Overview
- Black Pony Immersive publicly announced its launch Wednesday with Harvey Smith as CEO and creative director and Ben Horne as COO and executive producer.
- The studio says it will make single-player, first-person action RPGs that emphasize player choice, exploration, interconnected systems, and emergent gameplay.
- Black Pony opened operations in August 2025 and now lists about 26 full-time US-based staff who work remotely around the country while the company remains centered in Austin, Texas.
- The team includes longtime collaborators from Arkane plus hires from Insomniac, Epic, Avalanche, and Volition, including designer Ricardo Bare.
- Founders say difficult fundraising after Arkane Austin’s 2024 closure shaped their approach, leading them to turn down deals they deemed unsuitable and to try proving a veteran independent team can sustain the immersive-sim niche.