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Gaming the Iron Curtain: How Teenagers and Amateurs in Communist Czechoslovakia Claimed the Medium of Computer Games
How amateur programmers in 1980s Czechoslovakia discovered games as a medium, using them not only for entertainment but also as a means of self-expression.
Aside from the exceptional history of Tetris, very little is known about gaming culture behind the Iron Curtain. But despite the scarcity of home computers and the absence of hardware and software markets, Czechoslovakia hosted a remarkably active DIY microcomputer scene in the 1980s, producing more than two hundred games that were by turns creative, inventive, and politically subversive. In Gaming the Iron Curtain, Jaroslav Švelch offers the first social history of gaming and game design in 1980s Czechoslovakia, and the first book-length treatment of computer gaming in any country of the Soviet bloc.
Švelch describes how amateur programmers in 1980s Czechoslovakia discovered games as a medium, using them not only for entertainment but also as a means of self-expression. Sheltered in state-supported computer clubs, local programmers fashioned games into a medium of expression that, unlike television or the press, was neither regulated nor censored. In the final years of Communist rule, Czechoslovak programmers were among the first in the world to make activist games about current political events, anticipating trends observed decades later in independent or experimental titles. Drawing from extensive interviews as well as political, economic, and social history, Gaming the Iron Curtain tells a compelling tale of gaming the system, introducing us to individuals who used their ingenuity to be active, be creative, and be heard.
Aside from the exceptional history of Tetris, very little is known about gaming culture behind the Iron Curtain. But despite the scarcity of home computers and the absence of hardware and software markets, Czechoslovakia hosted a remarkably active DIY microcomputer scene in the 1980s, producing more than two hundred games that were by turns creative, inventive, and politically subversive. In Gaming the Iron Curtain, Jaroslav Švelch offers the first social history of gaming and game design in 1980s Czechoslovakia, and the first book-length treatment of computer gaming in any country of the Soviet bloc.
Švelch describes how amateur programmers in 1980s Czechoslovakia discovered games as a medium, using them not only for entertainment but also as a means of self-expression. Sheltered in state-supported computer clubs, local programmers fashioned games into a medium of expression that, unlike television or the press, was neither regulated nor censored. In the final years of Communist rule, Czechoslovak programmers were among the first in the world to make activist games about current political events, anticipating trends observed decades later in independent or experimental titles. Drawing from extensive interviews as well as political, economic, and social history, Gaming the Iron Curtain tells a compelling tale of gaming the system, introducing us to individuals who used their ingenuity to be active, be creative, and be heard.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published December 25, 2018
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About the author
Jaroslav Švelch
11 books10 followersJaroslav Švelch is Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Information Science and Media Studies at the University of Bergen and Assistant Professor in the Department of Media Studies at Charles University, Prague.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
November 27, 2025
Excellent contribution to the now quite extensive canon of 'state socialism cybernetics' books, this concentrates on how 1980s "normalisation" era Czechoslovakia, which rather bizarrely given its engineering history and wealth had the least developed home computer industry in the region, ended up with a large culture of homebrew game developers and enthusiasts - a sort of indie game culture in the making, with 'amateurs' making games essentially for their and each other's amusement, in a sector where the Party wasn't looking. Nuanced, well argued and detailed, it made me want to seek out an emulator to play what are surely some appallingly unplayable games.
April 6, 2019
An overview of the history of computer games in communist Czechoslovakia. The book deals with most aspects of what it was like to be a computer geek at that time:
- how the state stayed out of home computing because they did not consider it a threat (or something worth supporting),
- how people obtained home computers in a country that did not have enough resources to build their own, and at the same time made very hard and very expensive importing computers from the west,
- how computer enthusiasts self-organized in computer clubs and other organization,
- how the local computer scene viewed games and gaming,
- what were software distribution channels, and how games appeared in the country,
- and finally, what kinds of games were made locally.
Apart from highlighting the differences between the Czechoslovak and UK scenes, the book also gives a nice overview of what it was like to live day to day life under a communist rule, and might shed some light on why communism didn't really take off.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of gaming, or the history of communism.
- how the state stayed out of home computing because they did not consider it a threat (or something worth supporting),
- how people obtained home computers in a country that did not have enough resources to build their own, and at the same time made very hard and very expensive importing computers from the west,
- how computer enthusiasts self-organized in computer clubs and other organization,
- how the local computer scene viewed games and gaming,
- what were software distribution channels, and how games appeared in the country,
- and finally, what kinds of games were made locally.
Apart from highlighting the differences between the Czechoslovak and UK scenes, the book also gives a nice overview of what it was like to live day to day life under a communist rule, and might shed some light on why communism didn't really take off.
Highly recommended for anyone interested in the history of gaming, or the history of communism.
April 20, 2025
Survey of 8-bit computing and the society around it, centered in Czechoslovakia. Details the equipment and methods, and also the political environment. Details events from the early 80s until the Velvet revolution, with connecting information about events before and after.
Much of the first part of the book is around availability of hardware by comparison with the west. Probably the most interesting chapters were about cracking and coding. This volume contains more than 100 pages of chapter notes, timeline, bibliography and index.
At times the writing was a little dry. This is more than made up for by an ultra-complete website by the author, with photos, epherma, and downloads of some of the games discussed. I've read a few books in the MIT press gaming history series and haven't been seriously disappointed yet.
