Ethan Crossfield 
Harvey Smith has announced Black Pony Immersive, a new studio dedicated to the single-player immersive-sim experiences that defined much of his career. The former Arkane creative director is launching the Austin-based company with Ben Horne, another Arkane veteran, at a time when experienced developers are increasingly forming independent teams around focused creative ambitions.
What happened
Smith will serve as Black Pony Immersive’s CEO and creative director, while Horne takes on the roles of COO and executive producer. Horne worked with Smith for more than eight years, most recently at Arkane Austin on Redfall.
The studio is headquartered in Austin, Texas, but its wider team works remotely from across the United States. Its developers include veterans of Arkane Studios, Insomniac Games, Epic Games, Avalanche Studios, and Volition. Richard Bare is also part of the team, having collaborated with Smith for more than 15 years at Arkane and during their work on Deus Ex.
Black Pony has not revealed its first game, but the studio has made its creative direction clear: it intends to build ambitious immersive sims centered on player freedom, interconnected systems, and emergent outcomes.
Why it matters
Smith brings unusually strong credentials to the project. He was co-creative director on Dishonored and creative director on Dishonored 2, two games widely associated with the modern immersive-sim revival. Earlier in his career, he was lead game designer on Deus Ex, a landmark release in the genre. His experience also includes quality assurance work on System Shock and Ultima VIII: Pagan, along with contributions to Prey.
That background gives Black Pony a clear identity before it has shown a single screenshot. Immersive sims ask players to experiment rather than follow one prescribed solution, making the genre especially dependent on thoughtful world design and systems that interact in surprising ways. Smith’s stated goal is to create games that reward curiosity, exploration, and creative approaches to challenges.
The studio’s formation is also notable because it reunites developers who have worked together across multiple projects. That shared history could help the team establish a consistent design philosophy while operating outside a major publisher structure.
What to watch next
The most important unanswered question is what Black Pony’s debut project will look like. No title, setting, release window, platforms, or gameplay details have been announced, so expectations should remain measured despite Smith’s reputation.
The studio’s official website is currently the main source for future updates. Fans should also watch for more information about the team, its production plans, and how the remote structure supports development. For now, the announcement confirms the studio’s genre focus but not the scale or scope of its first release.
Key takeaways
- Harvey Smith is Black Pony Immersive’s CEO and creative director.
- Ben Horne serves as COO and executive producer after working with Smith at Arkane.
- The Austin-based studio includes remote veterans from several major game developers.
- Black Pony is focused on ambitious single-player immersive sims.
- The studio has not yet announced its debut game or any release details.
Expert View
Black Pony Immersive is compelling because its purpose is specific rather than vague: it is being built around the systems-driven single-player design Smith has championed for decades. That does not guarantee a successful debut, but the combination of veteran collaboration and a clearly defined genre mission gives the studio a stronger starting point than a typical early-stage announcement. The next reveal will show whether its new team can turn that pedigree into a fresh immersive-sim identity instead of relying only on past Arkane associations.
