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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
It all started during the mid-seventies like a lot of things did in those days. 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,
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 Aventure Games. I was lucky enough to (co)own an Atari ST and Amiga in the late 80s
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 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, but this time, 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.
Hey, I'm Ryan Love—a game developer from Tipton, UK (and yes, I’m aware that probably deserves an apology). I appreciate you taking the time to learn more about BoxBlue Studios and the story behind it.
My journey with games began when I was around 4 or 5, thanks to a Super Nintendo and Sega Mega Drive. Like many ‘90s kids, I grew up racing through Green Hill Zone with Sonic and leaping over koopas with Mario. Those early adventures sparked a passion that never left me.
But my real love for storytelling in games came later, thanks to my late uncle, Michael Dodd. He introduced me to unforgettable classics like Resident Evil, Metal Gear Solid, Final Fantasy VII, and Silent Hill (we’ll just pretend I was old enough to be playing them). Those games blew my mind and showed me just how powerful interactive storytelling could be.
I still remember being dragged away from Final Fantasy VII just as things were getting good, and the excitement of finally having my own PlayStation to dive into these worlds on my own terms. That sense of immersion and wonder never faded—it’s what drives me to create today.
After earning a degree in Computer Science with a focus on game development, I knew this was the path I wanted to follow. But BoxBlue Studios didn’t truly come to life until I started a new chapter with the most important person in my world: my wife.
She’s not just my best friend of over 15 years—she’s my wife, my partner in crime, and my Ready Player 2. Along with our amazing daughter, they’ve given my life purpose and clarity. Their love and support inspired me to push harder, dream bigger, and build something real.
Of course, every great quest needs a strong party—and I’m also lucky to have my other partner in crime, Lee Ciasullo, by my side. Lee’s been my closest friend for just as long, a brother from another mother, and together we’ve built BoxBlue Studios from the ground up with one mission in mind: to create amazing and remembered games.
Our debut title, The Adventures of R Sole, is just the beginning. We’re here to craft stories and experiences that players can fall in love with—just like I did all those years ago.
Thanks for being here. We’re just getting started.