Czech Games Industry Study
We Monitor the State of the Czech Games Development Industry
The monitoring of the industry is the key project of our association. Our goal is to assess and present the importance of the games industry, its economic nature, impact, and specifics and benefits for the society. Our findings help set the correct direction for the games industry, identify places for improvement, and support and communicate the industry needs directly to the public sector.
Czech Games Industry Is an Important Part of Our Culture
After years of growth, the Czech gaming industry is expected to cool down
In 2022, the turnover of Czech gaming companies exceeded 7.5 billion CZK, which is a 17% increase from 2020. Given the current situation in the gaming industry in the world and our country, however, the turnover for 2023 is estimated to stagnate or decrease slightly.
Czech Games Industry Is on Par With the World’s Top Leading Companies
Currently, there are about 180 studios in the gaming industry, most of which are located in Prague (54%) and Brno (21%). Czech gaming companies are at the top with world leaders, and Czech videogames are very successful around the world. The industry is highly export-oriented – as much as 98% of customers are from abroad, mainly from USA, Germany, Great Britain, Russia and China.
The Lack of Qualified Workforce Is Prevalent in the Whole Entertainment Sector
Czech game development companies employ more than 2 600 employees. Yet more than 60% of companies state that they lack a qualified workforce. Education in the fields of computer game development is currently underdeveloped. Only a couple of Czech universities are focusing on computer games and the number of graduates each year does not meet the demand of a constantly growing industry. Studios then turn their attention to the international job market. More than half of the companies are employing at least one foreigner (mainly from the member states of the EU) and the average ratio of Czech vs. foreign employees for Czech companies is 36%.
Czech Games Development Industry Excels in Its Self-Sufficiency
The key success indicator for new Czech companies are investors and access to capital. The main source of equity is personal investments. Nearly half of the studios are completely financed without external investment, only 19% of studios received an investment. 14% of studios took advantage of non-financial support such as presence on gaming trade fairs or incubation programs, many of which were supported or organized by the Czech Game Developers Association.
Gaming Is Generating More Revenue Than the Czech Films Industry
The games industry is a major force of the digital economy. Digital distribution has seen significant growth and exceeded the retail distribution. It is also categorized as a cultural and creative industry and generates revenue multiple times higher than the Czech film production. However, the support of government bodies does not reflect the importance of the industry. The Czech games industry needs systemic support especially for visa accessibility, direct and indirect support for new companies, and longterm support of specialized education.
“The games industry is a major sector of our economy and we need to support it in all areas, including education, investment, and equity. Interest in gaming is constantly growing and we expect it to grow even further in the future. However, to maintain the growth and take full advantage of the value the games industry brings, we need to increase the support from the government bodies both on national and European level,“ says Pavel Barák, the chairman of Czech Game Developers Association.
Czech Game Developers Association is actively working with governmental bodies to extend the support of the Czech games industry. We can communicate the needs of the industry directly and help secure the economical climate where the industry can keep stable growth.“
