Dishonored and Deus Ex co-lead Harvey Smith establishes Black Pony Immersive

Harvey Smith, a multi-award winning games industry leader with over 30 years of experience in game design and studio leadership, who previously co-led the Deus Ex and Dishonored series, has announced the establishment of Black Pony Immersive, a new game development studio headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Smith previously served as co-creative director on Dishonored, creative director on Dishonored 2, and lead game designer on Deus Ex. He is joined by executive producer Ben Horne, who he previously collaborated for over eight years, most recently at Arkane Austin.

Black Pony Immersive was built to design and develop “imaginative first-person action RPGs set within well-realized worlds, where players create their own memorable experiences with expressive, emergent game systems.”

“During a time of industry volatility, I’m proud to announce the next step in my video game journey with the reveal of our new studio,” said Black Pony Immersive CEO and creative director Harvey Smith in a press release. “This effort reflects everything we’ve learned, and all we hold dear. My favorite gaming memories come from seeing players approach challenges with creativity, deep-diving into our world building. We try to reward players for their curiosity and exploration. At our new studio, we’re building exactly the kind of single-player games we’re most passionate about.”

Black Pony Immersive chief operating officer and executive producer Ben Horne added, “This group has worked together for years, decades in some cases, and is purpose-built to make the ambitious games we love—immersive sims. We share a vision for crafting games that push the limits of player immersion. We can’t wait to reveal more soon.”

Visit the Black Pony Immersive official website here.