Overview
Northern Guilds is a device-agnostic dungeon-crawler MMORPG inspired by classic pixel-art adventure games. The project aimed to capture the nostalgic charm of retro RPGs while modernizing the experience for online multiplayer and cross-platform play.
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Players explore a stylized fantasy world inspired by Norse mythology, embarking on cooperative adventures, collecting loot, and progressing through a richly designed pixel-art universe.
Project Details
STUDIO: Pixie Interactive
ROLE: Art Director / Designer
TEAM SIZE: 3 Artist + Developers
PLATFORM: Web / Cross-platform
RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Art Direction
• Team Leadership
• Visual Style Development
• Hiring & Art Tests
My Role
On Northern Guilds I served as Art Director, helping establish the visual direction and artistic standards for the project.
Early in development, I designed and launched the project’s NFT mint, which raised $2.8 million USD in 43 minutes, securing funding for full production. Following this, I focused on defining the game’s visual style and building the art team responsible for bringing the world to life.
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I assembled and led a team of four artists, conducted interviews and art tests, and worked closely with the team to establish workflows and maintain visual consistency across environments, characters, and UI elements.
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In addition to leadership responsibilities, I also contributed directly to visual development, supporting the team throughout production and helping shape the overall look and feel of the game.
Challenges
One of the primary challenges of Northern Guilds was building the art team and visual direction from the ground up. As the project began to scale, it was important to establish a clear artistic vision and ensure consistency across all visual elements of the game.
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This required developing art tests, identifying strong talent, and assembling a team capable of delivering high-quality pixel art while maintaining a cohesive visual style throughout the project.
Impact
• NFT mint raised $2.8M USD in 43 minutes, securing full project funding.
• Built and led a team of 3 artists, establishing the visual direction for the project.
• Defined the visual identity and pixel-art standards used across the game.
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