Arkane veterans Harvey Smith and Ben Horne reunite: “We’re back to the games we love”
Summary
Harvey Smith and Ben Horne discuss launching Black Pony Immersive, a new studio dedicated to single-player immersive sims after the closure of Arkane Austin. They reflect on the challenges of Redfall, the pitfalls of trend-chasing, and their commitment to creative vision over live-service models. The conversation covers funding strategies, the enduring appeal of player agency, and lessons learned from past successes and failures.
Topics discussed
Intro: Industry trends and sponsor message
Harvey Smith and Ben Horne launch Black Pony Immersive
The meaning behind the name Black Pony Immersive
Funding milestones and team structure
Defining game scale and budget in 2026
Core team vs. outsourcing and creative chemistry
Is the immersive sim genre dead?
Niche genres breaking into the mainstream
Focus vs. contracts: Lessons from Arkane's past
The troubled development and release of Redfall
Team resilience and lessons from failure
Harvey Smith's dream for the future of games
Rapid fire: IPs, music, platforms, and advice
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