For the developers of the blockchain trading card game The Lost Glitchesartistic skill is “crucial” to attracting players – something they believe is missing from the latest generation of major “AAA” games.

But in conversation with Decrypt‘s GG ahead of Thursday’s open beta launch for the card battler running on Ethereum Layer 3 network XaiThe developers said they realized they needed to offer more than just sleek and vibrant graphics to capture players’ attention.

“I think for us (art) is crucial,” said Franco De Cesare, head of publishing and marketing at Lost Glitches Publishing Mimunga“Behind everything we create there is an artistic and creative vision that goes hand in hand with the feeling we want to convey to players.”

From the game’s inception, the founders had a vision: to put human-made artwork front and center, which would influence the mechanics and feel of The Lost Glitches. This came amid what De Cesare sees as a lack of creativity in AAA games.

“(There is) a difference between innovation and creativity in the art and the quality of the graphics. Of course, AAA games have incredibly high graphic quality,” De Cesare said. “But I think there’s a little less artistry and creativity in them,” he added, noting that “it’s difficult for big publishers today to take those kinds of creative, artistic risks.”

The Lost Glitches’ visuals are the first window that gives players a glimpse into the “tech-optimistic” world the developers are offering players to explore. This is a departure from the fantasy setting that has become synonymous with the trading card genre as popularized by Magic: The Gathering and Blizzard’s Hearthstone, but it’s also much livelier than the sci-fi Ethereum card battler game Parallel.

“Technology has caused problems in this world,” De Cesare explained, “but we welcome (the technology) with optimism, with colorful diversity and variety. And I think that’s what sets us apart, because it has bright colors and different personalities. The characters have unique elements that are reflected in their gameplay power… and there are dark forces.”

But the game has more to offer than a living world with carefully crafted illustrations. The Lost Glitches also mixes the trading card genre with role-playing elements to give players even more depth.

“I don’t think anyone has really pushed for integrating the two genres,” said De Cesare Decrypt“You can improve your skills and then combine those skills with your strategy on the battlefield.”

“(It’s) skill meets strategy,” he explained. “You can build your skills by playing in RPG mode and improve yourself in ways you wouldn’t be able to by just trading.”

By completing tasks and quests in a sort of “progression mode,” players can build out their skill tree, which then influences the way they build their decks. This is a new feature added as part of the open beta, with more elements being implemented gradually over time.

The Lost Glitches is currently in open beta via the Epic Games Store, but the team already has its eye on a full release planned for later this year. With it, The Lost Glitches aims to allow players to openly trade their cards via Xai, the emerging Ethereum gaming network, which could potentially benefit players as they earn and purchase NFT-based cards over time.

“We think of all of our characters as digital works of art. And in that sense, we believe in their value,” said De Cesare. “We believe this gives the player the opportunity to accumulate and generate value and then potentially monetize it.”

Edited by Andrew Hayward