Hi! I am truly moved as I write this – more than five years ago, when I joined an informal group of developers at Charles University, I did not imagine myself writing an article to celebrate the fifth birthday of a proper studio that emerged out of it.
Yet, here we are! ⭐️ And since half a decade is not nothing, we have prepared some special things for you. Keep reading and remember: we are where we are in large part thanks to you, for keeping us company all these years. So, thank you from all of us at Charles Games.
To remind ourselves of the journey we've made so far, we created a little video. It is a look back at our humble beginnings as well as our subsequent accomplishments, featuring archive materials as well as commentary by our developers. We hope you like it – yes, you, specifically you, because without you, there would be no us.
Because we are truly grateful to you, our fans, without whom we wouldn’t be able to have made it so far. So, thank you, enjoy, and let’s meet soon. There will be many opportunities to do so in the near future.
The story of Charles Games begins way back in the 2010s, when people from multiple faculties of Charles University gathered to work on serious games. Their passion later made Attentat 1942 happen in 2017 – a game that went on to collect numerous awards, steering the direction of the then-assembling studio. Charles Games was founded in 2020, and Attentat 1942 was there once again, its mobile release being the first title the studio released, along with the next chapter in the form of Svoboda 1945: Liberation.
Since then, we have tried to craft a team and a company that wants something more out of games: to create titles that make an impact, that can be part of the conversation around important topics while remaining engaging. Now, in 2025, it is safe to say that it looks like we have succeeded.
A special occasion calls for special content, and what better way to capture one’s own path than with a timeline? Believe it or not, it also helped us put things in perspective – only after pausing in front of an empty document did we realize that we've done quite a lot over the last five years.
The fact that we’re still here and that we have multiple unannounced projects in the works is a testament to the demand for games about difficult topics, works that utilize interactivity in ways that go beyond entertainment. Not that there’s anything wrong with video games as leisure, but with our creations, we hope to push the whole medium forward at least a little bit. Because, in the end, we truly believe in the power of games to be an expressive medium of the 21st century.
And we can’t wait to show you more of what we’re working on. It’s going to be great, and it will come very soon.
Until then, best regards, Ondřej
Auschwitz liberation 80th anniversary is today
Hello, on 27 January 1945, Auschwitz concetrantion camp was liberated by allied forces – today, this date also marks the Holocaust Memorial Day. An opportunity to keep remembering the atrocities that happened, in order to not repeat them ever again.
Thank you for playing Attentat 1942 and doing just that. We always wanted to make a difference and seeing people play the game so long after the release is very moving. Thanks to you, we hope to add at least a bit of our own effort to remembering the horrors of the Holocaust.
As a reminder, we put this little snippet of Jakub Hein (who helped your in-game grandfather in Auschwitz) together: Thank you for being on this journey with us.
Ondřej Charles Games
Our New Game Velvet 89 is Out Now!
Our dearest historical adventure enjoyers, We are so thrilled to announce that our new game Velvet 89 is finally out and available for free!
Velvet 89 is a free game that will take you to the streets of several Czechoslovak cities, full of people who decided to speak up against an unjust regime – and a title attentive to some of the overlooked aspects of it all.
We'd love to hear your thoughts! Leave us a review, drop a comment, and share your perspective on the power of protests—how they have shaped history and how they continue to inspire change today.
Velvet 89 is also available on both phone and tablet devices, on App Store and Google Play so you can explore it on whichever platform you prefer. Dive in and experience the story wherever you are!
Meet our next game: Velvet 89! ✌️
Our very dear Attentat 1942 players, I am so happy to announce a new game by Charles Games coming in October 2024!
Velvet 89 is a free game that will take you to the streets of several Czechoslovak cities, full of people who decided to speak up against an unjust regime – and a title attentive to some of the overlooked aspects of it all.
It’s twice a first for Charles Games – a hidden-object game (we just love Hidden Folks) and a game about perhaps the most significant topic our country’s history in the last 35 years: The Velvet Revolution! We will let our new Steam page (including teaser!) to speak for itself:
With Velvet 89 we put a lot of effort into a) making sure the history is represented in a nuanced and truthful manner and b) stylized visuals with a paper-like quality to them.
You’ll be the judge of how successful we were in the fall, but until then, spread the word, wishlist (it helps) and look forward to the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution with us and Velvet 89.
Our new game Playing Kafka is out! 🏰
Hi everyone! I am happy to inform you that our free, narrative adventure Playing Kafka is out today!
It might not be a historical game per se, but our DNA is still very much in it. The game reimagines three books by Kafka and was made with Kafka experts. Can you find your way to the castle, out of the trial and to the heart of your father? Fully voiced adventure awaits!
Hi! It might not be a historical game per se, but it still very much has the Charles Games DNA it it: Playing Kafka is a narrative adventure based on the work of life of the famous absurdist writer. It comes out May 21 here, on Steam, 100% free. The fully-voiced game (in English, German and Czech) was developed with Kafka experts.
We poured our hearts (and evenings reading The Castle, The Trial and Letter to His Father) into the game. If you like what you see, wishlist, spread the word and help us
Playing Kafka follows in the footsteps of Svoboda 1945 and Attentat 1942. A narrative adventure that adapts three books, but is still rooted in real-life: Kafka’s biography as well as his apt social criticism.
We are really proud, so I hope you’ll also allow me to share the latest trailer, showcasing all the three chapters, based on three Kafka’s books: The Trial, The Castle and Letter to his Father.
We can’t wait to hear what you think on May 21st! So see you at the castle in three weeks.
Ondřej Charles Games
Our next game releases May 21st: Wishlist Playing Kafka now!
Hi everybody! We are so excited we can show you our next game: narrative adventure Playing Kafka!
To keep things short, let me just say that it will have three chapters, will adapt three works of Franz Kafka and it’s gonna be free and fully voiced in three languages!
Welcome to Playing Kafka, an adventure about the alienation of modern society as well as unresolved family issues. Created with leading Kafka experts.
Head below to our Steam page to learn everything about Playing Kafka, a game full of impenetrable schemes, insidious plot twists and conversations that slip out of hand:
Our climate card strategy Beecarbonize is out on Steam!
In short: Beecarbonize is finally out there! On Steam, I mean. A big moment for us, diving into a different genre and topic, while never sacrificing what makes our games unique.
Beecarbonize 100% free, no ads, no microtransactions. A card game, yes, but one that is as much socially engaged as our historical titles. This time, a roguelike-inspired strategy.
Give it a go and let us know what you think and leave a review!
Our free card strategy Beecarbonize is coming to Steam!
Hello, hope you are all having a great summer! ☀️ We are, since our card climate strategy game Beecarbonize is coming to Steam, finally! Do you have what it takes to save the planet? Serious theme once again, but a totally different genre to what you might expect from us - but more than 80 000 players from mobile platforms seem to be quite happy. 😌
Beecarbonize is 100% free, no ads, no microtransactions. Releases very soon!
And we can’ wait what you, our dear players, think about it! Let us know, since Beecarbonize represents a step in a different directions for us, without sacrificing what made our games special - and we hope you will agree.
