Charles Games
Charles Games is a Prague-based indie game studio that develops narrative-driven historical and educational video games for consumers, schools, museums, and cultural institutions, and distributes the Charles Engine Unity toolkit for FMV game creation.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersPrague, Czechia
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingSoftware
What Charles Games does
Charles Games is a Prague-based indie game studio, registered in the Czech Republic (IČO 08884731), that develops narrative-driven historical and educational video games for two principal customer sets: individual consumers purchasing titles through digital storefronts (Steam, App Store, Google Play, Nintendo Switch, Itch.io, Humble Store) and institutional clients — including museums, schools, tourism boards, and NGOs — who commission co-developed educational and cultural game experiences. The studio's catalog spans World War II testimony (Attentat 1942, Svoboda 1945: Liberation, Train to Sachsenhausen), Czech modern history (Velvet 89, Digistories Alex and Nela), literary/cultural subjects (Playing Kafka, Playing Prague), climate education (Beecarbonize), and conflict testimony (We Grew Up in War). All titles are based on primary-source research, real testimonies, or expert collaboration.
The studio's core proprietary technology is Charles Engine, a Unity-based toolkit for creating FMV (Full Motion Video) games without coding. It includes a node-based dialogue flow editor with visual debugging, video and text dialogue modes with automatic subtitle import, ready-to-use interactive scene scripts, a variable system with runtime monitoring, a multi-profile save/load system, and I2 Localization integration, with builds for Windows, Android, iOS, and Linux. Charles Engine is distributed free through the Unity Asset Store and functions as an ecosystem-buildout play rather than a direct revenue stream. The studio also operates multi-platform deployment capability across PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, WebGL, and Nintendo Switch.
Charles Games generates revenue through three streams: one-time-purchase consumer game sales, contracted game development services (design, gamification, art direction) for external clients, and EU-funded project grants (notably the 1Planet4All programme and Czech National Recovery Plan). Notable co-development partners include the War Childhood Museum (We Grew Up in War), Goethe-Institut Prague (Playing Kafka), People in Need (Beecarbonize, Ashti & Hana, Digistories), Prague City Tourism (Playing Prague), EVZ Foundation and Živá paměť (Train to Sachsenhausen), and One World in Schools (Velvet 89, Digistories). The studio has accumulated eleven or more industry recognitions including Apple Design Awards Social Impact Finalist (2021), Czech Game of the Year (2017), Games for Change Best Learning Game (2018), A MAZE Most Amazing Game (2018), and TIGA Best Educational Game (2018). Ownership appears concentrated among the founding team with no identified venture capital or external institutional investors.
Charles Games firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Charles Games
- Legal name
- Charles Games
- Website
- https://charlesgames.net
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- Charles Games is a Prague-based indie game studio that develops narrative-driven historical and educational video games for consumers, schools, museums, and cultural institutions, and distributes the Charles Engine Unity toolkit for FMV game creation.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Charles Games industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Indie Video Games
- NAICS
- Software Publishers (513210), Software Publishers (5132)
- SIC
- Services-Motion Picture & Video Tape Production (7812)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios (MPAFAAAL)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Game UI/UX, Scripting & Visual Authoring Tools (MPAFAFAK), Serious Games & Simulation Studios (Training, Defense, Enterprise) (MPAFAAAH), Simulation, Scenario & Serious Games Design (EDAGAKAH)
Keywords
Where Charles Games is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Prague
- HQ country
- Czechia
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices1 record
Markets served
Charles Games business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Game Sales: Sale of narrative and educational video games as one-time purchases across multiple platforms including PC, mobile, and console
- Charles Engine (Free Tool): Proprietary game development toolkit offered free for Unity developers to create FMV games
- Game Development Services: Contracted game development, game design, gamification, and art direction services for external clients and educational institutions
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Beecarbonize - Free to play |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels4 records
Charles Games product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Charles Games is a Prague-based indie studio that develops and publishes narrative-driven historical and educational video games (such as Attentat 1942, Svoboda 1945, Velvet 89, Playing Kafka, Beecarbonize) for PC, mobile, and console platforms. The company also offers the Charles Engine, a free Unity toolkit for creating FMV (Full Motion Video) games with no coding required, and provides contracted game development, gamification, and art direction services to external clients and educational institutions.
