The Dishonored series of games stand out as some of the most ingeniously crafted experiences in all of videogame history–by combining player creativity with highly non-linear level designs, both Dishonored titles still offer phenomenal gameplay and narrative richness along with sky-high replayability, a flavor that’s highly missed in the current era of gaming.
And although the fate of Arkane studios is currently under a huge question mark, franchise co-creator Harvey Smith may carry the Dishonored legacy forward as the veteran developer has recently founded a new studio that seems to be focused on creating titles that contain the DNA of Dishonored–in more ways than one.
“Today, veteran game developers Harvey Smith and Ben Horne revealed Black Pony Immersive, a new game studio 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 gameplay systems,” the studio said during an official press release.
That announcement alone should make anyone who has played any of the Dishonored titles or even Arkane’s Deathloop or Prey, really excited as those games represent some of the greatest and most innovative ideas in gaming and it would be great if the immersive sim sub-genre sees a well-deserved resurgence at some point in the future, thanks to Smith’s new studio which will be based in Austin, Texas.
“This group has worked together for years, decades in some cases, and is purpose-built to make the ambitious games we love–immersive sims,” said Horne, who will serve as COO and executive producer at the studio, in the release. “We share a vision for crafting games that push the limits of player immersion. We can’t wait to reveal more soon.”
Smith has joined forces with longtime Arkane Austin collaborator Ben Horne and Ricardo Bare in the new studio and the collective resume of the trio includes experiences from not just the Dishonored games but also Deus Ex, Prey and Just Cause.
