Amanita Design

Amanita Design is an independent game development studio based in Brno, Czech Republic. Founded in 2003 by Jakub Dvorský, the studio first became known for browser-based interactive animations and experimental projects before expanding into full commercial game development. Its games generally use limited text and conventional dialogue, relying instead on hand-crafted visuals, environmental sound, character animation, and interactive scenes to communicate story and atmosphere. The studio's best-known works include the Samorost series, Machinarium, Botanicula, Chuchel, and Pilgrims. These titles commonly combine point-and-click exploration with object interaction, environmental observation, and situational puzzles. Their tone often blends fairy-tale imagery, absurd humor, and whimsical character design. Recurring visual motifs include mechanical contraptions, natural organisms, miniature settlements, and anthropomorphic figures. Unlike large publisher-led game businesses, Amanita Design is associated with small-scale, author-driven production and a strong emphasis on coherence between art, sound, and interaction design. Its games have appeared on personal computers, mobile devices, and selected console platforms, giving the studio a sustained presence in the international independent-game market. Publicly available information is insufficient to establish its revenue, employee count, or ownership structure.

Amanita Design was established in the Czech Republic in 2003 by Jakub Dvorský. In its early period, the studio released interactive animations and experimental projects for the web, developing a distinctive approach based on illustrated visuals, little or no written dialogue, and environmental interaction. The early Samorost projects established a recognizable style built around strange natural settings, miniature mechanical worlds, and point-and-click exploration. The release of Machinarium in 2009 was a major turning point. Set in a robot city, the game combined hand-crafted backgrounds, point-and-click exploration, and situational puzzles. Its international reception made Amanita Design one of the best-known Czech independent game studios. The studio subsequently continued to develop original games centered on unusual worlds and experimental forms of interaction. Botanicula combined ecological imagery, music, and accessible puzzles, while Samorost 3 expanded the series' exploration and audiovisual presentation. Later releases such as Chuchel and Pilgrims retained the studio's humorous, absurd, and low-text design philosophy while changing the structure of interaction and storytelling. Amanita Design continues to focus on original independent games distributed across computers, mobile devices, and selected consoles. Reliable public information about its ownership, workforce, and internal management history remains limited.

• 2009

  Machinarium Released

  Machinarium combined a robot city, hand-drawn visuals, and point-and-click puzzles, significantly raising Amanita Design's international profile.

• 2003

  Studio Founded

  Jakub Dvorský founded Amanita Design in the Czech Republic; the studio initially focused on interactive animations and experimental web projects.

An international independent game studio known for its strong authorial style, handcrafted visual design, environmental storytelling, and unconventional puzzle mechanics.

• Point-and-click adventure game · 2003

  Samorost

  A signature adventure series built around miniature planets, natural environments, and mechanical elements. Players progress by observing scenes, clicking on environmental details, and triggering interactions, with limited reliance on written exposition.

• Point-and-click puzzle adventure game · 2009

  Machinarium

  A point-and-click puzzle adventure set in a city inhabited by robots. It tells its story through illustrated environments, character animation, sound, and object interaction, and is one of Amanita Design's most internationally recognized games.

• Puzzle adventure game · 2012

  Botanicula

  A puzzle adventure centered on an ecosystem inhabited by plants and tiny creatures. It emphasizes exploration, music, and environmental interaction while continuing the studio's low-text, visually driven design.

• Comedy adventure game · 2018

  Chuchel

  A comedic adventure built around exaggerated character animation and situational interaction. Its sequence of short scenes and visual gags reflects Amanita Design's interest in absurd humor and unconventional storytelling.

• Adventure game · 2019

  Pilgrims

  An adventure game built around card-like items and character interactions. Players can experiment with different combinations and routes, extending the studio's point-and-click foundations with a more experimental structure.

• Narrative puzzle adventure game · 2023

  Phonopolis

  A narrative puzzle adventure presented through a distinctive paper-art visual style, continuing Amanita Design's emphasis on original art direction, environmental interaction, and unconventional storytelling.