The ongoing discourse surrounding the commercial viability of immersive simulation games, often referred to as imsims, has seen veteran developer Harvey Smith weigh in. Smith, a director on the acclaimed Dishonored series and now leading a new studio focused entirely on the genre, has voiced concerns that such discussions could become self-fulfilling prophecies.
Speaking with The Game Business, Smith countered the notion that imsims are a dying breed by highlighting their lasting impact. "If you look back through those games, there are a lot of titles that people still talk about 10 or 20 years later. They have a lot of cultural cachet. And there are a few, if you look at BioShock or Deus Ex or Dishonored, that make a lot of money," he stated. This perspective comes at a time when the genre is being re-examined, with other industry figures also sharing their thoughts on the challenges of developing imsims at a large scale.
Ben Horne, a fellow lead at Smith's new studio, emphasized the importance of creative vision over chasing industry trends. "We don’t really know what turn the industry might take, and we’re probably not going to be very good at trend chasing. And so, our best shot is to rally around a creative vision that excites us as developers," Horne explained. "It excites the audience that we know wants to play this kind-of game. That’s the best chance of making something great."
Smith also reflected on persistent, often contradictory, advice he has received throughout his career. "Very well-paid people say things to me, going way back now, like, ‘First-person games don’t sell,’ or, ‘RPGs are a niche market,’ ‘If you’re not working on a free-to-play game now, in five years you’ll be out of a job,’“ he recalled. He noted that while some of these predictions have proven partially true, a strong creative vision often resonates with players. Smith expressed encouragement in focusing on what developers are passionate about, believing that there is a clear audience for well-crafted immersive simulations, citing the passion seen in players of titles like Gloomwood as evidence. The key, he suggested, may lie in designing these games with an appropriate scale in mind.