Long time no see, dear fans!
We were hard at work, working on various things, some of which I will detail below, but today’s spotlight undoubtedly belongs to Velvet 89 and its Anniversary Update with a slew of new content and a whole new city!

So welcome to Brno, the Moravian metropolis that saw some very iconic moments of the Velvet Revolution. And alongside it, go on a hunt for 18 new items, three per level, that further detail the revolutionary era.

Go play the updated game now on iOS, Android, or Steam, or read on for more details about this special expansion.

But first, take a look at our short teaser:

Now, allow me to be more specific. The Anniversary Update brings:

1. New city = Brno

We wanted to visit this Moravian metropolis from the very inception of the project. And thanks to your support and interest, we were able to do it! Anniversary Update brings a whole new city, unique both in style and content. It features an iconic human chain, which people formed to protest against the unjust incarceration of political prisoners. Stories from Brno show how the revolutionary spirit spread across the country and what role did independent media (such as self-published writing or VHS tapes) played in spreading it.

As for the level itself, it is the first truly snowy level we did. Our graphic artist, Ondřej, also took great care to recreate the distinctive plague monument that is still standing there in 2025. And when you complete the scene, you are, of course, awarded with archival footage from 1989.

All in all, Brno features 10 new characters and 3 new items.

Wait, what, items?

We should talk about ther-

2. Items added to every scene

But it is not just Brno that’s new: every scene now contains three new items for you to search. Whether it’s a camera, a manifestation leaflet, a soldier’s beret, or a miner’s badge, each object gives players additional context of the era.

The items can be found only after you’ve located the main, compulsory characters, and each one unlocks a special entry in a library screen alongside sometimes pretty exclusive photos or archival material.

Items enabled us to flesh out the story of the Velvet Revolution in greater detail. And there are new achievements, of course.

We are glad to be keeping Velvet 89 alive even after a year it‘s been out. We hope you like these additions, and thank you for playing and being interested in Czechoslovak history!

Our other games: quick updates

Naturally, our other games were still progressing as we were developing Velvet 89.

We Grew Up in War will be getting a big reveal soon, one that will be…say, more tangible than anything that came before. So be sure to wishlist the game to be notified among the first.

Playing Prague will be getting a lot of new languages soon! And, it also won an award at the prestigious CEEGA festival in Poznan for the best mobile game, being honored alongside the likes of Silent Hill 2, Kingdom Come: Deliverance II or our beloved Citizen Sleeper 2.

And that’s a wrap!

Best wishes and enjoy your fall.

Ondřej
Charles Games

As always, if you have any feedback on this newsletter, if you want to see some type of content more often or perhaps some less, let me know at [email protected]. Thanks!