VGHM opened an exhibition about Croatian gaming history

The Video Game History Museum in Zagreb today opened a new exhibition to the public titled “Croatian Video Game History (1984–2004)”, which explores the historical development and significance of the Croatian video game industry. For the first time, the beginnings of computing and video game development in Croatia are presented in a systematic, museum-oriented way, covering the period from the earliest days through the early 2000s.

The exhibition documents the transition from hobbyist projects to commercial titles and the first international successes. It is the result of many years of research, archival collection, interviews with creators, and the reconstruction of nearly lost games and forgotten authors.

The exhibition is thematically divided into five sections, beginning with the Multimedia Center (MMC), whose classrooms were the birthplace of the first domestic computer games, developed by enthusiasts and talented programmers. The exhibition also covers Suzy Soft, the first Croatian software exporter, and the creation of early domestic video games such as Kung Fu, Ali Baba, and Sraz. It further presents the origins and development of Croteam, the longest-running Croatian game development studio, internationally known for the Serious Sam franchise. The final section is dedicated to specialized magazines and gaming television shows, which played a crucial role in promoting video games during that era.

“This project was born from a very personal desire to preserve the story of the people and projects that shaped the early scene. Their enthusiasm and knowledge laid the foundations for today’s successes, and it was important that their story be given the space it deserves,” said Damir Šlogar, founder of the Video Game History Museum and co-curator of the exhibition.

Carefully selected original Croatian artifacts are now part of the museum’s extensive collection, which consists of more than 3,000 items. The exhibition also creates a dialogue between those who developed the first games and those creating them today, while preserving an important part of Croatia’s digital heritage through its educational and archival dimension.

“Video game development is thus presented as a fully-fledged and important part of Croatia’s cultural history,” Šlogar added.

The exhibition was officially opened with an event at Kaptol Boutique Cinema, where authors shared their experiences and anecdotes, including Damir Muraja, a pioneer of computing and creator of one of the first internationally successful Croatian video games; Janko Mršić-Flögel, scientist, entrepreneur, and video game creator in the 1980s; and Admir Elezović, art director at Croteam.

The event gathered around two hundred industry professionals. The program was moderated by Ante Vrdelja, a video game industry veteran with more than three decades of experience, who also presented Croatia’s first Lifetime Achievement Award for outstanding contribution to video game development. The recipient of the award for 2026 is Branimir Makanec, engineer and a major figure in the history of computing in Croatia. The award was accepted on his behalf by his son, Julije Makanec.

The exhibition is now part of the permanent exhibition of the Video Game History Museum and can be visited at Draškovićeva 10, Zagreb.