Unveiling the Impact of Wilmot: A Surprising Journey to a Sustainable Franchise

Image via Hole Ponds / Stamp via Game Developer

How closely do you hold a franchise within a sustainable framework? It is a question that the industry is currently wrestling with at all levels, as major studios endeavor to create billion-dollar franchises capable of bridging the transmedia gap while smaller developers aim to transform their indie gems into household names.

UK developer Hole Ponds, the team behind Flock, Hohokum, and Wilmot’s Warehouse, may have discovered an answer.

The studio, in collaboration with a group of regular partners, has developed a growing franchise around an unexpected character. Enter Wilmot, the cheerful warehouse manager and star of the organizational puzzle game Wilmot’s Warehouse. Five years after the original release, Wilmot has traded in inventory management for puzzle solving in the relaxed sequel Wilmot Works It Out. At the same time, Hole Ponds also introduced the Wilmot’s Warehouse board game—a cooperative romp crafted with assistance from the beloved studio and publisher CMYK, alongside board game enthusiasts Shut Up & Sit Down.

Reflecting on their transformation of Wilmot from a working-class character to an unlikely main hero, Hole Ponds founder and creative director Ricky Haggett reveals that the studio initially benefitted from a series of relatively fortunate accidents—but a practical mindset also proved advantageous. “We weren’t like, ‘we’re going to go big on Wilmot,'” remarks Haggett, pointing out that the board game and video game sequel were “two entirely separate projects.”

Although they ultimately launched around the same time, the board game truly took shape during the pandemic. Prior to the lockdown, Haggett would host regular board game gatherings with a few friends, including game designer, researcher, and educator David King. King has created a number of board games and would regularly bring fresh ideas to these meetups—including a rough concept inspired by Wilmot’s Warehouse.

King presented that game concept during the very last meeting the group held before COVID-19 (and subsequent lockdowns) commenced. Although still in its early stages of development, Haggett was able to refine the idea—which draws inspiration from the video game without duplicating it—to accommodate the pandemic by continuing to host virtual game nights.

“We began determining what would be an optimal grid size. We started figuring out what a proper cadence for introducing items [would be],” he recounts. “At one point, we had elements being added and removed continuously. We created an abundance of cards, which caused all sorts of peculiar spatial interactions within the warehouse. We made numerous adjustments, and we gradually honed it down in a very relaxed manner.”

Time and freedom. Two assets most game developers yearn for, yet can rarely depend on.

Haggett mentions that by consistently refining the design during the pandemic, he was able to reach a stage where it was 80 percent complete by the time he approached CMYK. Shut Up & Sit Down production and marketing supervisor Matt Lees also provided invaluable insights that “resolved the last odd problem” affecting the project—primarily concerning how to complete the game through a frantic card-matching (or sound fulfillment) segment. “The whole experience of designing that game was devoid of ego,” states Haggett. “People from all directions were suggesting ideas and engaging in open conversation. […] None of it ever felt stressful. It is truly a fantastic contrast to attempting to fix all the glitches in Flock.”

So, where does the intersection lie between Wilmot’s adventures in the digital and physical realms? Well, it’s difficult to disentangle. Haggett notes that Hole Ponds has observed Wilmot’s Warehouse sales surges that may correlate with the launch of the board game—though with the sequel also arriving on shelves simultaneously, it’s tough to differentiate the two. However, it has notably broadened the Wilmot presence—a remarkable achievement given the character’s lack of feet. “We’ve definitely noticed individuals discussing the video game in board game-centric communities saying ‘hey, this is a video game as well,’ and we’ve certainly seen gamers who enjoy the video game purchasing the board game, even if they’re not typically board game enthusiasts.”

There may be cross-pollination, then, but what about the financial aspect? Haggett mentions that Hole Ponds hasn’t quite recouped its investment from the initial quarter sales of the board game, but he believes it’s close. He points out that second quarter sales will coincide with the holiday season and retailers who have already placed orders, and feels that the board game could be linked to a snowball effect gaining traction. As previously mentioned, it also launched at an opportune moment, drawing more attention to Wilmot as Hole Ponds prepared to debut a sequel in Wilmot Works It Out.

Haggett reveals that Wilmot’s Warehouse continues to generate substantial revenue each quarter, but far exceeded expectations when it premiered in 2019 thanks in part to an Xbox Game Pass agreement that the studio secured. The company subsequently received funding from Sony for a PlayStation port. Haggett acknowledges that such opportunities, however, are never guaranteed and stresses caution when working on projects of that magnitude. “I think if you were making
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“For a game the size of Wilmot, I would hesitate to invest more than approximately £200,000,” he states.

He clarifies that the financing for Wilmot Works It Out was initially larger, but remained in the “low hundreds of thousands of pounds.” Hole Ponds also obtained funding from the UK Games Fund (£25,000) which enabled them to hire a developer to create a prototype, which, according to Haggett, ended up being “almost exactly what the game turned out to be.” It was advantageous that Haggett was able to initiate the project by repurposing the original code from Wilmot’s Warehouse, removing all the warehouse mechanics to produce a “small jigsaw prototype.” Meanwhile, Wilmot’s co-creator, Richard Hogg, began crafting the artwork that would transform into the various jigsaws featured within the game, undertaking a significant volume of work during the process.

Haggett estimates that the production took around a year in total, although this time was stretched over several years due to the need to prioritize other projects. Wilmot Works It Out was released on Steam on October 23, 2024, priced at £12.79 (similar to the introductory price of the first game) and achieved double the sales of its predecessor during its inaugural month on shelves. This represents the second release for the studio in 2024, following the multiplayer adventure Flock, which was a larger and more intricate venture.

Haggett mentions that Flock hasn’t sold “exceptionally well,” but again emphasizes that Hole Ponds was able to secure a deal with Xbox Game Pass, potentially easing some financial pressures. He expresses that he is “very satisfied” with the game itself and notes that the reactions and reviews from players have been “excellent.” Still, cash flow remains a concern—which highlights the need for balance.

“Creating significant projects is rewarding,” remarks Haggett, explaining how Flock and I Am Dead have allowed the company to acquire larger amounts of funding and collaborate with notable publishers like Annapurna Interactive. “But you can’t ensure you’ll be able to attract publishers to financially back your games, and if that doesn’t happen, it’s advantageous to have smaller projects that can help manage cash flow during those times,” he adds.

“We’re not a studio that has all of our staff working on a single game. We actually don’t have many employees at all—we’re a husband-and-wife team with one producer as a full-time staff member. So after we completed Flock, we didn’t have 20 people to allocate between projects. If we did, we would be in trouble.

“However, there are inevitable gaps between projects. Even in the best-case scenario, there are naturally gaps to navigate. It’s beneficial to fill these with smaller tasks that generate revenue to enhance cash flow. Every little thing you have available adds to income potential, and it’s far easier to secure multiple small streams of income from simpler, low-risk tasks than from large-scale mega projects.”

In an era where phrases such as ‘survive until 2025’ have (possibly somewhat naively) been thrown around, there may be merit in tempering blockbuster aspirations and advocating for steadfast titles like Wilmot.

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