Ex-Arkane veterans announce new studio dedicated to immersive sims

The immersive sim genre is one of the more underrepresented in the industry, owing to its complex and multi-layered nature alongside the fact that past successes have failed to hit the heights which shareholders demand. One team which was dedicated to the genre however was Arkane. In the wake of the closure of its Austin branch, a new studio has risen, with veterans Harvey Smith and Ricardo Bare announcing ‘Black Pony Immersive’.

In an interview with the publication TheGameBusiness, ex-Arkane co-studio head and immersive sim icon Harvey Smith announced that he has opened up a brand new studio alongside Ricardo Bare.

Named Black Pony Immersive, it is quite clear what the newly established studio will be focused on, with the team stating: “We want to make immersive sims. We want to make single player, narrative driven, first person games where you explore and solve problems creatively. Think Deus Ex, think Dishonored, that's what we're doing.”

While things remain in its early stages for now (having officially formed just a year ago and currently comprising of 26 developers), Black Pony Immersive includes plenty of talent.

For the uninitiated, not only is Harvey Smith known for his extensive work on the Dishonored series, but the creative has had a hand in many of the biggest games in the immersive sim genre going as far back as the original 1994 System Shock. Smith was also the lead game designer for the 2000 classic Deus Ex and even served as a game designer for 2004’s Thief Deadly Shadows.

The full interview with Smith and co. can be found HERE, and includes their thoughts on the immersive sim genre, the current state of the industry and much more.

KitGuru says: What do you think of this announcement? Is the immersive sim genre saved? What’s your favourite series worked on by Harvey Smith? Let us know down below.

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