Dishonored Co-Creator Founds New Studio Focused on Immersive Sims

Summary

In a major development for the immersive sim genre, Harvey Smith, co-creator of Dishonored and former studio director at Arkane Austin, has officially announced the founding of a new game studio called Black Pony Immersive. The studio is co-founded with executive producer Ben Horne, and its core team includes veteran developers from Arkane, Insomniac, Epic Games, Avalanche Studios, and Volition, including Ricardo Bare, Smith's longtime collaborator from his Arkane days. Smith stated, "In a turbulent time for the industry, I'm proud to announce the formation of our studio. It reflects everything we've learned and everything we hold dear." While no new title has been announced, the studio's name makes its direction clear: continuing to focus on immersive simulation games. This genre has faced challenges due to high development costs and a relatively niche audience, but Smith and his team's entry brings renewed confidence. For players, this could mean spiritual successors to classics like Dishonored and Prey. For the industry, the move highlights a growing trend of veteran developers leaving major publishers to seek creative independence. Black Pony Immersive is definitely a studio to watch.