Reflections on a YEAR of Willow Guard

A Journey Beyond Launch from an Indie Perspective: Willow Guard

As a self-financing and self-publishing indie studio, when Willow Guard first launched on the 10th of April 2025, for the team it marked the beginning of an actual “development”, as the game was finally in decent shape by our team’s standards. We did a calculated risk to launch a game without the full set of features we originally intended for it, but instead use them as the content updates of worldbuilding through layered storytelling, and a deeply personal connection between players and its characters. But what followed in the months after release has been just as meaningful as the game itself, and before we dive deeper into the continuous game updates, community building and DLC expansion plans to enrich the game narrative further, let’s take a moment to look back at what this past year has brought to life…

Creating 360’ IP Experience as an Indie Studio

Everyone who has had even slight experience with designing and developing physical products, their placement and distribution, knows how demanding the merchandise strategy can be. As a small team, it was really important that the products we start creating would not just be listed in the online shop, but to provide our players with a platform to engage further with the world we have been crafting by hand - literally. Every aspect of the design in Willow Guard is hand-made by our team of artists, developers, music composers and animators, we wanted to continue being true to craft and the media the gameworld was expanding to. 

While Willow Guard features intense and highly demanding action gameplay that can feel punishing to many players, its story is deeply emotional, exploring themes of friendship, trust, unity, and warmth through an unexpectedly cozy and wholesome world. Therefore, when we thought of the products, we noticed that some game features fit new and unexplored areas of products, such as handicrafts and in particular the cross stitch. What began as a handful of experimental designs quickly grew into a full collection of patterns and kits. Fans embraced the opportunity to recreate their favorite characters in thread, turning gaming memories into personalized handmade artworks! More importantly, they opened up a new way for players to engage with the game by slowing down, stitching detail by detail, and forming a different kind of connection to the story. 

Bringing the characters into the physical world continued with another side-quest for our team, especially the 3D modelers who did not partake in developing the game, as Willow Guard is a fully 2D project. The 3D artists took the task by its horns and created absolutely stunning 3D models of the main characters, which we had to 3D print and meet our fellow heroes outside of Unity and Steam. As a primarily digital product, the 3D print files opened new product ideas, and definitely fit our plans for tabletop games. It’s been a powerful motivator in how we can have the game continue to live and evolve beyond its original format.

All our products are designed, produced and packaged by hand, as we really want to give the authentic experience with every purchase by the fans.

A New Narrative Form: The Graphic Novel Collaboration

Perhaps the most ambitious project of the year has been the development of the Willow Guard - The Letter graphic novel, created in collaboration with Fiilin Good Films. This partnership brought a fresh storytelling perspective, translating the game’s atmosphere and emotional tone of the narrative into a printed format.

Rather than retelling the game’s events directly, the graphic novel explores parallel stories and character moments that deepen the overall world. The collaboration has been a true fusion of creative voices, blending cinematic storytelling with the introspective spirit that defines Willow Guard.

Early previews have already sparked excitement, hinting at a project that stands on its own while still feeling unmistakably connected to the game. The art direction had to be adjusted to respect the new medium to which the visual storytelling was adapting to, and we encouraged the artists from the Fiilin Good Films to bring their personal touch to the aesthetics. The first printout has been done with a limited edition of only 200 copies, that have collector value with marked copies and different printing materials than the standard graphic novels. The future prints will be distributed in both online and physical shops across the globe, and we will be sharing the news in which shops and regions the novels will become available. Meanwhile, we are planning a new series of graphic novels, because why not?

Coloring the World of Willow Guard

Adding to the growing collection of creative outlets, the launch of the Willow Guard coloring book has invited fans to engage with the art in a more relaxed and personal way. Featuring linework inspired by key locations, characters, and motifs, the book offers a chance to reinterpret the game’s aesthetic through individual color choices.

A coloring book is a simple concept, but one that resonates deeply with the audience and encourages them to slow down and enjoy the coziness it provides, especially in the state of the world we live in currently. 

