ "Mafia 3: 2K Czech hiring for new 'top secret, super interesting' triple-a title - VG247". vg247.com. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  9. ↑ Purchese, Robert (10 January 2014). "2K Czech restructuring, Mafia 3 moving to US?". eurogamer.net. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  10. ↑ emilygera (10 January 2014). "Mafia developer to close down Prague office as 2K Czech begins restructuring". Polygon. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  11. ↑ "'Mismanaged' 2K Prague to close its doors today, Kingdom Come studio Warhorse poised to hire staff - VG247". vg247.com. 28 February 2014. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  12. ↑ "Who The Hell Is Mafia III Developer Hangar 13?". Game Informer. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  13. ↑ "Have you seen these studios?". gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  14. ↑ "Mafia 3 developers Hangar 13 hit with layoffs". pcgamesn.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
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