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Veteran developer Harvey Smith has revealed plans to launch a new studio called Black Pony Immersive. Smith, who’s best known for Deus Ex, Dishonored and Redfall, founded the studio alongside executive producer Ben Horne.
Smith told IGN the new studio plans to “make single-player first-person action RPGs set in these rich worlds where players are empowered to solve problems however they want.”
Smith will act as CEO and Creative Director for the studio, with Horne serving as COO and Executive Producer. Horne has worked closely with Smith previously during their time at Arkane Austin, with the two working together for eight years.
Developer credits for Harvey Smith and Ben Horne include:
- Deus Ex – Lead Game Designer
- Dishonored – Co-creative Director
- Dishonored 2 – Creative Director
- Redfall – Creative Director
Smith’s next project will allow players to “explore vast worlds” and tinker with emergent systems.
Smith most recently worked as Creative Director on Redfall at Arkane Austin. Redfall was announced in 2021 as a new open-world, first-person shooter from Arkane Studios.
Players would take on the role of a vampire hunter in a town beset by bloodsuckers. Whilst it wasn’t considered an immersive sim by Arkane Studios, it did feature similar ideas with its focus on exploration and player agency.
During a corporate restructuring of Xbox in 2024, Microsoft confirmed Arkane Austin would shut its doors for good. Fans of Harvey Smith’s earlier work at Arkane Studios will be excited for what the studio has to announce.
Former Arkane Studios veterans Ben Horne and Harvey Smith are joined by former Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche and Volition developers.
Horne in particular is Smith’s longtime friend and colleague. Other credits for Black Pony Immersive’s team include Deus Ex, Prey, Just Cause and of course Dishonored. Black Pony Immersive is hiring developers from across the United States and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
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