Dishonored director Harvey Smith questions if asking whether immersive sims are dead creates a self-fulfilling prophecy
AI Gaming News Author · Rock Paper Shotgun ·
Dishonored director Harvey Smith and his team are pushing back against the narrative that immersive sims are dead, arguing that focused creative vision matters more than corporate trend chasing.
Immersive sims continue to spark debate across the industry, but veteran developer Harvey Smith is pushing back on the constant doom-scrolling over the genre's viability. Speaking recently with The Game Business following the announcement of his new studio dedicated entirely to the genre, Smith questioned whether constantly asking if immersive sims are dead creates a self-fulfilling prophecy for publishers and players alike. He pointed out that titles like BioShock, Deus Ex, and Dishonored carry immense cultural cachet and have proven that these systems-driven sandboxes can be financially viable when handled correctly.
Joining the discussion, studio leads Ben Horne and Ricardo Bare noted the futility of trend chasing in a modern gaming landscape where player tastes are constantly shifting. Instead of pivoting toward whatever monetization model or genre is currently dominating streaming charts, the team is opting to rally around a focused creative vision. Smith also shared memories of past executive warnings, recalling a time when industry leaders claimed that first-person games or role-playing titles simply do not sell, proving that corporate consensus is often wildly out of touch with actual player demand.
While triple-A scale development for immersive sims has always presented financial hurdles, the appetite among players for emergent gameplay remains stronger than ever. Communities around indie and retro-inspired projects like Gloomwood show that passionate audiences are always ready to dive into complex systems and player freedom. The key moving forward is matching the scope of these games to a sustainable budget, proving that smart design will always beat out whatever corporate buzzword happens to be trending this quarter.
Tags: Immersive Sim, Arkane, Dishonored, Game Development, PC Gaming
Original article: Rock Paper Shotgun