Harvey Smith, a pivotal figure in the development of influential immersive sims like Deus Ex and Dishonored, has announced the formation of a new independent studio, Black Pony Immersive. Smith, alongside longtime collaborator Ben Horne, aims to focus on creating single-player, first-person action role-playing games that emphasize player choice, exploration, and emergent systems.
Black Pony Immersive is based in Austin, Texas, and brings together a team comprised of developers who have previously worked at notable studios including Arkane, Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition. Collective credits among the new studio’s members span titles such as Deus Ex, Dishonored, Prey, and Just Cause. This new venture marks a significant moment for the immersive sim genre, particularly as another genre progenitor, Warren Spector, recently announced his retirement.
Smith expressed his enthusiasm for the new endeavor during a time of considerable industry flux. "During a time of industry volatility, I'm proud to announce the next step in my video game journey with the reveal of our new studio," Smith stated. "At our new studio, we're building exactly the kind of single-player games we're most passionate about." This philosophy aligns with Smith's career, which has consistently centered on games that allow players significant freedom to interact with game worlds and solve problems in unconventional ways. The original Dishonored, for instance, evolved from earlier Arkane concepts for Thief and Blade Runner games.
Ben Horne further elaborated on the studio's purpose, stating, "This group has worked together for years, decades in some cases, and is purpose-built to make the ambitious games we love — immersive sims. We can’t wait to reveal more soon." While Black Pony Immersive has not yet revealed details about its first project, including its title, setting, platforms, or release window, the studio's foundational principles are clear: to deliver narrative-rich experiences within detailed worlds where player agency and system interaction are paramount.