For years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces shaping the video‑game creation landscape, accounting for roughly 70 % of all titles released on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives such as Godot have enjoyed notable growth, the market still largely revolves around proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example. In this environment, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—believe there is still room for a fresh, more adaptable engine. Their new venture, Immens, aims to combine cutting‑edge artificial‑intelligence techniques with a highly modular architecture to give smaller teams the power to build games faster and cheaper.
The founders’ résumés read like a who’s‑who of the gaming world. Brussee and De Jong have previously contributed to Epic Games’ Unreal Engine, while Valient’s background includes work at Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and Apple. Their combined experience gives them a unique perspective on the shortcomings of today’s mainstream tools and the opportunities that AI can unlock. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because "the technology that didn’t exist a couple of years ago is finally mature enough to be useful." According to Brussee, AI‑assisted programming can let developers start from a clean slate and assemble functional systems much more quickly than before.
"With the right guidance and control, you can build something that delivers full functionality fast," he said. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarified that the company’s AI is not about generating assets from a single prompt, but rather about constructing an extensible codebase that can be easily expanded by users.
"AI can reason over large codebases and data sets. If we design the engine with that in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without being limited to a tiny scripting layer," he explained. The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current economic pressures facing game creators. Brussee described the market as "rough" and warned that development costs continue to rise, making it harder for independent studios to survive.
"We need new ways of working that cut expenses, shrink team sizes, and speed up production," he argued. De Jong echoed this sentiment, noting that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated. While standardization provides a solid foundation, the industry now requires genuine innovation rather than incremental tweaks.
One of the core criticisms De Jong has of existing engines is their monolithic nature. Developers often have to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines, which stifles creativity. By contrast, Immens intends to be a flexible, interchangeable platform. "You should be able to swap components, append new tools, and modify the workflow to suit your project’s exact needs," he said.
This flexibility extends to the user interface, allowing developers to craft shortcuts, panels, and menus that match their personal habits and team requirements. Valient acknowledged that AI, while powerful, can also behave unpredictably if left unchecked.
To mitigate this, Immens is built with transparency in mind: users can see exactly what the engine is doing, review its decision history, and reproduce results reliably. He illustrated the potential by describing a scenario where a designer wants to generate five characters with a specific trait. Previously, this might have required weeks of manual work; with AI‑assisted tooling, the designer could sketch the idea over breakfast, run the tool, and obtain usable assets in minutes. The workflow can then be discarded or refined as needed, dramatically reducing cost.
Immens does not force a single development methodology on its users. De Jong emphasized that the framework is deliberately agnostic, allowing teams to decide how much AI to incorporate and where. The engine also embraces open standards, meaning that text‑based files can be read and edited by any compatible software.
"If you use Blender, Maya, or any generative tool, you can plug it directly into Immens because everything speaks the same language," Brussee noted. This openness addresses a long‑standing pain point where many engines act as closed ecosystems that resist integration. The broader conversation around AI in game development is often polarized. Some commentators on LinkedIn hype the idea of "click‑to‑game" solutions that could produce GTA‑level experiences from a single prompt.
Immens’ team, however, views AI as a sophisticated tool rather than a magic wand. Valient believes that AI will ultimately make developers better, not replace them, and that the current negative perception stems from the disruptive scale of the technology. Economic anxieties also surround AI, with many questioning whether the sector is a speculative bubble. Valient compared the situation to the dot‑com era, arguing that while some companies will fail, the underlying technology will endure and continue to produce valuable products.
Immens is focused on building a solid engine first; AI merely accelerates their ability to iterate and dream bigger. Funding for Immens remains modest. The founders have secured initial commitments but have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as "reasonable." Brussee warned against excessive capital, noting that too much money can lead to complacency and a loss of the scrappy mindset that drives innovation.
The company currently consists of the three founders plus a handful of helpers, intentionally keeping the team lean to maintain agility. Immens is now working toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team anticipated completing this by the end of the year, but they have already reached that milestone twice as fast, according to Brussee.
While the precise business model is still being refined, the founders appreciate Epic Games’ "we succeed when you succeed" licensing philosophy and may adopt a similar approach once the product matures. Ultimately, the trio hopes Immens will empower creators to push the boundaries of interactive art.
"We love games and want to see more risk‑taking, more creativity, and more innovation," Brussee concluded. "If our technology can help bring those ambitious projects to life, that would be amazing."