2K Czech (previously known as Illusion Softworks) is game development company located in Brno, Czech Republic. It was founded by Petr Vochozka and its venture capital investors, Cash Reform Group in 1997. The company focuses most on first-person shooters and third-person shooters games. As of November 2003[update], it had about 170 employees.
History[ | ]
The primary mission of Illusion Softworks is to develop games for PC and consoles (PlayStation, Dreamcast, Xbox etc.) The company's first well known game was Hidden & Dangerous in 1999 – tactical shooter game, where the player takes control of a four man British Special Air Service team executing a number of important sabotage and/or rescue campaigns during World War II. This game also represents the beginning of cooperation with worldwide publisher Take-Two Interactive. Their first 3D game was not so famous Flying Heroes, which featured fantasy mid-air action duels. In this game Illusion Softworks presented a brand new 3D engine called Ptero-Engine (game was developed together with Pterodon company). Illusion softworks' own 3D engine called LS3D engine was prepared for the game Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, which was first released in 2002. The game met great acclaim from critics and was even labeled the best game about The Mob because of its original plot and revolutionary capabilities within gameplay. In 2003 Illusion Softworks released two games. A first-person shooter game Vietcong situated in the Vietnam War which had been developed alongside with Pterodon using their enhanced engine Ptero-Engine II and a successful continuation of the adventures of an SAS team during World War II: Hidden & Dangerous 2, also made with the LS3D engine. The official sequel to the Vietcong, named Vietcong 2 was released in 2005 (In cooperation with Pterodon). Currently, they are working on the long awaited sequel to Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven, Mafia II. A few months ago they were also working on a first-person shooter game called Enemy in Sight, which would be a spiritual sequel to the Hidden and Dangerous series.
Another, less known game developed by Illusion Softworks is Lurid Land (released March 30, 1998), a platformer-puzzle game.[1]
Silver Wish Games was a division of Illusion Softworks. It was established in 2000 and closed early 2005.[2]
In January 2008, they were acquired by Take-Two Interactive and renamed 2K Czech.[3]
Games[ | ]
As Illusion Softworks[ | ]
- Hidden & Dangerous (1999) (PC, Dreamcast, PlayStation)
- Hidden & Dangerous: Fight for Freedom (1999) (PC)
- Flying Heroes (2000) (PC)
- Mafia: The City of Lost Heaven (2002) (PC, PS2, Xbox)
- Vietcong (2003) (PC)
- Hidden & Dangerous 2 (2003) (PC)
- Vietcong: Fist Alpha (2004) (PC)
- Hidden & Dangerous 2: Sabre Squadron (2004) (PC)
- Vietcong: Purple Haze (2004) (PC, PS2, Xbox)
- Vietcong 2 (2005) (PC)
As Silver Wish Games[ | ]
- Wings of War (2004) (PC, Xbox)
- Chameleon (video game) (2005) (PC)
- Circus Empire (2007) (PC)
As 2K Czech[ | ]
- Mafia II (2010) (PC, PS3, Xbox 360)
Cancelled games[ | ]
- Enemy in Sight (PC)