Virtuos has announced the launch of Virtuos Labs – Prague, its latest studio dedicated to networking, UI, mobile, and optimization. Partners will be able to tap on the studio for support in online services, software development and operations (DevOps), UI implementation in games, co-development of mobile games and adaptation of PC and console games to mobile, as well as CPU and GPU performance optimization for games across all platforms, among other solutions.

Virtuos Labs – Prague is the fourth studio in the Virtuos Labs network, which focuses on providing clients advanced engineering solutions in commercial and proprietary engines. It will be overseen by Jan Herodes, General Manager, who brings with him over 15 years of experience in mobile game production and live operations (LiveOps).

He began his career as a video game journalist before taking on product management and producer roles at Disney Interactive Studios, Bohemia Interactive, and Keen Software House. To date, Jan has shipped over 30 games including Pirates of the Caribbean: Master of the Seas, Thor: Son of Asgard, Finding Nemo, Space Engineers (DLCs), and Ylands.

Jan said:

“Czechia is a rising global game development hub and Prague is at the centre of its growth. This is supported by a rapidly growing talent pool, thanks to game development-focused programs at local universities. I am certain that Virtuos Labs – Prague can benefit from and contribute to the young and capable talent pool, and provide outstanding technical services to our valued clients.”

Virtuos Labs – Prague is actively hiring and aims to grow to a team of 20 employees by the end of 2023. It will be working on projects alongside the existing Virtuos Labs in Lyon, Montpellier, and Warsaw, complementing their respective specializations in R&D, proprietary game engine development, and graphic rendering. Projects currently in the global pipeline include the development of a performance tracking and automated testing platform, a bespoke procedural cinematics tool, and the implementation of a UI and player customization feature.

Jan is joined by Otakar Nieder, Studio Technical Director, who will lead the studio’s engineering team. Otakar has 21 years of experience in game and simulation programming, a significant portion of which was spent leading the engineering team at Bohemia Interactive Simulations. Throughout his career, Otakar has worked on titles from the UFO series as well as tools for Arma 2. He was most recently the Chief Technical Officer at Grip Studios, where he led the co-development engineering team on several high-profile games.

Virtuos Labs – Prague adds to Virtuos’ vast European presence, which comprises over 500 employees across seven studios in the region. Over the past year, Virtuos has also expanded its global footprint with the establishment of Virtuos Labs in Warsaw and Montpellier, as well as studios in Kuala Lumpur and Dalat.