Finnish game studio MiTale is developing Willow Guard as a dark fantasy IP that begins with an action RPG and its new DLC, while expanding beyond the screen through a growing range of real-world products.
Willow Guard follows Ghweros, a badger-like guardian investigating monster attacks in a world abandoned by its gods. The PC game mixes isometric action, RPG choices, deckbuilding-inspired character progression and branching storytelling. Its strongest hook is its unusual tone with anthropomorphic animal fantasy played straight as a dark, melancholic adventure rather than a cute genre exercise.
“Following the launch of the base game in 2025, Willow Guard has now received a new story DLC and is also evolving into a broader IP that reaches well beyond the game itself”, comments Natasha Skult, MiTale’s Founder and CEO. “We are building Willow Guard as a transmedia property, with a limited-edition graphic novel, digital comics, 3D-printable creatures, and other real-world art products. Rather than treating merchandise as a logo exercise, we are using it to make the game’s animal-fantasy world tangible for fans. More exciting real-world products are coming later this year!”
Frostreign DLC
Frostreign is the first story DLC for Willow Guard game. It is now available and continuing the tale of Ghweros, a dutybound Willowguard in a land with Nordic winter atmosphere. The road from Woikos does not lead where it once did. An unnatural winter has swallowed the Atalaka Mountains whole, forcing travelers to rely on ancient portals to pass between fractured lands. But something else has begun to move between them – something watching, waiting, and breaking through from Alteros, the realm of monsters.
Frostreign builds upon Willow Guard’s blend of challenging hack-and-slash combat, deck-building systems, and choice-driven storytelling. Players will slash, dash, and cast their way through increasingly dangerous encounters, now with expanded tactical options thanks to Súri’s presence in battle. Beyond combat, the investigation continues through a clue-and-item system, as Ghweros and Súri uncover hidden truths behind the portals, Nexus Glyphs, and the growing threat facing Woikos.
Willow Guard: Frostreign DLC is available now for 7,79 Euros on PC via Steam. The full base game is needed to play DLC and is available for 15,79 Euros.
More info
www.willowguard.games
https://youtu.be/GsFBbR9KgL8 (trailer)
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1E0WOK9Cwzch9E0WShvtIizOgnXqn_krL (photos)
MiTale
MiTale is an independent Finnish game developer focused on interactive storytelling, new gaming technologies and both market-driven and experimental game experiences. Willow Guard is a single-player, story-driven dark fantasy RPG that combines challenging hack-and-slash combat, deck-building mechanics and choice-driven interactive fiction. For MiTale, Willow Guard is the foundation of a broader IP designed to live beyond the game itself, from role-playing and graphic novels to craft projects, collectibles and more. MiTale will celebrate its 10th anniversary next January. More info at www.mitalegames.com.