CZECH CENTRES INTRODUCE: INFINITE UNIVERSES – A NEW EXHIBITION PROJECT MAPPING THE CZECH VIDEO GAME INDUSTRY
Press release from the 5th of December 2023, Czech Centres
Infinite Universes –The Czech Games and Their Global Success is the name of a new exhibition project introducing Czechia as an established name in the international video game community. The exhibition will be launched during Game Developers Session Prague 2023, a video game industry conference taking place on the 8th and the 9th of December 2023 in Prague’s Congress Centre. In 2024 it will make its way abroad through the Czech Centres network.
Initiated by Czech Centres and created in close cooperation with Visiongame (The Archive of Czech and Slovak Developers and Gamers), the exhibition aims to display Czech video game industry in all its forms, not only through the end-product of the games themselves, but also by showing specific stages of the creative process, which characterize individual developer studios and their approaches to their chosen topics or issues, and other connections with art or education. The exhibition was made with the support of Alza.cz, GDACZ (Czech game Developers Association), Prusa Research, and Soundsgate. The PPF Foundation supported the project financially.
Jitka Pánek Jurková, the Director-General of Czech Centres, commented on the project: “We know from experience that Czech video games and the Czech video game industry in general have a good reputation abroad, including many prestigious awards. And yet video game fans often have no idea of their favorite games’ origins. That was one of the reasons for the creation of this project curated by an expert from the ranks of Czech developers themselves, taking form in an exhibition of the most famous, indie, or unique Czech video games, to introduce their stories and the creative elements of their development. We want the world to see that Czechia has great developers capable of building their reputation internationally.“
A RICH EXHiBITION CONCEPT
The selection of exhibits curated by Miroslav Žák, founder of Visiongame, focuses on audiovisual qualities of the games as well as their relationship to Czech culture and history. Czech video games are influenced by the Czech tradition of authorial animation, they excel in unique solutions for their inner structures, incorporating their audio design, and in the way they work with stories, not shying away from discussing social themes. Moreover, video games developed in Czechia gain international attention and awards for their creative approaches, inspiring messages, artistic qualities, and educational characteristics.
Founder of The Archive of Czech and Slovak Developers and Gamers and curator of the exhibition Miroslav Žák says: “My choices for the exhibition were made based on the list of the most successful titles played by millions of gamers world-wide. But the exhibition also includes small or medium-sized projects, which have been developed by independent studios, offering interesting artistic or authorial solutions. The visitors may look forward to original authorial projects that immerse you in their infinite universes. It is going to be a unique experience for non-gamers and gamers alike.“
Czechia is home to more than 130 developer companies, employing over 2000 people. There are new specialized university programs being made, schools, incubators or accelerators, pushing the whole industry forward.
Jana Tomas Sedláčková, a member of the PPF Foundation’s board of directors explains: “This is going to be the first exhibition to offer a comprehensive look at Czech gaming, an area where artistic and technical talents of Czech developers meet, to an international audience. I believe it is important to remind the world that Czechia has a lot to offer, which is the main reason for our support of Infinite Universes. Not to mention that Czech video games often follow the strong Czech tradition of authorial animation, which is a long-term point of interest to the PPF Foundation. We support for example the Worlds of Czech Animation exhibition or the Anifilm festival.”
The necessary technical equipment for the exhibition has been provided by Alza.cz. Their Division-Director Jan Horáček adds:
“We are happy to help the Infinite Universes exhibition by providing hardware equipment, including gaming laptops, video game consoles, monitors and tablets totaling at 350 000 CZK. Visitors will be able to live an interactive and fascinating experience thanks to our support. Alza.cz offers various gaming equipment such as video games, consoles and PCs, including accessories and merchandise. We have a lot of fun supporting gaming and entertainment. We are looking forward to new projects and innovations in this exciting industry.”
A SERIES OF TOPICAL VIDEO INTERVIEWS
The project is accompanied by a series of 10 short videos made in collaboration with Radio Prague International (RPI), introducing selected representatives of the Czech gaming scene. The videos are available on the Web page and the Facebook page of the Czech Centres or RPI.
