Creator turned developer: Bellular’s The Pale Beyond
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Creators have been integral to the gaming industry since the early days of YouTube and Twitch. Until recently, developers and creators typically worked with each other but operated separately. Now, that line is blurring — instead of promoting someone else’s product, gaming creators are increasingly developing their own games.
Michael Bell, also known as Bellular, has made this leap from YouTuber to developer. His eponymous studio’s first title — The Pale Beyond — launched on February 24th, 2023. The game challenges players to lead the crew of a doomed polar expedition to safety and manage their resources along the way. Think Oregon Trail in the arctic with a rich cast of characters.
Throughout the game’s development, Bellular has balanced his role as both a creator and a developer. The Pale Beyond serves as a crucial early example for creators who are considering taking a leap into game development.
Bell began his YouTube career in late 2011, primarily covering news and lore of Blizzard Entertainment’s World of Warcraft. He built his channel while studying game design in university, eventually launching additional channels to cover news about the wider industry. During this time, Bell met Thomas Hislop, Bellular Studios’ creative director.
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As they neared graduation in 2016, the pair chose to join forces and launch their own studio. Gaming jobs are relatively rare in Belfast, Northern Ireland where the two are from, so they took
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