2K Czech

2K Czech was one of the most successful Czech development studios in history. Its roots date back to 1997, when the studio Illusion Softworks was founded in Brno. Within a few years, it had gained worldwide fame thanks to its original action games and realistic storytelling. In 2008, the studio was renamed 2K Czech after becoming part of 2K Games and the publisher Take-Two Interactive.

The studio’s most famous game is undoubtedly Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, which was released in 2002 and is still considered one of the best story-driven action games of all time. In the game, players took on the role of taxi driver Tommy Angelo, who gradually becomes entangled in the world of organised crime in the fictional city of Lost Heaven, inspired by 1930s America. This success was followed by the sequel Mafia II, which featured more modern graphics, cinematic storytelling and an open world.

The studio was also behind the tactical war series Hidden & Dangerous, which was among the pioneers of modern military games, and played a significant role in the development of the tennis series Top Spin, which gained popularity thanks to its realistic portrayal of the sport and high-quality physics.

The developers at 2K Czech were renowned for their attention to detail, well-crafted storylines, authentic atmosphere and technical quality. Their games regularly received high ratings and helped the Czech games industry establish itself on the world stage.

In 2017, the studio was fully integrated into Hangar 13, which took over development of the Mafia series. Nevertheless, the name 2K Czech remains, amongst gamers, a symbol of the golden age of Czech game development and the creators of some of the best narrative-driven action games of all time.