Jan Zelený liked trains from an early age. When he grew up a little, he fell in love Transport Tycoon. As an adult, he became a game programmer – and then combined these three elements to create a game Mashinky. It became a hit that earned him millions. “At the same time, the goal was not to be profitable. I even remember a time when I considered releasing *Mashinky* for free,” he says in an interview for CzechCrunch.
He went through the well-known game studios 2K Czech and Bohemia Interactive, but Jan Zelený gained video game fame thanks to his own game *Mashinky. It was released seven years ago. So why are we writing about her now? Because its author is constantly improving it – and mainly because it was only after such a long time that a free demo was released that you can download on Steam. “The biggest reason for the delay is my desire to release a playable demo only when the game content is more representative after all,” says Green modestly.
But during this time Mashinky managed to reach tens of thousands of players and brought their creator millions of crowns. Also thanks to the fact that they improve the recipe of the cult *Transport Tycoonu*. In it, you build a transport network of trains, vehicles, and planes from the age of steam to the near future. “Transport Tycoon was one of my all-time favorite games. I played it with my dad,” says Zelený. And then he decided to improve it…
**Machines first took to the virtual tracks seven years ago. How many were sold during that time?**
Over the course of its existence, Mashinek has sold just over 80,000 units, generating over one million dollars in pre-tax sales and expenses. At today’s exchange rate, that’s around 24 million crowns.
*At that time you were working at the big studio Bohemia Interactive, but a few months after the premiere of *Mashinky* you started a solo career. Did they become a source of interesting income so quickly that you risked it?*
That’s right. I spent a few years working on the development of *Mashinky* as an employee in my free time, but after the release – and with the birth of my daughter – I was faced with the decision of how to pursue everything. The only option was to devote myself to the game full-time, which is still true today. Most of the profit came in the first weeks after the release, so it wasn’t even a financial risk.
M* So even now you are in a comfortable position.*
A de facto cushion has been created that should be enough to finish something as big as *Mashinky*. Everything I promised on the day the game was released in Early Access (or early access, i.e., the release of the game in a fully playable form, but with ongoing development and the addition of content – editor’s note) is gradually being added to it. This is also the advantage of this
What inspired Jan Zeleny to create Mashinky?
## Interview with Jan Zelený, Creator of Mashinky
**Interviewer:** Welcome to the show Jan! Your game “Mashinky” is generating quite a buzz lately. Could you tell us a little bit about its origins?
**Jan Zelený:** It all started with my childhood fascination with trains. It grew stronger when I discovered _Transport Tycoon_ as a young adult. My professional journey led me to work at renowned studios like 2K Czech and Bohemia Interactive, but eventually I decided to combine my passions for trains, coding, and games into my own project: _Mashinky_.
**Interviewer:**
That’s amazing! And _Mashinky_ has become quite successful, hasn’t it?
**Jan Zelený:** ([1](https://www.gamepressure.com/newsroom/fans-of-building-and-railroad-shouldny-miss-this-charming-game/z1544d))
Yes, it’s been incredibly rewarding. I never initially set out to make a profit. In fact, there was a time I even considered making it free! But _Mashinky_ has attracted tens of thousands of players and has generated millions of crowns.
**Interviewer:**
That’s incredible! Speaking of attracting players, you recently released a free demo on Steam after seven years. Can you tell us about the reasoning behind that decision?
**Jan Zelený:** I wanted to give potential players a true taste of _Mashinky_. It took a while to get to that point because I wanted the demo to showcase the full depth and breadth of the game’s content before making it available.
**Interviewer:**
That makes sense. What’s next for _Mashinky_? Can you give us any hints about future updates?
**Jan Zelený:**
Right now, I’m focused on a major update that will introduce a new mode of transportation! Beyond that, I’m constantly listening to player feedback and exploring new ways to expand and enhance the _Mashinky_ experience.
**Interviewer:**
We look forward to seeing what you come up with! Thanks for joining us today, Jan.
**Jan Zelený:** Thank you for having me!
