Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith launches a new studio and it literally has the word ‘Immersive’ in the name
Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith launches a new studio and it literally has the word 'Immersive' in the name is the focus of a new gaming update, and the useful part is understanding what has actually changed or been announced. Gaming Industry Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith launches a new studio and it literally has the word 'Immersive' in the name News By Andy Chalk Published 19 August 2026 Just in case there's any confusion, Black Pony Immersive's website also drops a reference to Looking Glass Studios.
What Happened
Gaming Industry Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith launches a new studio and it literally has the word 'Immersive' in the name News By Andy Chalk Published 19 August 2026 Just in case there's any confusion, Black Pony Immersive's website also drops a reference to Looking Glass Studios. The new operation features "an elite development team" built around personnel from Arkane, Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition, including Smith's long-time collaborator Ricardo Bare.In case the name Black Pony Immersive doesn't give it away, the new studio is "built to design and develop imaginative first person action RPGs set within well-realized worlds," with emergent game systems giving players the freedom to approach challenges as they see fit. But immersive sims are in kind of a rough place right now, so I don't blame Smith and company for taking a more verbose, descriptive run at laying out what they want to do."During a time of industry volatility, I'm proud to announce the next step in my videogame journey with the reveal of our new studio," Smith said."This effort reflects everything we've learned, and all we hold dear. At our new studio, we're building exactly the kind of singleplayer games we're most passionate about."Latest Videos FromPC GamerWatch full video here: Black Pony's new website is also very on point: Beneath the polished, corporate mission statement typical of new startups, it says, "Through the looking glass, we’re chasing a dream of mystery, meaning, and creative play."All due respect to Lewis Carroll, that is 100% a reference to Looking Glass Studios, the legendary immersive sim studio that, in various guises over an amazing half-decade run, gave us Ultima Underworld, System Shock, and Thief. Maybe some part of that will make it to this new operation?What exactly Black Pony will be getting up to first has yet to be revealed, but there are some clickables on the website that might offer insights.
What Players Need to Know
The new operation features "an elite development team" built around personnel from Arkane, Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition, including Smith's long-time collaborator Ricardo Bare.In case the name Black Pony Immersive doesn't give it away, the new studio is "built to design and develop imaginative first person action RPGs set within well-realized worlds," with emergent game systems giving players the freedom to approach challenges as they see fit. 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 singleplayer games we're most passionate about."Latest Videos FromPC GamerWatch full video here: Black Pony's new website is also very on point: Beneath the polished, corporate mission statement typical of new startups, it says, "Through the looking glass, we’re chasing a dream of mystery, meaning, and creative play."All due respect to Lewis Carroll, that is 100% a reference to Looking Glass Studios, the legendary immersive sim studio that, in various guises over an amazing half-decade run, gave us Ultima Underworld, System Shock, and Thief. and creativity into making GTA' Gaming Industry Industry legend Warren Spector is retiring: 'I'm feeling like I've done what I set out to do' Gaming Industry 'Live-service is a red flag for us': Why one publisher is embracing an older kind of multiplayer hit: peer-to-peer,
Additional Context
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. And if you're thinking to yourself, boy, that sure seems like a lot of words to say 'immersive sims,' well, you're right.
It is, essentially, Smith throwing down the gauntlet, and I can tell you that some of us here in the PC Gamer mines are pretty excited about it. Smith said in 2025 that the shutdown came as "a shock," because the studio had done such great work in the past and was "working on something very cool" when the axe fell.
From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters.
Why This Matters
For players, the key question is whether this development changes availability, gameplay, platform support or the timing of a release. The source facts above are the basis for the report; AllStarGamer does not treat unconfirmed speculation as established information.
What to Watch Next
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Gaming Industry Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith launches a new studio and it literally has the word 'Immersive' in the name News By Andy Chalk Published 19 August 2026 Just in case there's any confusion, Black Pony Immersive's website also drops a reference to Looking Glass Studios. When you purchase through links on our site, we…
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