Sometimes Soft Chaos likes to step a little outside of their comfort zone and try something new. This was one of those times.

Nicholas Taylor, author of the Grounds of Gaming, reached out because he was looking to hire a cover artist that would not only look great, but whose artists had a connection to the material.

We used a combination of building a world in-engine with common art store assets and digital painting techniques. We wanted to contrast the idea of a digital "readymade", by using some of the first results in the asset store, with bespoke customization. In this way, we are engaging with the contrasts between concepts of home and the domestic, as explored in the book, with the sort of flat-pack, mass-produced furniture and tech consoles that can be found in the homes of many people who play games.

And of course, as game designers, we wanted to make the cover playful by turning it into its own little game. Moments and stories from the book are hidden throughout the cover art for readers to find as they engage with the book.