Harvey Smith, designer behind Deus Ex and Dishonored, has founded Black Pony Immersive, a new studio focused on creating immersive simulation games. The studio has recruited veterans from Arkane, Insomniac, and Epic Games.
Black Pony Immersive represents Smith's latest venture in game development, building on decades of experience crafting complex, player-driven experiences. The studio's focus on immersive sims indicates a return to the genre that defined Smith's career, particularly through his work at Arkane Studios on titles that emphasized environmental storytelling and emergent gameplay.
The team composition signals ambition. Hires from Arkane Studios—where Smith previously worked on Dishonored and Prey—bring institutional knowledge of immersive sim design. Engineers and designers from Insomniac and Epic add technical expertise in engine development and large-scale production.
Immersive sims, a genre emphasizing player agency and systems-based gameplay, have seen renewed interest in recent years. Black Pony Immersive enters a market with established players like Arkane itself, though the genre remains niche compared to mainstream action games.
Details on the studio's first project remain undisclosed.
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