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Deus Ex and Dishonored Designer Harvey Smith Launches Black Pony Immersive Studio
Key points
- Harvey Smith co-founded Black Pony Immersive with Ben Horne.
- The studio will focus on immersive sim games.
- Ricardo Bare is the design director.
- The team includes veterans from Arkane, Insomniac, and Epic.
New Studio Formation
Harvey Smith, a designer recognized for his contributions to games like Deus Ex and the Dishonored series, has established a new game development studio named Black Pony Immersive. He co-founded the studio with Ben Horne, who previously worked with Smith for eight years, most recently as production director of Redfall at Arkane Austin.
Focus on Immersive Sims
Black Pony Immersive will concentrate on developing narrative-rich first-person action RPGs, a genre commonly referred to as immersive sims. This aligns with Smith's prior work and expertise in the video game industry. The studio's website references "Looking Glass Studios," known for defining first-person action RPGs in the 1990s.
Experienced Team and Location
The new studio has assembled a team of experienced professionals from various game development backgrounds, including veterans from Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition studios. Ricardo Bare, who served as creative director for Redfall, Prey, and Dishonored, is joining Black Pony Immersive as its design director. The studio is headquartered in Austin, Texas, and also employs remote workers across the United States.
Industry Context
The announcement of Black Pony Immersive follows a period of significant changes in the video game industry, including layoffs and studio restructuring. Smith was previously the head of Arkane Austin until its closure in 2024. The formation of this new studio aims to fill a perceived gap in the industry for immersive sim development.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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Reporting from
Harvey Smith, known for his work on Deus Ex and Dishonored, has co-founded a new studio called Black Pony Immersive with Ben Horne, focusing on narrative-rich first-person action RPGs, also known as immersive sims. The studio, based in Austin, Texas, includes veterans from various game development companies and aims to create original worlds and emergent gameplay.