Amanita Design

Amanita Design is a Czech independent video game developing company founded in 2003 by Jakub Dvorský and headquartered in Prague, Czech Republic. 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''.

History

Amanita Design was founded in 2003. '' Samorost 2'' won the Webby Award. 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''). 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. ''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.

On 26 March 2025, the studio announced that from 26 March to 2 April, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of games and DLC will be used to help Ukraine.

Games

Side projects

* 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

* Jakub Dvorský (game designer, graphic artist, Amanita Design founder and CEO)
* Jaromír Plachý (game designer, animator, graphic artist)
* Václav Blín (animator, graphic artist)
* (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

;'' Phonopolis''
* Annual Independent Games Festival – Excellence in Visual Art (2024)
;'' Creaks''
* Adventure Gamers – The Aggie Awards – Best Sound Effects (2020)
* CEEGA – Best Visual Art (2020)
;'' Pilgrims''
* CEEGA – Best Mobile Game (2020)
;'' Chuchel''
* 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)
;'' Samorost 3''
* 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)
;'' Botanicula''
* 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)
;'' Machinarium''
* 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
* VGChartz.com – Best Indie Game of 2009
* PC Gamer – Best Soundtrack of 2009
;'' Questionaut''
* British Academy Award (BAFTA) – nominee (2009)
* Mochis Award – Best Game Art (2009)
;'' Samorost 2''
* 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)''GDC 2007: INDEPENDENT GAMES FESTIVAL AWARDS''
ign.com, 8 March 2007
;'' Samorost''
* Top Talent Award – nominee (2003)
* Webby Award – nominee (2004)

References

External links

*
Amanita Design Blog
(archived)

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Video game development companies
Video game companies of the Czech Republic
Video game companies established in 2003
Companies based in Brno
Czech companies established in 2003