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Thief designer Randy Smith: immersive sims are too niche for AAA economics

Randy Smith, a veteran designer on Thief, System Shock 2 and other immersive sims, says the genre's audience is too small to justify the rising AAA budgets studios are chasing. He argues immersive sims are being forced to compete with blockbuster shooters and open-world games, driving up costs and expectations. That mismatch has contributed to commercial failures and studio shutdowns, including Arkane Austin in 2024, and pressure on Arkane Lyon despite French labour protections.

• Randy Smith worked on Thief: The Dark Project, Thief 2, Thief: Deadly Shadows, System Shock 2 and Dark Messiah: Might and Magic.
• Immersive sims are being designed to match AAA fidelity and scale—examples cited include Deus Ex: Mankind Divided and Arkane’s recent large projects—pushing them to compete with blockbuster shooters and open-world titles.
• Dishonored 2 and Prey were treated as commercial disappointments under Bethesda’s expectations; Arkane Austin was closed by Microsoft in 2024 following Redfall’s poor reception.
• Arkane Lyon remains operational because of French labour laws, but Microsoft seeks to divest or close the studio.