Much of the first part of the book is around availability of hardware by comparison with the west. Probably the most interesting chapters were about cracking and coding. This volume contains more than 100 pages of chapter notes, timeline, bibliography and index.
At times the writing was a little dry. This is more than made up for by an ultra-complete website by the author, with photos, epherma, and downloads of some of the games discussed. I've read a few books in the MIT press gaming history series and haven't been seriously disappointed yet.
November 11, 2023
No, jsem starý (dobu jsem zažil) a Atarista (jsem zapšklý pitomec).
Promarněná, odfláknutá šance, podaná v záplavě pampresorovských pojmů (brikoláž my ass). Prakticky se nejedná o historii osmibitů či hraní v ČR, ale o popis výseku prakticky pouze Sinclair kompatibilní kultury a jejich organizací a členů. Ostatní platformy jsou zmiňované okrajově, zástupci jejich komunit prakticky zcela ignorováni, spoustu tvrzení vytaženo "jen tak z luftu", aniž by autor projevil byť jen minimum snahy (Nevím, dál). Celkově pak místní osmibitovou a počítačovou scénu nepopsal dobře, když poskytl nekompletní a proto nedostatečný a zkreslený popis. Na druhou stranu, celou dobu se takto chovaly komunity jednotlivých platforem vůči sobě (např. vzájemné nelibosti 602. a 437. ZO Svazarmu) a ještě proti tomu ostentativní ignorace z oficiálních míst prosazujících především školní počítače (v lepším případě).
Zkreslení se dá dobře ilustrovat například při srovnávání se scénami v Británii/Španělsku, které však dává smysl pouze v kontextu hraní na 8bit Spectru. Prakticky ani slovo o kultuře počítačových fanů v USA, historii her arkádových, konzolových apod., kde Británie a její lokální scéna neměla co říct - i když pro historii osmibitových her (i těch hraných u nás) jsou konverze z arkád a raných konzolí stěžejní - až později se zaměření her začalo rozšiřovat směrem k žánrům, které přesahovaly pouhé arkády - např. simulátory, strategie (které většinou vyžadovaly disketové systémy), velké textové hry (Infocom), obecně hry, kterým nestačil jen joystick a 5 minut na jeden žeton.
Ostatně celé to poměřování pokulhává, protože Spectrum je "budget" britská a pak hodně východoevropsky-klonovaná platforma, takže její dlouhodobé dopady a důležitost jsou spíše lokální než globální.
Zcela pomíjím prakticky nesmyslné povinné roubování dohadů o genderu či v mladší generaci historiků populární blouznění o "smlouvě s režimem" - což bylo to státem organizované vydírání - chceš klub? Budeš svazák/svazarmovec. Bez naprosto jakéhokoli přesahu k původnímu účelu oněch organizací (což Švelch zmiňuje, abych nebyl nespravedlivý).
No zklamání veliké.
Promarněná, odfláknutá šance, podaná v záplavě pampresorovských pojmů (brikoláž my ass). Prakticky se nejedná o historii osmibitů či hraní v ČR, ale o popis výseku prakticky pouze Sinclair kompatibilní kultury a jejich organizací a členů. Ostatní platformy jsou zmiňované okrajově, zástupci jejich komunit prakticky zcela ignorováni, spoustu tvrzení vytaženo "jen tak z luftu", aniž by autor projevil byť jen minimum snahy (Nevím, dál). Celkově pak místní osmibitovou a počítačovou scénu nepopsal dobře, když poskytl nekompletní a proto nedostatečný a zkreslený popis. Na druhou stranu, celou dobu se takto chovaly komunity jednotlivých platforem vůči sobě (např. vzájemné nelibosti 602. a 437. ZO Svazarmu) a ještě proti tomu ostentativní ignorace z oficiálních míst prosazujících především školní počítače (v lepším případě).
Zkreslení se dá dobře ilustrovat například při srovnávání se scénami v Británii/Španělsku, které však dává smysl pouze v kontextu hraní na 8bit Spectru. Prakticky ani slovo o kultuře počítačových fanů v USA, historii her arkádových, konzolových apod., kde Británie a její lokální scéna neměla co říct - i když pro historii osmibitových her (i těch hraných u nás) jsou konverze z arkád a raných konzolí stěžejní - až později se zaměření her začalo rozšiřovat směrem k žánrům, které přesahovaly pouhé arkády - např. simulátory, strategie (které většinou vyžadovaly disketové systémy), velké textové hry (Infocom), obecně hry, kterým nestačil jen joystick a 5 minut na jeden žeton.
Ostatně celé to poměřování pokulhává, protože Spectrum je "budget" britská a pak hodně východoevropsky-klonovaná platforma, takže její dlouhodobé dopady a důležitost jsou spíše lokální než globální.
Zcela pomíjím prakticky nesmyslné povinné roubování dohadů o genderu či v mladší generaci historiků populární blouznění o "smlouvě s režimem" - což bylo to státem organizované vydírání - chceš klub? Budeš svazák/svazarmovec. Bez naprosto jakéhokoli přesahu k původnímu účelu oněch organizací (což Švelch zmiňuje, abych nebyl nespravedlivý).
No zklamání veliké.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews