Amanita Design is a Czech independent video game developing company founded in 2003 by Jakub Dvorský and headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic.[2] The company has created award-winning games including Machinarium, the Samorost series and Botanicula, as well as educational and advertising minigames and animations, all using Adobe Flash. Clients include BBC, Nike and The Polyphonic Spree. Since Pilgrims (2019) and Creaks (2020), the company has been using Unity to develop its games. Amanita Design currently operates in several smaller teams, each developing a game of their own. One of them is the upcoming cardboard-built adventure Phonopolis.
 | |
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Video games |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Founder | Jakub Dvorský |
| Headquarters | , |
| Products | List |
| Revenue | 83,809,000 Czech koruna (2021)  |
| 31,130,000 Czech koruna (2021) | |
| 25,234,000 Czech koruna (2021) | |
| Total assets | 140,226,000 Czech koruna (2021) |
Number of employees | 30 (2024)[1] |
| Website | amanita-design.net |
History
editSamorost 2 has won the Webby Award.[3] In 2009, Amanita Design released the award-winning game Machinarium. Botanicula was released in April 2012 as both a standalone purchase as well as the subject of the Humble Botanicula Debut. On 24 March 2016, they released Samorost 3 (the follow-up to Samorost 2).[4] The studio's eleventh project was Chuchel, which was released on 7 March 2018. In October 2019, the studio launched a non-linear adventure game Pilgrims on PC and Apple Arcade. In July 2020, Apple Arcade debuted Amanita's immersive puzzler Creaks, which was also released on PC, PlayStation 4, Xbox One and Nintendo Switch a week later. Amanita Design's latest release is the psychedelic horror Happy Game designed by Jaromír Plachý (Botanicula, CHUCHEL) and released in October 2021 on PC and Nintendo Switch. In February 2023, Happy Game arrived onto Google Play and iOS App Store.
On 18 May 2022, they announced a development of their first 3D adventure game - Phonopolis, featuring hand-crafted assets and traditional 12 FPS stop-motion animation.[5] Phonopolis made its playable debut at Day of the Devs (San Francisco Edition) in March 2024, and in the same week, received the IGF Excellence in Visual Art award at GDC - Amanita Design's 5th Independent Games Festival award.[6]
Games
edit| Title | Year | Platform(s) | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samorost | 2003 | Browser, Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS | Point and click adventure game |
| Rocketman | 2004 | Browser | Short game for Nike |
| The Quest for the Rest | 2004 | Browser | Short game for band Polyphonic spree |
| Samorost 2 | 2005 | Browser, Android, Windows, iOS, MacOS | Second game in the Samorost series |
| Questionaut | 2008 | Browser | Short educational game |
| Plachý Trpaslík | 2009 | Browser | Short platformer game |
| Machinarium | 2009 | Windows, iOS, PS3, PS Vita, PS4 Android, Nintendo Switch, Xbox One | First full-length game |
| Botanicula | 2012 | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Linux, Android | Second full-length game |
| Samorost 3 | 2016 | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android | Third game in the Samorost series |
| Chuchel | 2018 | Windows, MacOS, iOS, Android[7] | Comedy adventure game by Jaromír Plachý |
| Pilgrims | 2019 | iOS, Windows, MacOS, Linux | Non-linear adventure game[8] |
| Creaks | 2020 | Windows, MacOS, iOS, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch | Mystery puzzle game[9] |
| Happy Game | 2021 | Windows, MacOS, Nintendo Switch, iOS, Android | Psychedelic horror adventure[10] |
| Phonopolis | 2026 | TBA | A hand-crafted adventure game[5] |
Side projects
edit- Little Buddy Move - music video (programming) for Hidden Orchestra (2023)
- Vespering - music video for DVA by Jaromír Plachý (2016)
- Mulatu - music video for DVA by Jaromír Plachý (2013)
- Zorya - music album by Floex (2011)
- Kooky - puppet feature film and book by Jakub Dvorský (2010)
- Nunovó Tango - music video for DVA by Jaromír Plachý (2009)
