New Blood CEO confirms it: the worst way to sell immersive sims like Gloomwood and Fallen Aces is to call them immersive sims
New Blood Interactive CEO Dave Oshry has publicly criticized “immersive sim” as a marketing term, calling it “awful” and ineffective for selling games in the genre. Oshry suggests there’s emerging industry consensus that the terminology itself harms commercial viability, despite the phrase’s fondness among dedicated fans of classics like Deus Ex and Dishonored.
The comments emerge as New Blood Interactive, previously known for boomer shooters Dusk and Ultrakill, dedicates substantial resources to two early-access immersive simulations: Gloomwood and Fallen Aces, both of which have earned critical praise. Oshry joked about the financial risk of the strategy, remarking the company is “dumping all the money into immersive sims so we can go broke like the great studios that came before us,” referencing the commercial struggles faced by legendary immersive sim developers.
The underlying tension reflects a persistent marketing challenge: while “immersive sim” resonates strongly with genre enthusiasts who enjoy the first-person exploration, drawer-rifling, and systemic gameplay these titles offer, the terminology fails to communicate broader appeal to mainstream audiences. Despite these obstacles, New Blood continues its bet that exceptional game design will transcend marketing terminology.