Harvey Smith and fellow Arkane Austin veterans announce a new studio, Black Pony Immersive

Harvey Smith, creative director of Dishonored 2 and co-designer of the original Deus Ex, has founded Black Pony Immersive alongside former Arkane colleague Ben Horne. The announcement comes two years after Microsoft’s May 2024 closure of Arkane Austin, where both developers spent years crafting acclaimed immersive simulation games. The studio was quietly opened in August 2025 before going public this week.

Black Pony Immersive is explicitly dedicated to creating first-person action-RPGs with “well-realized worlds” and “expressive, emergent gameplay systems”—a direct spiritual successor to the immersive sim genre that Smith helped pioneer through Dishonored and Deus Ex. Horne, most recently production director on Arkane’s troubled final project Redfall, brings substantial production experience to the venture.

The studio has assembled an “elite development team” drawing talent from across the industry, including developers from Arkane, Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition. Its branding explicitly references Looking Glass Studios, the legendary developer behind System Shock and Thief—foundational titles for immersive sims. When asked about launching during industry upheaval, Smith remarked: “We chose the worst time in history [to start a game studio]. Because, you know, what else are you going to do?” Despite challenging market conditions, the studio operates independently, committed to player-driven, emergent gameplay experiences that have defined Smith’s career.

Harvey Smith and fellow Arkane Austin veterans announce a new studio, Black Pony Immersive

Sources