Product overview
Charles Games is an award-winning Prague-based indie game studio offering a portfolio of narrative-driven games and game development tools. Their game catalog includes historical educational games (We Grew Up in War, Velvet 89, Playing Kafka, Attentat 1942, Svoboda 1945: Liberation, Train to Sachsenhausen), climate/ecology games (Beecarbonize), and educational games for schools (Digistories series, Ashti & Hana). The company also offers Charles Engine, a Unity-based toolkit for creating FMV (Full Motion Video) games with no coding required, available on the Unity Asset Store. Beyond their own game releases, they provide game development services including game design, gamification, and art direction, with multi-platform deployment capabilities (PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, WebGL, Nintendo Switch).
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Charles Engine: A complex toolkit for creating FMV (Full Motion Video) games in Unity
Products and services
- We Grew Up in War A narrative adventure game showing war through the eyes of children, based on real testimonies from Sarajevo and Ukraine conflicts. Features non-linear storytelling with light puzzle gameplay and over 20 interactive micro-stories.
- Playing Prague A relaxing bohemian puzzle game where players build historical Prague cityscapes by matching patterns using symbols from Prague's Old Town, featuring historical figures. Developed for Prague City Tourism.
- Velvet 89 A revolutionary hidden-object game about the fall of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia, featuring five cities and six protests of the Velvet Revolution. Based on real testimonies developed with Stories of Injustice experts.
- Playing Kafka A narrative adventure game based on Kafka's life and work, featuring a fully voiced branching story, atmospheric puzzles, and fateful decisions. Developed in collaboration with Goethe-Institut.
- Beecarbonize A climate survival strategy card game where players research technologies, enact policies, protect ecosystems, and modernize industry to cut carbon emissions. Developed with climate experts from People in Need. Available for free on Google Play, App Store, Steam, and Itch.io.
- Attentat 1942 A historically-accurate World War II narrative adventure told through the eyes of survivors. Features moral dilemmas and existential struggles. Available on PC, Android, iOS, and Nintendo Switch. Won multiple awards including Apple Design Awards Social Impact Finalist 2021.
- Svoboda 1945: Liberation A historical adventure set in Czech borderlands after WW2. Players reveal scars of the past and forgotten injustices. Available on PC, Mac, iOS, and Nintendo Switch.
- Train to Sachsenhausen A history-based game about the closing of universities in Czechoslovakia in November 1939. Created in cooperation with Živá paměť and EVZ Foundation. Available on Android, iOS, and PC.
- Ashti & Hana Educational games teaching water-saving and sustainability in Iraqi Kurdistan, developed in cooperation with People in Need and Iraqi authorities. Currently in use in Iraqi Kurdistan schools.
- Charles Engine A complex toolkit for creating FMV (Full Motion Video) games in Unity. Features node-based dialogue flow editor with visual debugging, video/text dialogue modes, automatic subtitle import, interactive scene scripts, variable system, save/load system with multiple profiles, and I2 Localization integration. No coding required. Available on Unity Asset Store as a free download.
- Game Development Services Full-service game development including design, art direction, and multi-platform deployment (PC, Mac, Linux, iOS, Android, WebGL, Nintendo Switch). Works have been internationally recognized for design, stories, and art direction.
- Game Design and Gamification Services Educational and serious game creation services covering topics from history to ecology, leveraging experience in serious games development.
- Art Direction Services Award-winning art direction services delivering visions across multiple platforms including mobile and desktop.
Companies that use Charles Games
Customer profileNamed customers4 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Charles Games technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature6 records
Charles Games partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- War Childhood MuseumcoreCollaborative development of 'We Grew Up in War' in close cooperation with the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo. Based on interviews and years of historical research with input from Ukrainian and Bosnian communities.
- One World in SchoolscoreEducational programme One World in Schools collaborated on Velvet 89 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the Velvet Revolution as part of the Stories of Injustice project.
- Goethe-InstitutcoreDeveloped 'Playing Kafka' in collaboration with the Goethe-Institut, Prague to commemorate the centenary of Kafka's death.
- People in NeedcoreDeveloped Beecarbonize in cooperation with leading climate experts from NGO People in Need as part of the 1Planet4All project financed by the European Union.
- Živá paměťminorCreated 'Train to Sachsenhausen' in cooperation with Živá paměť (Living Memory) historical organization.
- EVZ FoundationminorCreated 'Train to Sachsenhausen' in cooperation with EVZ Foundation.
