Helen Carmichael - Game Dev

@bchezza.bsky.social

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#GameDev with @greyalien.bsky.social at Grey Alien Games. Forbidden Solitaire, Ancient Enemy, Shadowhand, Regency Solitaire. Writer: Going Medieval & more…https://greyaliengames.com/blog/writing-editing/

Helen and Kitty goofing around at Murder Meet Cute stand
Brighton seafront at night with fading sunset
Helen with large sunglasses 😎
I am speaking at #developconf Image of Helen drinking tea Join me & the rest of the game dev community in Brighton this July
Bright yellow sunflowers amidst greenery with an old mill building behind and blue sky
Jake in a colourful shirt outdoors leans in balcony
long graph going gradually upwards with numbered arrows. Legend: Wishlists - Every Little Helps
Develop Conference flier for Helen Carmichael talk: how a small indie hit no 1 and trending with a steam demo
Cult members circle around candles in a crunchy digital environment
Outi Piesci Sami textile art
Photo if red strawberries up close
Newspaper article from The Guardian Best Culture of 2026 So Far Games...Forbidden Solitaire Image is of the Forbidden Dungeon, rendered darkly against a purple sky
Vivid violet dahlia in the dusk against dark foliage and a weathered blue-green fence
Back view of man in wooden corridor in game, facing board with posters.
mad dislikes: FakeOS man likes: Capybaras
positive press comments about Forbidden Solitaire scroll in from the left over a sparkling wizard face and another article about devs 'reeling' from their successful launch
Cover of the latest issue of @helleborezine
Fluffy cat close up stares at camera
Talk by Helen Carmichael on: How a Small Indie Hit #1 New and Trending with a Steam Demo: Lessons from a Horror Game Will feature at both Impact! Indie Games 2026 and Develop 14-16 July Listings from the event schedules are shown
a fantasy interface - images of our hosts for the InterfaceX26 showcase pop up on the screen: Jesse Cox Nookrium, Stormfall33, Kurt Indovina, Dodger and Lucyj James. Join us at 10AM Pacific, 6PM BST today
Steam images for Forbidden Solitaire bundled with both Titanium Court (14% discount) and Inscryption (37% discount)
a real human hand encrusted with bloody gems, fingers count down from 4 to 3...
A Skyrim cookbook open at the page on Sweetrolks, and some freshly baked cakes in a similar style beyond
Fluffy, disheveled white cat squints exhausted at the camera
the words 'I want a game with this aesthetic, so we made one' are shown over changing backgrounds from the upcoming horror game, Forbidden Solitaire. The images are dark and feature saturated hues, with vistas inside labyrinths, dungeons, deep water and vertiginous staircases.
chaotic, swirling background with a symmetrical overlay of playing cards. In the centre, an eyeball bulges. Some cards are studded with ice shards.
said hand encrusted with gems, eyeball looking on.
Orange cliffs, fairly calm blue sea and clear sky
Fluffy white cat sprawls on sofa with intense stare
scary movie poster for Forbidden Solitaire in black and green with a looming eyeless face
'we're making a dark fantasy inspired '90s solitaire game' says the digital text, over a montage of weird creatures and wizards showing sfx such as greenscreens in their creation. At the end a Forbidden Solitaire disc spins with the words 'take it: leave it' and a screaming wizard appears and fades out.
A copy of a new book arrived - The game narrative kaleidoscope. It’s shown on Helen’s work desk next to a keyboard, reading glasses and computer monitor.
Helen Carmichael Grey Alien Games Helen is a writer and game designer who helped take an indie horror demo to #1 in Steam’s New & Trending charts through creative collaboration and focused marketing. With hands-on development experience and 20 years in journalism and copywriting, she specialises in getting eyeballs on her games, and keeping them there.