Game developer from Skellefteå lands publishing deal

It all started with support from Skellefteå Science City and Arctic Game, which through Game Attraction North brought Wille to ESA Summer 2025 in Malmö and gave him the opportunity to showcase his game for the first time.

From demo to publishing deal
Hellsprint is built with the speedrunning community in mind. When Wille showcased it at ESA Summer 2025, the response was enthusiastic and eventually led to a deal.

– Being part of the Arctic Game community opened doors I would never have found on my own. The chance to showcase the game at ESA Summer 2025 was a turning point, and now we’re launching with ESA as our publisher, says Wille Pilquist, game developer at DigitalMole.

Over the years, ESA has raised significant sums for charitable causes through its events. Publishing a game is new territory for the organization.

– When Wille (DigitalMole) showed us an early version of the game, it made an enormous impression, and we look forward to supporting the next chapter, says Fredrik Lidholt, founder and CEO of European Speedrunner Assembly.

The right support opens the right doors
The news was first announced at the event Skeå Creative Connect 2026 in Skellefteå, where Wille showcased the game to industry professionals and received a strong reception there as well.

– We believed in Wille and the game, brought him to ESA Summer 2025, and now he’s launching with ESA as his publisher. That’s what happens when local talent meets the right stage, says Tim Leinert, business developer at Skellefteå Science City.

New demo available now
A new demo is available on Steam, featuring new levels, improvements based on feedback, and hidden collectibles on every level. A major update has since been released ahead of Steam Next Fest.

Hellsprint launches on Steam on August 3 – find out more on Steam.