- One World Schools (JSNS)coreCollaborated with People in Need's One World Schools (JSNS) education programme to create the Digistories video game series including Alex and Nela for use in Czech schools.
- Prague City TourismcoreDeveloped 'Playing Prague' for Prague City Tourism as a celebration of Prague's historic city center.
- Stories of Injustice ProjectcoreCreated Velvet 89 as part of the Stories of Injustice project which aims to introduce Czech modern history to young people.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights7 records
Charles Games competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Niantic: Developer of Pokémon GO and other location-based, education-adjacent games. Comparable as a broader player in the educational and socially impactful games space, though at dramatically larger scale and a different delivery model.
- Telltale Games: Historically the dominant narrative-adventure studio (The Walking Dead, Wolf Among Us). Comparable in narrative-adventure DNA and edutainment-adjacent storytelling, though Telltale operated at much larger scale and ultimately shut down, illustrating the fragility of the model.
Direct peers
- Playdead: Danish indie studio (Limbo, Inside) producing atmospheric, narrative-driven adventure games with strong critical reception. Comparable as a small, award-winning studio whose success depends on artistic narrative craft rather than scale or live operations.
- Filament Games: Madison, Wisconsin studio that specializes in educational and serious games for schools, museums, and NGOs. Comparable in business model as a dedicated educational/serious-games studio that develops commissioned learning products alongside its own IP.
- Amanita Design: Czech indie studio (Brno) known for artistic, narrative-driven point-and-click and adventure games (Machinarium, Creaks). Highly comparable as a similarly sized Czech indie making stylistically distinctive, story-led games with strong international recognition.
- Mimimi Games: Munich-based indie studio known for high-quality narrative/strategy titles (Shadow Tactics, Desperados III). Comparable as a small-to-mid European studio whose identity rests on narrative craft and strong reviews rather than mass-market scale.
- Simogo: Swedish two-person indie studio producing stylized, narrative-driven adventure games (Year Walk, Device 6, Sayonara Wild Hearts). Comparable as a small, award-winning boutique studio whose identity rests on narrative craft and distinctive art direction rather than scale.
- D'Avekki Studios: UK-based studio specializing in FMV (full motion video) adventure games such as The Shapeshifting Detective and Night Call. Closely comparable because both studios build products on FMV/interactive video technology, an otherwise rare specialization in the indie space.
Regional players
- Larian Studios: Prague-headquartered studio behind Baldur's Gate 3 and the Divinity series. Comparable as a fellow Prague-based narrative/RPG studio, though Larian operates at vastly larger scale and is a regional rather than direct competitor.
- Warhorse Studios: Czech studio (Prague) behind Kingdom Come: Deliverance, which similarly treats Central European history as a core narrative theme. Comparable in subject matter and origin, though it operates at AAA scope rather than indie scale.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
Charles Games social profiles
Digital presenceCharles Games financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Charles Games leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
Charles Games funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Charles Games M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Charles Games
What does Charles Games do?
Charles Games is a Prague-based indie studio that develops and publishes narrative-driven historical and educational video games (such as Attentat 1942, Svoboda 1945, Velvet 89, Playing Kafka, Beecarbonize) for PC, mobile, and console platforms. The company also offers the Charles Engine, a free Unity toolkit for creating FMV (Full Motion Video) games with no coding required, and provides contracted game development, gamification, and art direction services to external clients and educational institutions.
Is Charles Games a public or private company?
Charles Games is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Charles Games founded?
Charles Games was founded in -1. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is Charles Games based?
Charles Games is headquartered in Prague, Czechia, in the Europe region.
How does Charles Games make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Game Sales are the primary driver. The others are charles Engine (Free Tool) and game Development Services.
Who are Charles Games's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Niantic and Telltale Games. Direct peers are Playdead, Filament Games, Amanita Design, Mimimi Games, Simogo and D'Avekki Studios. Regional players are Larian Studios and Warhorse Studios.
Does Charles Games have an API?
No public API is recorded for Charles Games.
What industry is Charles Games in?
Charles Games's product category is Indie Video Games. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAFAAAL, Narrative/Adventure & RPG Game Studios, with a secondary code of MPAFAFAK, Game UI/UX, Scripting & Visual Authoring Tools. Its NAICS code is 513210 and its SIC code is 7812.