Defying the Odds: Inside the Creation of Black Pony Immersive

In the wake of the 2024 closure of Arkane Austin, the gaming industry lost a powerhouse of creative talent. Yet, from that professional heartbreak, a new light has emerged. Harvey Smith—the visionary co-creator of Dishonored—and former Arkane production director Ben Horne have officially launched their own independent studio, Black Pony Immersive.

The new venture is founded on a singular, ambitious goal: to carry the torch of the immersive sim genre, following in the storied footsteps of classics like Deus Ex, Thief, Prey, and System Shock.

A Year of “No” and the Search for Visionary Partners

The journey to founding Black Pony Immersive was anything but straightforward. Following the dissolution of their previous team at Arkane, Smith and Horne faced a year of intense scrutiny from potential investors.

“You talk to VCs and they start talking about NFTs or AI, and we’re like, ‘Guys, best of luck,’” Smith recalls. Even those interested in the fundamentals of game design often demanded impossible metrics, hoping for “times one thousand return within two years.”

According to Horne, these repeated rejections served a purpose: they clarified the team’s values. “It really sharpened our focus around who are the right partners for us,” Horne says. “It wasn’t just about how we could get off the ground as quickly as possible. We just burned to make this thing.”

Eventually, the duo secured sufficient funding to launch a 26-person studio. While the budget is a far cry from the massive resources they once managed under the Bethesda and Microsoft banner, Smith notes that the trade-off is total creative freedom. “We’re just doing what we think is right every day,” he says.

A Philosophy of Defiance

Operating as a scrappy, fully remote team brings practical challenges—including a lack of professional-grade office furniture—but Smith views the endeavor as an act of rebellion.

“I don’t want to call it arrogance, but it’s not fair to call it confidence,” Smith explains. “It’s some sort of defiance. It’s an act of rebellion to try to do something hopeful in times like this.”

This mission takes on a deeper poignancy following the retirement of Warren Spector, the legendary father of the immersive sim genre and a longtime mentor to Smith. The two events, occurring back-to-back, have created a sense of transition in the industry, with Smith expressing eternal gratitude for the guidance that shaped his career.

The Power of Player Connection

For Smith, the ultimate metric of success isn’t just commercial viability—it’s the lingering impact of his work on the player. He recounts a surreal moment when a fan reached out for help with a Dishonored-themed wedding. Smith and his team went above and beyond, recording custom lines for the game’s iconic “Heart” object to be played during the ceremony.

“There’s more lucrative stuff to do,” Smith says. “But the reason you do it… is this connection with the audience. If you know, you know. It’s very powerful because you’re not doing this for yourself. You’re doing it for this connection between humans.”

Capturing the “Delicious” Mystery

While Black Pony Immersive is keeping its current project under wraps, Smith shared insight into the creative philosophy driving their development. He cites titles like Inscryption and Elden Ring as inspirations for their ability to cultivate a sense of genuine, “delicious” mystery.

Drawing on the wisdom of project lead Doug Church, Smith defines his ultimate ambition for the studio: “When a game really works, people get together later and tell stories as if it actually happened. As if they played football, or went to war, together. That joy, that magic between people—that is what we want.”