Veteran game director Harvey Smith, a key figure behind the Dishonored series, has announced the formation of a new studio named Black Pony Immersive. The Austin, Texas-based company is dedicated to developing first-person action-RPGs with a focus on "expressive, emergent gameplay systems" within richly realized worlds, a design philosophy reminiscent of Smith's previous acclaimed titles.
Alongside Smith, Ben Horne, who previously served as production director at Arkane on Redfall, revealed the studio in a press release. Black Pony Immersive aims to fill a perceived gap in the market for immersive simulation games, a genre that includes titles like Dishonored, Prey, Deathloop, Thief, System Shock, and Deus Ex. The studio's description closely aligns with the core tenets of these games, emphasizing player agency and emergent experiences.
"This group has worked together for years, decades in some cases, and is purpose-built to make the ambitious games we love--immersive sims," Horne stated. He will serve as COO and executive producer at the new studio. "We share a vision for crafting games that push the limits of player immersion. We can't wait to reveal more soon."
The formation of Black Pony Immersive comes at a time when the future of Arkane Studios, particularly its Austin branch, has been uncertain following the launch of Redfall. While Arkane Lyon, the studio responsible for Deathloop, remains operational, the landscape for Arkane's former development talent is shifting.
Notably, Raphaël Colantonio, who co-directed the original Dishonored, also departed Arkane previously to co-found WolfEye Studios. WolfEye's debut title, Weird West, applied the immersive sim concept to a top-down Western setting, and their next project is also a first-person action-RPG. The emergence of Black Pony Immersive signals a continued interest and investment in the immersive sim genre from prominent figures within its history.