 | |
| Formerly |
|
|---|---|
| Company type | Subsidiary |
| Industry | Video games |
| Predecessor | Vochozka Trading |
| Founded | 1997; 28 years ago (1997) |
| Founders |
|
| Defunct | 2017 (2017) |
| Fate | Merged intoHangar 13 |
| Headquarters | , Czech Republic |
Number of locations | 2 studios (2017) |
Number of employees | ~100[1] (2017) |
| Parent | 2K (2008–2017) |
| Website | 2kczech.com |
2K Czech, s.r.o. (formerlyIllusion Softworks, a.s.) was a Czechvideo game developer based inBrno, founded as Illusion Softworks in 1997 by Petr Vochozka and Jan Kudera. The company was acquired byTake-Two Interactive in January 2008 and subsequently organised under the2K label, becoming 2K Czech. The studio was merged into 2K'sHangar 13 in 2017. The developer is best known for creating theMafia series.
Illusion Softworks was established in 1997 inBrno by Petr Vochozka and Jan Kudera.[2] The company succeeded Vochozka'svideo game publisher, Vochozka Trading, through funding provided by Kudera's Cash Reform fund.[3][4] The team initially comprised only five people, including Vochozka and Kudera. The team would expand to 40 people by the release of Mafia in 2002.[5]
The studio provided assistance to Silver Wish Games for the production ofWings of War,Chameleon andCircus Empire.[6][7][8][9][10]
In September 2007, several Illusions Softworks employees left the studio to found The Easy Company, which went on to produceMotorM4X (2008).[11]
On 8 January 2008,Take-Two Interactive announced that they acquired Illusion Softworks for an undisclosed sum.[12] As a result of the acquisition, Illusion Softworks became part of Take-Two Interactive's2K label and was renamed to 2K Czech.[13] 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-valueintellectual property".[14] In July 2011, several employees that had left 2K Czech, along with former employees ofBohemia Interactive, foundedWarhorse Studios, the studio behind 2018 video gameKingdom Come: Deliverance.[15]
In September 2011, 40 employees were laid off from the company's Brno studio, with a few others made redundant at its Prague studio.[16] Both studios previously housed a total of 200 employees, with around 25% of them being cut due to the layoffs.[17] In November 2012, 2K Czech began hiring for a new, announced project;[18] at the time, 2K Czech had 188 employees.[19] There were reported creative differences between developers within 2K Czech, regarding the direction of the third installment of theMafia series, which had started production between late 2010 and early 2011, with the project being rebooted around seven times between 2011 and 2013.[20][21][22]
2K announced in January 2014 that 2K Czech's Prague office was to close, and that 10 employees (including the development ofMafia III) would be transferred to 2K's headquarters inNovato, California, with most other employees moved to 2K Czech's remaining Brno studio.[23][24] Of an undisclosed number of employees that were laid off, some were later hired byWarhorse Studios.[25]Mafia III's development was later shifted to 2K's new studio,Hangar 13, with 2K Czech receiving a supporting role.[26] In 2017, the studio was merged into Hangar 13.[27][28]
| Year | Title | Platform(s) | Publisher | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Mafia II | Microsoft Windows | 2K Games | |
| PlayStation 3 | ||||
| Xbox 360 | ||||
| 2011 | Top Spin 4 | PlayStation 3 | 2K Sports | |
| Xbox 360 | ||||
| 2016 | Mafia III | Microsoft Windows | 2K Games | AssistedHangar 13 |
| PlayStation 4 | ||||
| Xbox One |
| 2K |
|  | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockstar Games |
| |||||||||
| Zynga |
| |||||||||
| Other | ||||||||||
| Former labels | ||||||||||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
