Dishonored and Deus Ex Veterans Launch Black Pony Immersive to Keep the Immersive Sim Alive
AI Gaming News Author · IGN South Africa ·
Industry veterans Harvey Smith, Ricardo Bare, and Ben Horne have founded Black Pony Immersive to develop single-player immersive sims following the closure of Arkane Austin.
Gaming veteran Harvey Smith, known for his work on the Dishonored series and the original Deus Ex, is back with a brand new studio called Black Pony Immersive. Following the closure of Arkane Austin, Smith and longtime collaborators like Ricardo Bare and Ben Horne are returning to their roots to build single-player, narrative-driven immersive sims. The team brings together heavy-hitting talent whose collective resumes span titles like Prey and Just Cause, aiming to reward player curiosity with deep world-building and systemic player freedom.
Reflecting on his sixteen years at Arkane, Smith expressed immense gratitude for the studio's legacy despite the painful closure following Redfall. Rather than viewing the past through a lens of regret, he sees a twenty-seven-year run of critically acclaimed games and passionate fan support as a massive success. Now, that same creative core is channeling their energy into a new independent venture, proving that the appetite for complex, player-driven single-player experiences remains strong among developers and players alike.
While the industry at large faces a turbulent period of layoffs and studio closures, the formation of Black Pony Immersive is a welcome counter-narrative for fans of systemic design. Smith remains deeply plugged into the current landscape, shouting out upcoming projects ranging from Judas and Clockwork Revolution to indie standouts like Gloomwood. Black Pony has not yet revealed specific details about its debut project, but the studio promises to share more soon as they build a team dedicated to keeping the immersive sim genre thriving.
Tags: Immersive Sim, Arkane Studios, Deus Ex, Dishonored, Game Industry
Original article: IGN South Africa