The video game industry in Slovakia is slowly shaping into a productive economic segment, with both men and women involved in creating and developing new and exciting games. Right now, the annual revenue is at about $17 million, but the experts say that, by 2022, the revenue will reach around $21 million, with a growth rate of 4.9%.
However, the niche is not as well-developed as to have their own legislative regulations and/or protections, which is why the Slovak Game Developers Association (or the SGDA) was formed. The team supports the further development of the industry and helps developers gain visibility and awareness.
As of 2018, there were over 35 gaming companies registered in Slovakia, with about 580 professionals and over 268 games released. According to SGDA data, most companies activating in the game development industry were developed during the last ten years, with 25% being brand new. This shows the future of Slovakian gaming is quite bright and we should expect more from this corner of Europe in the upcoming years.
But, before considering the future, let’s have a look at some of the most important developers that made it into history for their fantastic work.
Ultrasoft
This company was active between 1989 and 1998 and managed to produce over 40 titles that were played by people all over the world. Ultrasoft was one of the best-known gaming companies in Europe in the 1990s, and their most important games were Towdie (an adventure game) and Atomix and Hexagonia (puzzle games). The company focused on action-adventure games, puzzles, shooting games, which is one of the reasons they were so popular.
Cauldron
Founded in 1996, the company is still active today, but as part of the Bohemia Interactive Slovakia, creating new titles and supporting the industry’s development. By 2018, they released over 20 titles and focus on adventure games that allow the player to explore exciting worlds. Titles such as ‘Conan’ and ‘History Civil War: Secret Missions’ are part of their portfolio, and one of the co-founders is actively involved in the SGDA.
Cypronia
They started in 1996 under the name of Ablaze Entertainment, changed their name to Cypron Studios in 2001, and finally settled for Cypronia and decided to develop games for the Nintendo DS and Wii platforms. Their main genres are real-time strategy games, RPGs, FPS (first person shooter), and survival. The company is well-known for Wii players for their recent game series, Cube Life, which is a sandbox survival action.
Pixel Federation
As one of the best 20 Facebook game developers in the EMEA region, Pixel Federation is also considered one of the fastest-growing start-up companies in the Central and Eastern Europe. They currently employ over 200 people and focus on developing browser and app games.
The browser games developed by Pixel Federation are easy to play and free, just like the basketball games you like to play from time to time. Some of their most interesting titles are ‘Diggy’s Adventure,’ a puzzle that allows players to enjoy exploration and some witty adventures, and Seaport, a 3D game that takes the player on a fun sea trip.
Games Distillery
Founded in 2008, the company only has a couple of titles in their portfolio, but this doesn’t mean they don’t have the time to improve. For now, their most famous games are Aqua (an arcade shooter that works on Windows and Xbox 360 platforms) and Citadels (a strategy game designed for Windows).
While none of these is the world’s hardest game, they do pose some challenges, and most casual players who love a bit of adventure would love them!
Outerra
While not exactly a game development company, Outerra is activating in the computer software niche, and they are best known for creating a 3D planetary graphics engine called Outerra. This engine processes data to develop realistic-looking terrain, maps, flora, water, and other elements that are usually present on a planetary body.
This is an annual event designed to recognize extraordinary accomplishments in the video game industry and encourage companies to push forward in their efforts. While the incident took place for the first time in 2017, it is a huge step in the right direction for recognizing the big names of the niche (both veterans and newcomers).
For 2017, there were four nominations, one for each category, and the big winner was ‘Viking: Wolves of Midgard’ by Games Farm, a new name in the Slovak gaming niche. Overall, the event is impressive, and we hope it will continue celebrating beautiful titles for many years to come!
As you can see, the gaming industry is thriving in Slovakia. According to the data, the online games niche is the most powerful, with over $7 million in market volume in 2018, but the entire industry produces an average revenue per user of about $20.84.
But, the niche wasn’t always this popular; the fame is somewhat recent, and it started around 2013 when over 30 games from 14 studios were published worldwide. Regardless, we’re glad that Slovakian studios and developers are finally receiving well-deserved recognition!
