Jakub Dvorský
The visionary Czech designer behind Amanita Design, who crafted hauntingly beautiful point-and-click worlds like Machinarium and Botanicula.
Born 1978 (age 48)·How are your dogs?·Birthday: August 19·Generation X
Biography
Jakub Dvorský created the surreal web game 'Samorost' while still a student at the Academy of Arts, Architecture and Design in Prague. The wordless adventure spread across the internet without marketing or hype. In 2003, he founded Amanita Design as a collective of artists and musicians rather than a traditional studio, prioritizing hand-crafted visuals and atmospheric storytelling. The studio released 'Machinarium,' a robot fable without dialogue, then 'Botanicula,' a whimsical exploration of a tree's ecosystem. Each game operates as an interactive piece of folk art, drawing on Central European sensibilities. Dvorský favors mystery and discovery over mechanical challenge. His work from a small Brno office helped define narrative-driven game design as an artistic medium.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Jakub was born in 1978, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Jakub Was Born
The biggest hits of 1978
#1 Movie
Grease
Best Picture
The Deer Hunter
#1 TV Show
Laverne & Shirley
Jakub's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1978Born
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1983Started school
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1991Became a teenager
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
1994Could drive
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Could vote
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
1999Turned 21
Columbine shooting; Y2K panic builds
Gas: $1.17/galHome: $113,900Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Believe" — CherBest Picture: American Beauty
2008Turned 30
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 40
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 48 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Founded the independent game studio Amanita Design, known for its distinctive artistic and musical style.
- Created and directed the award-winning adventure game 'Machinarium', which won the IGF Excellence in Visual Art award in 2009.
- Designed the original 'Samorost' web game, which gained a massive cult following and launched his career.
Did You Know?
The name 'Amanita Design' is derived from the Amanita muscaria mushroom, known for its distinctive red cap with white spots.
Dvorský's games often feature music by the band DVA, who are frequent collaborators.
He initially studied film and TV graphics before focusing fully on game design.
The studio is known for avoiding traditional publishers, often releasing games independently.
“I like to make games that are a bit strange and a bit quiet.”
