2K Czech

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

2K Czech, s.r.o.
Formerly
  • Illusion Softworks, a.s.
  • (1997–2008)
  • 2K Czech, a.s.
  • (2008–2011)
Subsidiary
IndustryVideo games
FateMerged into Hangar 13
PredecessorVochozka Trading
Founded1997 (1997)
Founders
  • Petr Vochozka
  • Jan Kudera
Defunct2017 (2017)
Headquarters
Brno
,
Czech Republic
Number of locations
2 studios (2017)
Revenue178,150,000 Czech koruna[1] (2019) 
1,954,000 Czech koruna[1] (2019) 
1,745,000 Czech koruna[1] (2019) 
Total assets231,779,000 Czech koruna[1] (31 March 2019) 
Number of employees
~100[2] (2017)
Parent2K (2008–2017)

The company is best known for creating the Mafia series.

History

Illusion Softworks

Illusion Softworks was established in 1997 in Brno by Petr Vochozka and Jan Kudera.[3] The company succeeded Vochozka's video game publisher, Vochozka Trading, through funding provided by Kudera's Cash Reform fund.[4][5] 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.[6]

In September 2007, several Illusions Softworks employees left the studio to found The Easy Company, which went on to produce MotorM4X (2008).[7]

2K Czech

On 8 January 2008, Take-Two Interactive announced that they acquired Illusion Softworks for an undisclosed sum.[8] As a result of the acquisition, Illusion Softworks became part of Take-Two Interactive's 2K label under the name 2K Czech.[9] 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".[10] In July 2011, several people left 2K Czech, and along with former members from Bohemia Interactive, opened Warhorse Studios, which would produce Kingdom Come: Deliverance later on in 2018.[11]

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.[12] Both studios previously housed a total of 200 staff, wherefore around 25% of them had been cut in the layoffs.[13] 2K Czech began hiring new staff by November 2012,[14] and at the time had 188 employees.[15] There were reported creative differences amongst 2K Czech staff regarding the direction of the third Mafia instalment which had started production between late 2010 and early 2011, with the project being rebooted around seven times between 2011 and 2013.[16][17][18]

Succession by Hangar 13

On 10 January 2014, 2K 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's headquarters in Novato, California, with the most other staff moved to 2K Czech's remaining Brno studio.[19][20] Of an unrevealed number of laid-off staff, some were later hired by Warhorse Studios.[21] Mafia III was later shifted to 2K's new studio Hangar 13, with 2K Czech receiving a supporting role.[22] In 2017, the studio was merged into Hangar 13.[23][24]

Games developed

As Illusion Softworks
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher Notes
1997 Lurid Land MS-DOS Abadion Arts
1998 Léto s Oskarem MS-DOS Vochozka Trading
1999 Hidden & Dangerous Microsoft Windows TalonSoft
2000 Flying Heroes Microsoft Windows Take-Two Interactive Assisted Pterodon
Hidden & Dangerous Dreamcast TalonSoft
Hidden & Dangerous: Fight for Freedom Microsoft Windows
2002 Mafia Microsoft Windows Gathering of Developers
2003 Hidden & Dangerous 2 Microsoft Windows
Vietcong Microsoft Windows Assisted Pterodon
2004 Hidden & Dangerous 2: Sabre Squadron Microsoft Windows Global Star Software
Mafia PlayStation 2 Gathering of Developers
Xbox
Vietcong: Fist Alpha Microsoft Windows Assisted Pterodon
2005 Vietcong 2 Microsoft Windows 2K Games
Vietcong: Red Dawn Microsoft Windows Gathering of Developers

Cancelled

As 2K Czech
Year Title Platform(s) Publisher Notes
2010 Mafia II Microsoft Windows 2K Games
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Mafia II: Jimmy's Vendetta Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Mafia II: Joe's Adventures Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
Mafia II: The Betrayal of Jimmy Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 3
Xbox 360
2011 Top Spin 4 PlayStation 3 2K Sports
Xbox 360
2016 Mafia III Microsoft Windows 2K Games Assisted Hangar 13
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
2017 Mafia III: Faster, Baby! Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Mafia III: Sign of the Times Microsoft Windows
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
Mafia III: Stones Unturned Microsoft Windows Assisted Hangar 13
PlayStation 4
Xbox One
gollark: I just do `for k, v in pairs(tbl)`, how is the performance of that?
gollark: Otherwise you could `ATTACH DATABASE ../1/database.db` or something and access other databases.
gollark: You need to block this sort of thing.
gollark: https://www.sqlite.org/lang_attach.html
gollark: You *have* stopped this from having the ability to, say, attach other SQLite databases on the server's filesystem?

References
  1. https://or.justice.cz/ias/ui/vypis-sl-detail?dokument=59375784&subjektId=393823&spis=761951.
  2. "2K Czech, s.r.o. – Výroční zpráva společnosti za období 1. dubna 2016 – 31. března 2017" [Annual Report of the Company for the period of 1 April 2016 – 31 March 2017]. Justice.cz (in Czech). p. 23.
  3. Štolba, Patrik. "Retro koutek: nadčasový příběhový skvost jménem Mafia". Doupe.cz.
  4. Gamifique.cz; Gamifique.cz. "Illusion Softworks: Pohádka s hořkým koncem - Gamifique.cz". gamifique.eurozpravy.cz (in Czech).
  5. BIZ, časopis. "Mosty mezi starou a novou ekonomikou". Živě.cz (in Czech).
  6. Web, 2K. "Mafia Dev Diary: Celebrating 18 years in the life". Mafia - Official Website. Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  7. "The Easy Company opens in Prague". mcvuk.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  8. "Welcome 2K Czech: Take-Two brings Mafia dev Illusion Softworks into the family". engadget.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  9. Purchese, Robert (8 January 2008). "Take-Two acquires Illusion Softworks". eurogamer.net. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  10. "Take-Two swallows Illusion Softworks". arstechnica.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  11. Phillips, Tom (22 July 2011). "Mafia creator founds new studio". eurogamer.net. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  12. "Mafia 2 developer 2K Czech lays off 40". engadget.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  13. "40 staff axed from Mafia studio 2K Czech". mcvuk.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  14. "Mafia 3: 2K Czech hiring for new 'top secret, super interesting' triple-a title - VG247". vg247.com. 1 November 2012. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  15. "PROFIL: Vývojáři z 2K Czech dali světu kultovní Mafii". Euro.cz (in Czech). 23 November 2012.
  16. Doskocil, Jan (12 January 2014). "Vývoj Mafia 3 měl být v Americe zrestartován". Eurogamer.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  17. "Vývoj Mafia 3 byl zřejmě přesunut do Ameriky. 2K otevírá novou pobočku, která začne na hře pracovat od píky". cdr.cz (in Czech). Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  18. Horák, Aleš 'Alien'. "Mafia, Mafia 2 & Mafia 3" (in Czech). Retrieved 14 June 2020.
  19. Purchese, Robert (10 January 2014). "2K Czech restructuring, Mafia 3 moving to US?". eurogamer.net. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  20. emilygera (10 January 2014). "Mafia developer to close down Prague office as 2K Czech begins restructuring". Polygon. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  21. "'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.
  22. "Who The Hell Is Mafia III Developer Hangar 13?". Game Informer. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  23. "Have you seen these studios?". gamesindustry.biz. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
  24. "Mafia 3 developers Hangar 13 hit with layoffs". pcgamesn.com. Retrieved 24 February 2018.
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