- Plantage - music video for Under Byen by Jakub Dvorský (2004)
- Na tu svatbu - music video for Kamil Jasmín by Václav Blín (2002)
- Nusle - short film (2001)
- Psyride - psytrance music video (2001)
- Blanka Šperková - flash website by Jakub Dvorský
- Podvědomím - flash website by Jakub Dvorský
- Pantry - web toy by Jakub Dvorský
Team members and collaborators
edit- Jakub Dvorský (game designer, graphic artist, Amanita Design founder and CEO)
- Jaromír Plachý (game designer, animator, graphic artist)
- Václav Blín (animator, graphic artist)
- Adolf Lachman [cs] (graphic artist, painter, sculptor)
- Tomáš Dvořák (Floex) (musician)
- Tomáš Dvořák (Pif) (sound effects designer, production assistant, CFO)
- DVA (musicians) - Bára Ungerová and Jan Kratochvíl
- David Oliva (programmer)
- Jan Werner (programmer)
- Peter Stehlík (programmer)
Awards
edit- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Visual Art (2024)
- Adventure Gamers - The Aggie Awards - Best Sound Effects (2020)
- CEEGA - Best Visual Art (2020)
- CEEGA - Best Mobile Game (2020)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Visual Art (2018)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Audio Award - nominee (2018)
- Adventure Gamers - The Aggie Awards - Best Character, Animation and Sound Effects (2018)
- CEEGA - Best Visual Art (2018)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Visual Art - nominee (2014)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Audio Award - nominee (2014)
- Adventure Gamers - The Aggie Awards - Best Non-Traditional Adventure (2016)
- IndieCade - Story / World Design Award (2012)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Audio Award (2012)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Visual Art - nominee (2012)
- Adventure Gamers - The Aggie Awards - Best Animation (2012)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Excellence in Visual Art Award (2009)
- DICE Awards - Nomination for 13th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards (2009)
- Gamasutra - Best Indie Game of 2009[11]
- VGChartz.com - Best Indie Game of 2009
- PC Gamer - Best Soundtrack of 2009
- British Academy Award (BAFTA) - nominee (2009)
- Mochis Award - Best Game Art (2009)
- Flashforward Film Festival - winner in Original Sound category (2006)
- Seoul net festival - Best Web-Work Award (2006)
- Webby Award - winner in games category (2007)
- Annual Independent Games Festival - Best Web Browser Game (2007)[12]
- Top Talent Award - nominee (2003)
- Webby Award - nominee (2004)
References
edit- ^ "Video Game Developers in the Czech Republic". TechLoop. 28 July 2016. Archived from the original on 15 August 2016. Retrieved 12 August 2016.
- ^ INTERVIEW – In Conversation With Jakub Dvorsky, Founder Of Amanita Design And Creator Of Machinarium | Alternative Magazine Online
- ^ "Webby Nominees". webbyawards.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2012.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)[dead link] - ^ McElroy, Griffin. "Machinarium developer reveals three upcoming projects". Joystiq. Archived from the original on 28 May 2011. Retrieved 28 March 2011.
- ^ a b "Phonopolis". amanita-design.net. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
- ^ Fraňková, Ruth (26 March 2024). "Amanita Design's Phonopolis game wins prestigious prize in San Francisco". Radio Prague International. Retrieved 18 May 2024.
- ^ Dobrovský, Pavel. "Chuchel - představení nové hry od autora Botaniculy - Games.cz". Games.cz. Retrieved 11 June 2016.
- ^ "Amanita Design Just Released 'Pilgrims' Which Is a Brand New Adventure Game Available Now in Apple Arcade". Touch Arcade. 7 October 2019. Retrieved 7 October 2019.
- ^ "Amanita Design's next game is a sidescrolling platformer called Creaks". pcgamer. 9 October 2018. Retrieved 9 October 2018.
- ^ "Amanita Design announces horror adventure game Happy Game for Switch, PC". Gematsu. 15 December 2020. Retrieved 15 December 2020.
- ^ Gamasutra's Best Of 2009: Top 10 Indie Games, 18 December 2009
- ^ GDC 2007: INDEPENDENT GAMES FESTIVAL AWARDS, ign.com, 8 March 2007
External links
edit- Official website
- Amanita Design Blog (archived)