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Dishonored co-creator Harvey Smith launches a new studio and it literally has the word ‘Immersive’ in the name
Developed over time first seen 3 months ago
Harvey Smith, co-creator of the acclaimed Dishonored series and a veteran of studios including Arkane and Ion Storm, has launched a new video game studio whose name explicitly includes the word "Immersive" — a direct nod to the "immersive sim" genre he helped define through titles such as Dishonored and Deus Ex. The announcement confirms his return to studio leadership after decades shaping one of gaming's most influential design movements, though it stops short of detailing what the new venture will actually produce.
No further particulars about the studio's projects, funding, location or founding team have emerged in coverage of the launch; the naming choice itself, signalling continuity with Smith's design philosophy, is the central and largely sole confirmed fact of the story. As no additional reporting has surfaced since the initial announcement, the studio's plans remain unspecified for now.
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In short
- Harvey Smith, Dishonored co-creator, launches new studio
- Studio name includes "Immersive," referencing his signature genre
- Project details, funding and team remain unannounced
How this story developed
- 3 months ago Harvey Smith, co-creator of the acclaimed Dishonored series, has launched a new video game studio, choosing a name that includes the word "Immersive" — a nod to the "immersive sim" genre he helped popularise through titles like Dishonored and Deus Ex.
- 3 months ago Harvey Smith, co-creator of the acclaimed Dishonored series and a veteran of studios including Arkane and Ion Storm, has launched a new video game studio whose name explicitly includes the word "Immersive" — a direct nod to the "immersive sim" genre he helped define through titles such as Dishonored and Deus Ex.
Explained simply
Harvey Smith is a veteran video game designer best known for co-creating Dishonored and for his earlier work on Deus Ex, two titles credited with shaping what's known in the industry as the "immersive sim" genre, games built around player freedom and layered, systemic worlds. Over his career he has worked at well-known studios including Arkane and Ion Storm.
He has now started a new independent studio, giving it a name that directly references "immersive," a nod to the genre he helped establish. Details about the studio's funding, staff or what games it plans to make have not yet been made public.
The story matters mainly because of Smith's reputation: designers with his track record starting new ventures are closely watched by the games industry and its audience, as such moves can signal where a respected genre and its creators are headed next.