“Do questions like that create a self-fulfilling prophecy?”: Dishonored director Harvey Smith on the fear of asking if immersive sims are dead
Harvey Smith, the acclaimed director behind Dishonored and a veteran of Arkane Studios, has announced a new studio entirely dedicated to developing immersive sims—a genre frequently dismissed as commercially nonviable. In response to ongoing industry discussion about whether immersive sims are dead, Smith questions whether constant predictions of doom create self-fulfilling prophecies. His new venture, led alongside fellow industry veterans Ricardo Bare and Ben Horne, represents a counter-narrative to industry pessimism.
The announcement reflects broader conversations about the genre’s future. Earlier in August, an original designer behind Thief: The Dark Project expressed serious reservations about developing immersive sims at triple-A scale, citing financial and development challenges. Smith’s decision to build an entire studio around the genre suggests he believes creative vision and passion—rather than blockbuster budgets—may be the key to revitalizing immersive sims in the current market.
The timing is significant, as industry consolidation and the dominance of live-service games have reduced opportunities for niche, single-player experiences. Whether Smith’s optimistic bet on immersive sims represents a viable path forward for the genre remains to be seen.