Harvey Smith, best known for his tenure at Arkane Studios from 2008 until 2024, has announced a new game studio called Black Pony Immersive. Smith is joined by co-founder and executive producer Ben Horne, who worked with Smith for more than eight years, most recently on Redfall at Arkane Austin. Black Pony Immersive is founded with the goal to continue delivering the kinds of game experiences Smith has been known for over the course of his more than 30 years working in the industry.
The immersive-sim subgenre is defined by player choice, vast series of interconnected game systems, and emergent moments that are likely to vary from player to player. This categorization is where Smith etched his legacy. Though he is perhaps best known for his work as co-creative director on 2012’s Dishonored and creative director on 2016’s Dishonored 2, he also served as lead game designer on 2000’s Deus Ex, one of the most acclaimed and influential immersive sims of all time. He also worked on the quality assurance teams for System Shock and Ultima VIII: Pagan, as well as helping out on 2017’s Prey.
Smith takes on the role as CEO and creative director, while Horne joins as COO and executive producer. “During a time of industry volatility, I’m proud to announce the next step in my video game journey with the reveal of a new studio,” Smith said in a press release. “This effort reflects everything we’ve learned, and all we hold dear. My favorite gaming memories come from seeing players approach challenges with creativity, deep-diving into our world building. We try to reward players for their curiosity and exploration. At our new studio, we’re building exactly the kind of single-player games we’re most passionate about.”
Black Pony Immersive CEO and creative director Harvey Smith
Though Smith and Horne are the co-founders and are based in Austin, Texas, the rest of the studio is filled out by remote veteran talent from around the United States. Black Pony Immersive features developers previously employed by Arkane Studios, Insomniac Games, Epic Games, Avalanche Studios, and Volition. Among those workers is Richard Bare, with whom Smith worked closely during their more than 15 years together at Arkane and their time working together on Deus Ex.
“This group has worked together for years, decades in some cases, and is purpose-built to make the ambitious games we love – immersive sims,” Horne said in that same press release. “We share a vision for crafting games that push the limits of player immersion. We can’t wait to reveal more soon.”
While we don’t know what Black Pony is working on, we at least know it’s an immersive sim, which is news sure to delight fans of Smith’s previous work. While we wait for the announcement of the studio’s debut game, you can learn more by heading to the official website of Black Pony Immersive.