Harvey Smith, the director behind Dishonored and a key figure on the original Deus Ex series, has launched a new independent studio to continue developing immersive sims. Smith's move comes after Arkane Austin, where he most recently worked, was shut down by Xbox in 2024 following Redfall's commercial underperformance. The new venture represents his commitment to the immersive sim genre at a time when fewer major publishers are backing the design philosophy that defined his earlier work.
The closure of Arkane Austin removed one of the industry's last remaining studios dedicated to first-person immersive design, making Smith's new independent effort a notable counterpoint to consolidation trends in AAA development.
- Smith is establishing his own studio specifically to pursue immersive sim design, stepping away from traditional publisher structures after Arkane Austin's shutdown.
- His track record on Dishonored and Deus Ex underscores the genre's creative pedigree, even as mainstream industry investment in immersive sims has declined.
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Tech4Gamers
· Aug 20, 19:40 UTC
Dishonored Director Plans To Continue Making Immersive Sims At New Studio
The director behind Dishonored has founded a completely new studio as part of his goals to make more immersive sims. Dishonored Director Plans To Continue Making Immersive Sims At New Studio is a post from Tech4Gamers - All About Technology…
IGN
· Aug 19, 14:00 UTC
Dishonored, Deus Ex Designer Stars New Studio to Continue Focusing on Immersive Sims
Decorated veteran game developer Harvey Smith (Dishonored series, original Deus Ex series), most recently of Arkane Austin – which Xbox shut down in 2024 following the failure of Redfall – has opened a new game development studio. Dubbed Bl…