The development team also consists of other former Irrational Games and Looking Glass Studios employees, as well as consultants who previously worked on Magic: The Gathering.

Card Hunter has a microtransaction ability to spend real-world money as to gain access to better loot from the end of encounters or to open prize chests that contain random equipment.

As such, the game is considered to combine the collectible card aspects of Magic the Gathering with the role-player concepts of Dungeons & Dragons.

[6] The game is supported by microtransactions provided by buying a separate in-game currency called "pizza" for real money.

A subscription model is also available, where players can spend pizza to join the "Card Hunters Club", membership to which grants an additional loot item after each battle.

[7] Chey formed Blue Manchu as a self-funded studio with the intention of creating games that interested him,[8] and had no provable mass appeal so it would be difficult to attract investors.

[8][10] Jerry Holkins (Tycho) of Penny Arcade selected Card Hunter as his favourite game of PAX 2012.