When Dishonored director Harvey Smith announced his new development studio, co-founded alongside fellow Arkane alumnus Ben Horne, the creative direction was never in any doubt. Named Black Pony Immersive, the independent studio places “immersive” front and centre in its title—a deliberate statement of intent that signals a return to the immersive sim genre for which Smith and his colleagues became renowned during their years at Arkane.
The name reflects lessons learned over decades of industry experience, particularly the pressure studios face to diversify beyond what they do best. According to Smith, choosing “immersive” as part of the studio’s identity was about establishing boundaries from day one, ensuring that potential partners immediately understood the team’s focus and strengths.
A name with a purpose
Speaking to our publication, Smith explained that the decision stemmed directly from his time at Arkane, when the studio frequently faced offers to work on projects outside its expertise. Rather than chase lucrative opportunities in genres the team did not enjoy or excel at, Arkane chose to gamble its future on what it knew best.
“About the name, it was important to us to say to people, ‘This is who we are.’ When Arkane was independent, very often people would come in and they would try to get us to work on some game. And it was not in our wheelhouse. People would say, ‘You’re going to go under by turning your nose up at this project, this is money.’ And we’d be like, ‘Yeah, but we don’t like those, we don’t know how to do them well, and we think that game is dumb.'”
Harvey Smith, co-founder of Black Pony Immersive
The strategy ultimately paid off. Arkane went on to become the most celebrated immersive sim studio in the world, building a reputation on titles like Dishonored and Prey precisely because it refused to dilute its identity.
A complicated history with the genre
Smith recalled that even during difficult periods, being associated with immersive games could open unexpected doors. He described how Arkane once lent a team of designers to help BioShock 2 complete additional levels—a collaboration made possible because developers at Irrational Games recognised and trusted Arkane’s specialised skill set.
“There was a moment when we were pretty desperate,” Smith said, noting that the studio took Christophe Carrier, its level design director and a key architect of Arkane’s creative philosophy, along with a team, to assist on BioShock 2. “That only happened because people associated us with that kind of game.”
Yet even this hard-won reputation could not shield Arkane from missteps. The studio eventually ventured into territory far removed from its roots, developing the vampire-themed multiplayer shooter Redfall—a title Smith openly admits never came together and one he believes the team should never have pursued as a games-as-a-service product.
The fallout was severe. Redfall contributed to the closure of Arkane Austin, while Xbox’s broader restructuring has left Arkane Lyon in a precarious position. French labour laws prevented Microsoft from shutting the studio down outright, but its future remains uncertain at best.
Looking ahead
With such a clear creative vision and an independent structure, Black Pony Immersive hopes to sidestep the pitfalls that ultimately undermined some of Arkane’s later projects. Smith acknowledged that there is no guarantee of success, but he stands firmly behind the philosophy of focus.
“There are many ways to fail, many ways to succeed. But specialising in what you love is not a bad path.”
Harvey Smith
The studio’s founding comes at a pivotal moment for the immersive sim genre and for former Arkane talent seeking new creative homes. As Black Pony Immersive begins its journey, the industry will be watching closely to see whether disciplined specialisation can once again produce some of gaming’s most acclaimed experiences.
For now, Smith has made his intentions unmistakably clear: this is a studio built around passion and expertise, not opportunism. Fans hoping he might pivot to something like a third-person shooter would do well to take the name at face value—immersive games are exactly what Black Pony Immersive intends to make.
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