You're stumbling through the grimy, ink-slicked halls of Wilson’s reimagined studio as Audrey, and suddenly, a phone rings. It’s a jarring sound. In a world where almost everything is trying to melt your face off or drag you into the abyss, a helpful voice is the last thing you expect. That voice belongs to Ollie. If you’ve played Bendy and the Dark Revival, you know exactly who I’m talking about, even if you never actually saw his face. He’s that mysterious British kid who acts as your long-distance guide, providing just enough information to keep you moving without ever fully revealing his hand.
Honestly, Ollie is one of the most interesting additions to the Bendy lore because he breaks the isolation.
He isn't a monster. At least, he doesn't sound like one. He’s a scavenger, a "lost one" who managed to keep his head while everyone else was losing theirs to the Ink Demon’s influence. But who is he, really? Players have been tearing apart the game files and lore entries since the 2022 release trying to figure out if he's just a random survivor or someone deeply connected to the Joey Drew Studios history.
The Mystery of Ollie in Bendy and the Dark Revival
Ollie serves a very specific purpose in the narrative flow of Bendy and the Dark Revival. When Audrey is at her lowest, trapped and confused by the shifting reality of the Cycle, Ollie reaches out via the internal phone system. He's savvy. He knows how the studio works. He knows about the Flow, the pipes, and the way the Ink Demon—or "The Inkies" as he might refer to the threats—operates within the shadows.
He's voiced by vlogger and actor DanTDM (Daniel Middleton). This was a massive cameo that caught a lot of people off guard. Usually, when a big YouTuber gets a cameo in a horror game, it’s a quick "blink and you’ll miss it" Easter egg or a collectible audio log. Not Ollie. He is a primary supporting character who stays with you through multiple chapters. He helps Audrey navigate the Animation Alley and the maintenance sectors. His dialogue isn't just flavor text; it’s survival instruction.
What we actually know about his background
We don't get a long-winded backstory. That’s not how Bendy works. We know he’s young. We know he’s resourceful. Most importantly, he seems to be one of the few residents of the Cycle who hasn't been completely corrupted by the ink or Wilson’s propaganda. He talks about "The Signal" and helps Audrey manipulate the world to bypass obstacles.
There's a specific nuance to his character. He isn't a fighter. While Audrey has her Gent Pipe and her powers, Ollie survives by being smart and staying out of sight. He represents the "average" person trapped in this nightmare—someone who isn't a hero or a villain, just a kid trying not to get erased.
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Some fans theorize he might be a manifestation of a former employee's memory, but the game treats him as a living, breathing (well, as much as you can "breathe" in the ink) entity. He has his own goals. He wants to see the Cycle end just as much as Audrey does, but he lacks the "extraordinary" nature required to do it himself.
Why Ollie is more than just a tutorial voice
In many games, the "voice on the radio" is a lazy way to tell the player where to go. In the world of Bendy and the Dark Revival, Ollie feels like a tether to sanity.
The Cycle is a place of repetition and madness. Characters like Porter and the Lost Ones often speak in riddles or laments. Ollie, however, is practical. He speaks with a sense of urgency that makes the world feel more grounded. When he tells you to hide, you feel the weight of that advice.
The DanTDM Connection
Let’s talk about the casting for a second. Putting DanTDM in the role was a brilliant move by Joey Drew Studios. Dan has a massive history with the Bendy franchise, having played the original Bendy and the Ink Machine for years. His voice is naturally youthful and energetic, which contrasts sharply with the dark, oppressive atmosphere of the game.
It creates a strange sense of comfort. You hear a familiar voice in a terrifying place, and it makes you trust the character instantly. This is a clever psychological trick. In a game where betrayal is a constant theme, having a "safe" voice makes the moments when Ollie can't help you feel even more isolating.
Decoding Ollie’s true identity and role
Is Ollie a human trapped in the ink, or is he a creation of the Ink Machine?
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If we look at the lore established in Bendy and the Dark Revival and the various books like The Illusion of Living, most entities in the Cycle are "souls" of former employees or people Joey Drew lured into the machine. However, Ollie feels different. He doesn't show the same level of physical decay or mental instability that we see in the Lost Ones.
- He understands the technology of the studio.
- He can manipulate the "Signal" to unlock doors.
- He has access to parts of the studio that even Wilson’s keepers seem to miss.
There is a popular theory that Ollie might be related to one of the original animators, or perhaps a child who wandered too close to the studio’s secrets. While the game doesn't explicitly confirm a "real world" identity for him, his presence suggests that there are still pockets of resistance within the ink that Wilson hasn't crushed.
How to find all of Ollie’s dialogue and secrets
If you’re playing through the game and want to get the most out of Ollie’s character, you have to pay attention to the phones. He isn't just there for the main quest.
In Chapter 3, particularly around the Animation Alley section, Ollie becomes your primary guide. You’ll find that his instructions are vital for navigating the stealth sections involving the Butcher Gang and the Searchers. If you rush through, you might miss some of the flavor dialogue where he talks about the "world" he lives in.
He mentions how the ink changes things. He talks about the fear of the Ink Demon. These aren't just tutorials; they are world-building nuggets that explain how a "regular" person survives in a world dominated by ink monsters.
The impact of his "disappearance"
Later in the game, Ollie’s presence fades as Audrey descends deeper into the heart of the studio and confronts the truth about her own identity. This is a deliberate narrative choice. As Audrey becomes more powerful and accepts her role as an entity of the ink, she no longer needs the "human" guidance Ollie provides.
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It emphasizes her transformation. In the beginning, she is a scared woman relying on a child’s voice to get through a door. By the end, she is the one shaping the reality of the Cycle itself.
Practical takeaways for Bendy fans
If you’re diving back into Bendy and the Dark Revival or exploring the lore for the first time, keep these things in mind about Ollie:
- Listen to the tone, not just the words. Ollie often reveals how dangerous an area is by the shakiness in his voice. If he sounds panicked, you should probably be crouching.
- Context matters. He represents the "Lost Ones" who haven't given up. This is a major theme in the sequel—the idea that the people inside the ink are still people, not just cannon fodder.
- Explore the corners. While Ollie calls you on the main path, his dialogue often references things happening "behind the scenes" that you can find if you look for hidden logs and environmental clues.
Ollie is the heart of the game's middle act. He proves that even in a world defined by a "Dark Revival" and endless cycles of pain, there's still room for a bit of camaraderie. Whether he'll return in a future Bendy installment or if his story ended when Audrey reset the world remains to be seen.
For now, he stands as one of the best examples of how to do a "radio guide" character correctly in horror—giving us a reason to keep moving when everything else tells us to turn back.
Next Steps for Players:
Check the audio settings to ensure "Voice Volume" is high, as some of Ollie’s lines can be muffled by the atmospheric soundtrack. After finishing the game, go back and listen to the audio logs in the earlier chapters again. Knowing Ollie is out there makes some of the descriptions of the "scavengers" in the studio hit a little differently. You’ll start to see the network of survivors he belongs to, rather than just seeing him as a lone voice.