Our Story (Sort Of)

Boxblue Studios wasn’t born in a boardroom, during some inspirational TED Talk moment or as part of brainstorming management training course. It started the old-fashioned way: two mates, too much sarcasm, and a shared addiction to bad movies, good rum, and the kind of British comedies that warped our sense of humour beyond repair.

The Accidental Beginning

Ryan and Lee first met in 2010 while working at a second-hand tech store. Lee ran the place and Ryan sold the questionable gadgets. Sometimes Ryan even remembered to put the right prices in for the stock, which was always nice. In-between dealing with dodgy returns, endless cups of overpriced coffee and even dodgier customers, they bonded over such things as Blackadder, Red Dwarf, and an unhealthy number of film quotes. It was clear early on that they had two things in common: a love of laughter and a low tolerance for nonsense.

Flatmates, Rum, and Pandas

A few years later they ended up as housemates. Somewhere between late-night gaming sessions and quoting Big Trouble in Little China, the idea of “doing something bigger” started to take shape, although at the time it was probably just an excuse to drink more rum. They also learned a few important life lessons along the way: never say no to panda, always blame the Wi-Fi and Lee is a much better cook when drunk.

From Mates to Makers

Fast forward through a few careers, a few crises, a ‘happily-ever-after’ marriage and a lot more rum, and Boxblue Studios was born. What started as a half-serious conversation between friends became a fully fledged adventure into game development. Along the way, they’ve learned the hard way that creativity rarely sleeps, deadlines don’t care, and indie devs don’t get enough sun.

What’s Next

Ryan and Lee’s friendship has survived terrible jobs, worse hangovers, and now... the gaming industry. Boxblue Studios takes everything they love, including comedy, storytelling, and chaos, and turns it into games players can laugh at, swear at, and maybe even care about.

Because at the end of the day, this whole thing started with two mates and a stupid idea. And in all honesty, that’s still the plan.

Lee Ciasullo - Art & Animation, Co-writer

It all started during the mid-seventies like a lot of things did in those days. I seem to remember that there was a lot of rain... and short public service films on the TV were like little horror movies; I've never owned a kite for fear of exploding.

I grew up in Stourbridge in the West Midlands, which during that period was a good place for the music scene and had a nice arty vibe. It was before shell suits and Lynx Africa.

My introduction to video games was through my older brother, Dean, who received an Atari one Christmas, and we proceeded to marvel at the twisty knob controllers and out-of-this-world graphics in games like Space Invaders, Pong and Frogger. This was in the old days when there was one TV in the house, and we'd have to wait for a window of opportunity to commandeer it (usually after Grandstand) and get a blissful couple of hours staring at our 8-bit Gods.

I was always interested in art and always had some talent for it. I followed art as my preferred option throughout school and even on to college in the early nineties. Then some life happened, and the world of faceless, thankless work consumed my mortal form. Art became a hobby with the occasional commission here and there.

As gaming evolved, I realised that I was drawn less to the flashy action games and more to the wit and smart stories of Adventure Games. I was lucky enough to (co)own an Atari ST and Amiga in the late 80's and early nineties and found myself captivated by games like Future Wars, The Secret of Monkey Island and the utterly game-changing brilliance of Beneath a Steel Sky.

Thanks to my mother's influence, I've also always been a fan of the Detective genre in books, films and later-day games. Not as good as guessing 'whodunnit' like mom was, but then she was always, secretly, the smartest person in any room.

Anyway, fast forward to not so long ago.

My bestest buddy Ryan and I decided that what the world really needed was a new game studio run by a computer programming graduate and a self-taught artist/animator. We talked about it off and on for some years, until eventually, we did something about it. And hey-ho, Boxblue Studios was born.

The big idea? Well, to bring the sum of our collective ideas, sarcasm and general disdain for the 9-5 to the genres of point & click and detective games while having fun and drinking all the rum.

And this is what happened next.

Ryan Love - Programming, Co-writer

Hello, everyone, and thank you for taking the time to explore Boxblue Studios and learn more about our origins.

I'm Ryan, a dedicated game developer hailing from Tipton, UK (and I apologize in advance for that). My love for gaming ignited when I was just 4 or 5 years old, thanks to the Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive I was lucky to have. As a true '90s child, Super Mario and Sonic were my childhood companions, instilling a lifelong passion for the gaming world.

However, my passion for storytelling didn't fully flourish until later. I owe a debt of gratitude to my late uncle, Michael Dodd, who introduced me to classics like "Resident Evil," "Metal Gear Solid," "Final Fantasy 7," and "Silent Hill" (let's overlook the age ratings for now, shall we?).

I vividly recall being picked up from school, visiting my cousin's house for dinner, and immersing myself in the latest PlayStation titles. Yet, just when I was about to dive further in to the world of "Final Fantasy 7”, and destroy the second reactor, it was time to go home.

You can imagine my joy when I finally received my own PlayStation and coming to realise just how much I had missing out beyond the 7th Heaven...

These games and their stories were nothing short of astounding. To this day, I revisit them for the nostalgia and to relive the magic of those unforgettable experiences, even as I enjoy modern gaming.

My journey in game development began with a deep commitment to learning and delving into the realm of computer science. I successfully earned a degree in computer science, specializing in game development. This education laid the foundation for my future career, equipping me with the skills and knowledge to create games.

I'm fortunate to have a beautiful family, my wife, the love of my life and our amazing daughter, both I would do anything for. My commitment to providing the best for my loved ones has driven me to work even harder. Fuelled by the desire to give my family everything they deserve, I decided to pursue my passion for game development and storytelling by founding Boxblue Studios.

It was during this time that I joined forces with my oldest and closest friend, Lee Ciasullo. This partnership has become the cornerstone of Boxblue Studios. Together, we are on a mission to create captivating and enjoyable games, with the aim of bringing joy and excitement to players worldwide, starting with our debut, "The Adventures of R Sole."