Shaping the Game: Continuous Updates and Refinement

While the creative projects around Willow Guard have flourished, the heart of the journey remains within the game itself. Since launch, development has focused on steady updates introducing new characters, features, refining mechanics, and responding closely to players’ feedback. These updates haven’t just added content,  our mission was to use them in reshaping the overall experience to better reflect the original vision behind Willow Guard. Systems have been rebalanced, quality-of-life improvements have streamlined gameplay, and new layers of interaction have deepened the connection between player and world. Each patch has been part of a larger effort to bring the game closer to what it was always meant to be: an immersive, evolving space where narrative and play feel give meaningful journey though each play-session.

Looking Ahead: The Role of the DLC: Frostreign

As continuous updates and patches were developed, we also simultaneously worked on the  DLC - Frostreign, in which the focus shifted from refinement to expansion. The DLC is designed not only to continue the story, but to build upon the foundation established over this past year. It introduces new areas, characters, and narrative threads, while also expanding on the systems that have been carefully developed and polished since initial game launch.

More importantly, the DLC represents a continuation of the same philosophy that has guided Willow Guard so far and our vision of thoughtful growth, community-driven iteration, and a commitment to creative exploration. Instead of creating a sequel (which we do have in plans ;)), we wanted this content to feel like a natural extension of the world players have already come to know.

With a year of learning, adapting, and creating behind us, the path forward feels clearer than ever. This past year we focused on making the IP roots grow stronger and the vision of transmedia more defined. Our transmedia strategy is about using each of the new mediums and their respectable means of audience interaction as a truly immersive storytelling experience. 

A Year of Growth and Community

Looking back, the year since launch has been defined not just by new content, but by new ways of experiencing Willow Guard. From stitching patterns to printed figures, from illustrated pages to colored scenes, the world has expanded far beyond the screen. These developments reflect something important: Willow Guard was never just a game, it is a world that is worth exploring for both us as creators and our incredibly supportive community.

This approach has shaped many of the decisions made since the initial launch. The expansion into physical merchandise, the graphic novel collaboration, and the coloring book are not isolated experiments, but rather a broader effort to build a cohesive and recognizable universe. By developing the IP alongside the game, rather than after it, we’ve been able to ensure that each new format feels intentional and connected.

We see from the big game titles how a strong IP growth strategy is essential for long-term sustainability, and we believe that indie developers have even more power in experimenting and expanding their own IPs without constraints! In our case, our current transmedia efforts allowed the world of Willow Guard to reach new audiences, building additional creative opportunities, and setting up a foundation for future storytelling that isn’t limited to a single medium. Most importantly, it reinforces the idea that this is a living world which evolves, and one that can be experienced in many different ways.

One of the most meaningful milestones on this journey has been Willow Guard receiving a Game of the Year nomination at the Finnish Game Awards 2026. For our team, this recognition is deeply humbling and reflects all the love, hard work, and dedication poured into the game.

Looking Forward: Expanding the World

As we move into the next phase, our plans extend to bring Willow Guard to consoles, making the experience accessible to a wider audience. Narratively, the expansion continues across multiple formats. Additional graphic novels are already being conceptualized, along with the introduction of weekly comics that offer smaller, ongoing glimpses into the world and its characters. These formats allow for both deeper storytelling and more frequent engagement with the community.

Further down the line, we are also developing ideas for a board game, bringing the world of Willow Guard into a shared, physical play experience. At the same time, early discussions around a potential animated series are underway, but that is a story for another day.

All of these efforts are part of the same larger vision: continuous worldbuilding combined with thoughtful business expansion. Each project is intended to reinforce the others, creating a network of experiences that all connect back to the heart of Willow Guard. The journey so far has shown that when a world resonates, it naturally wants to grow. The challenge, as well as the opportunity, is to guide that growth in a way that stays true to its core. That is the path forward for Willow Guard: expanding carefully, creatively, and with a clear sense of purpose.