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Dishonored 2 director Harvey Smith wants to honour sacred imsim texts while finding news ways to surprise fans: “That’s the two wolves inside me”
Harvey Smith says Arkane’s commitment to immersive sims helped define the studio and led to work on games such as *Dishonored* and *BioShock 2*. He argues that choosing projects aligned with the team’s strengths mattered more than taking work simply for the money, even though that approach put the independent studio at risk.
Smith describes *Redfall* as a game that failed to come together, and says Arkane should not have worked on a games-as-a-service title. Production director Ben Horne says several factors converged around its release, including it being, he believes, Xbox’s first $70 game. The article also frames Smith’s creative tension as a desire to respect the immersive sim tradition while still surprising fans.
In short
- Arkane built its identity around immersive sims.
- Smith says *Redfall* never came together.
- He wants to respect the genre while finding new surprises.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Honouring the immersive sim tradition can preserve the studio’s distinctive strengths and give players the thoughtful, systemic experiences they value. Smith’s account also suggests that pursuing work suited to the team, rather than taking projects for revenue alone, can protect creative identity even when it carries financial risk.
The case against
A studio also has to adapt if it is to remain viable, and familiar strengths need not rule out trying new formats or business models. Respecting a genre’s traditions too closely could limit experimentation, while the problems around Redfall may reflect several production and market factors rather than the choice to make a games-as-a-service title alone.
Explained simply
Arkane is a game studio known for immersive sims: games that give players several ways to explore a world and solve problems, rather than steering them through one fixed path. Harvey Smith, who directed Dishonored 2, has helped shape that approach; Arkane also worked on BioShock 2.
The studio’s focus on games that suited its strengths influenced which projects it took on, even when that carried financial risks. Redfall, a game designed for ongoing online play, did not come together as intended, and Smith has said Arkane should not have made that kind of game.
The debate around Arkane’s choices reflects a broader challenge for established studios: how to build on a style fans value while trying new ideas. Production director Ben Horne has pointed to several factors around Redfall’s release, including its $70 price as what he believes was Xbox’s first game at that price.