Industry veterans behind Deus Ex and Dishonored have announced Black Pony Immersive, a new studio dedicated to passion-driven gaming over live-service trends.

  • Former Arkane Austin leads Harvey Smith, Ben Horne, and Ricardo Bare have founded Black Pony Immersive.
  • The studio aims to focus on immersive sim experiences rather than chasing 'Games-as-a-Service' trends.
  • The founders candidly discussed the failures of Redfall and the industry pressure to adopt live-service models.

In the wake of massive industry restructuring and layoffs within the Xbox ecosystem, a new beacon of hope has emerged for fans of deep, narrative-driven gaming. Former leaders from Arkane Austin—Harvey Smith, Ben Horne, and Ricardo Bare—have officially announced the launch of their new venture, Black Pony Immersive.

Speaking with The Game Business, the founders reflected on the turbulent years that led to the closure of Arkane Austin in 2024. A central point of discussion was the controversial launch of Redfall. Harvey Smith admitted that the studio was swept up in the industry-wide obsession with 'Games-as-a-Service' (GaaS), a move that ultimately failed to resonate with their core audience and diluted the studio's specialized strengths.

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Why This Matters

BozokMedia analysis shows that the gaming industry is currently at a crossroads. While major publishers continue to push for recurring revenue through live-service models, there is a growing fatigue among players for shallow, trend-chasing titles. The emergence of Black Pony Immersive represents a strategic pivot back to the 'Immersive Sim' genre—games that prioritize player agency, complex systems, and rich storytelling.

"Sometimes it really is just about the experience of trying to do something really difficult together." - Harvey Smith

The team behind legendary titles like Deus Ex and Dishonored is looking to reclaim the creative autonomy they felt was lost during their time at ZeniMax. They aim to build games they are genuinely passionate about, moving away from the 'golden ring' of massive, trend-driven profits that often lead to compromised quality.

The road ahead may be challenging, but these veterans are no strangers to hardship. Even during the development of their crown jewel, Dishonored, the team operated on razor-thin margins. This experience, combined with the lessons learned from the Redfall debacle, provides a unique foundation for their new studio's mission.

Did You Know?: During the development of the acclaimed Dishonored, the studio was operating with only a few months of cash reserves remaining.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. What is the core philosophy of Black Pony Immersive?
The studio is dedicated to creating high-quality immersive sim games, focusing on player passion rather than the industry's live-service trends.

2. How does this relate to the closure of Arkane Austin?
The founders of Black Pony Immersive are former leaders of Arkane Austin, seeking to apply lessons learned from the studio's final projects to a new, more focused venture.