Harvey Smith, the veteran designer behind Dishonored, has announced Black Pony Immersive, a new studio focused on crafting first-person immersive sims. The move comes in the wake of industry upheaval, following Warren Spector's recent departure from the business. Smith emphasized the studio's philosophy of returning to foundational principles and collaborating with developers who share a unified creative vision.
The announcement signals continued momentum in immersive sim design despite broader industry turbulence. Smith's venture arrives as studios navigate shifting market conditions, with the new outfit positioning itself around the core principles that defined his earlier work in the genre.
- Black Pony Immersive represents a consolidation of veteran talent around the immersive sim genre at a moment when industry veterans are reassessing their roles.
- Smith's emphasis on working with aligned collaborators suggests a deliberate move away from larger institutional structures toward smaller, creatively focused teams.
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Rogueliker
· Aug 20, 08:15 UTC
Dishonored’s director, Harvey Smith, just launched a studio dedicated to immersive sims
The creative director behind some of the best games ever made (no joke) has set up a new studio: Black Pony Immersive.
Polygon
· Aug 19, 14:26 UTC
'Dishonored' Veteran Harvey Smith Announces New Studio
Harvey Smith and former Arkane Austin developers have launched Black Pony Immersive, a new studio focused on first-person action RPGs and immersive si
Video Games Chronicle
· Aug 19, 14:12 UTC
Dishonored’s Harvey Smith launches new studio with former Arkane staff to make immersive sims
"We’re going to fall back on what we love, we’re going to work with the people we love"
Rock Paper Shotgun
· Aug 19, 13:00 UTC
"Through the looking glass": as Arkane fight for their future, Dishonored veteran Harvey Smith reveals new studio dedicated to immersive sims
Days after Deus Ex director Warren Spector announced that he was quitting the business , another former Ion Storm developer, Harvey Smith, has revealed Black Pony Immersive - a new studio dedicated to the creation of "imaginative first-pers…