Veteran Developer from Dishonored and Deus Ex Launches New Studio Following Arkane’s Closure

Harvey Smith, a veteran developer known for his pivotal role in shaping immersive sims, is embarking on a new adventure with a fresh studio. With over thirty years in the gaming industry, Smith was the lead designer on the original Deus Ex before joining Arkane Studios, where he co-directed Dishonored and later took the reins as creative director for Dishonored 2. Most recently, he and Ben Horne collaborated at Arkane Austin, the team behind Prey and Redfall, which was unfortunately shut down by Microsoft in 2024.

On Wednesday, Smith and Horne unveiled Black Pony Immersive, a new Austin-based studio dedicated to crafting single-player, first-person action RPGs that emphasize player choice, exploration, and dynamic systems.

“Amidst the industry’s ups and downs, I’m excited to share the next chapter of my gaming journey with the launch of our new studio,” Smith stated in a press release. “At Black Pony, we’re focused on creating the kind of single-player experiences that ignite our passion.”

But Black Pony is more than just Smith and Horne. The studio boasts a team of developers with backgrounds at Arkane, Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition, including Smith’s long-time collaborator, Ricardo Bare. Together, the team has contributed to titles like Deus Ex, Dishonored, Prey, and Just Cause.

This announcement also marks a significant moment for the immersive sim genre, especially as Warren Spector, the creator of Deus Ex, recently announced his retirement after nearly 44 years in the industry, closing a significant chapter in a genre that thrives on giving players the freedom to tackle challenges in unique ways.

Smith seems eager to continue that legacy. Black Pony aims to deliver narrative-driven experiences set in richly detailed worlds where players can engage with interconnected systems rather than follow a linear path. This philosophy has been a hallmark of Smith’s career, with Dishonored itself emerging from Arkane’s earlier, unsuccessful attempts to develop new Thief and Blade Runner games, which eventually transformed into the original property that debuted in 2012.

While Black Pony has yet to disclose its first game, leaving many details like the title, setting, platforms, and release window under wraps, Horne has made the studio’s ambitions clear.

“This team has collaborated for years, even decades in some cases, and is specifically assembled to create the ambitious immersive sims we cherish,” Horne remarked. “We’re eager to share more soon.”