For years, Unity and Unreal have been the go‑to tools for game creators, accounting for roughly 70 % of the titles launched on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have begun to gain traction, most large studios still cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—leaving the market firmly in the hands of the two giants.
Enter Immens, a startup founded by three seasoned veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—who believe there is still room for a fresh engine that tackles the shortcomings of the status quo. Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of the industry: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Together they aim to challenge the entrenched dominance of Unity and Unreal with a platform built around artificial intelligence. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because “the tools that existed a couple of years ago simply aren’t enough anymore.” He argues that AI‑augmented programming now lets developers start from scratch with far more guidance and control, accelerating the delivery of fully functional features.
Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, is quick to clarify that the AI they employ is not the “prompt‑to‑asset” hype that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible.
“AI can reason over massive codebases and data sets,” he says. “If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without wrestling with rigid scripting layers.” In short, the AI acts as a catalyst for rapid extension rather than a magic wand that conjures entire games. The motivation behind Immens’s AI‑centric approach stems from the current economic climate of game development, which Brussee describes as “rough.” Production budgets are soaring, and the risk of failure is mounting. He asks, “How can we break this cycle?
Can we discover more efficient workflows that let smaller teams ship high‑quality experiences faster and with less money?” The answer, according to the founders, lies in leveraging AI to streamline repetitive tasks, reduce iteration time, and ultimately lower the financial barrier to entry. De Jong, the chief product officer, points out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has created a solid foundation, it also stifles innovation.
“The industry faces a host of challenges, and simply repeating past methods won’t cut it,” he argues. “We need fresh ideas, not more of the same.” He criticizes current engines for their monolithic nature—developers must conform to proprietary file formats and workflows.
By contrast, Immens aims to be a pliable platform that adapts to the user’s needs. Flexibility is a recurring theme. De Jong envisions an environment where developers can swap components, append new modules, or craft bespoke tools that match their personal workflows.
“Imagine building an interface with shortcuts and features exactly tuned to my team’s habits,” he says. “That level of customization is what we’re targeting.” Valient acknowledges AI’s double‑edged sword: it is incredibly powerful but can “go off the rails” if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control.
Users will be able to trace every AI decision, understand its history, and reproduce results reliably. This auditability, he argues, is essential for creative pipelines where a designer might need to generate five unique characters in minutes—a task that previously required weeks of manual labor. The engine’s architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow. De Jong stresses that teams can decide how much AI to incorporate and where to apply it.
“We provide the scaffolding; you decide the construction method,” he notes. This open‑ended design is complemented by a commitment to open standards. Brussee explains that when files are stored in text‑based formats, any tool—be it Blender, Maya, or a generative‑AI system—can read and manipulate them.
“The industry has been slow to adopt interoperable standards; we want to change that so every piece of software can talk to each other seamlessly,” he says. Despite the excitement, there is a vocal backlash against AI in game development, often fueled by sensational claims that a single prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑level experience.
Immens’s team tempers such expectations, describing AI as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement for human creativity. Valient believes that AI will elevate the entire ecosystem, making developers better at what they do, even if the term currently carries negative connotations. Economic concerns also loom large. Some critics label the AI boom a bubble with inflated valuations.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many startups vanished, the underlying internet technology endured. “AI isn’t disappearing; it’s becoming a permanent part of our toolkit,” he asserts. The company’s focus remains on building a solid engine first, using AI to accelerate development and inspire bigger visions.
Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its “first commitments” but has not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee warns against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency.
The team prefers to stay lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—so they can remain scrappy and make deliberate decisions. Balancing resources and ambition is a delicate act. De Jong explains that creating an engine is a complex, long‑term endeavor that cannot be solved by simply hiring a massive staff. Yet there is a narrow window of opportunity as AI reshapes the industry.
The founders aim to hit that sweet spot: enough talent and capital to seize the moment, but not so much that the project loses focus. Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month.
Brussee notes that the team originally expected to reach this milestone by year‑end, yet they are already moving twice as fast as anticipated. Timelines remain fluid, but the rapid progress signals that the AI‑first approach is paying off. As for the business model, Immens admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” licensing philosophy but admits it’s too early to finalize details. Ultimately, Brussee hopes the engine will enable creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking, artistic expression, and innovation.
“We love games and want to see the art form evolve,” he says. “If our technology can help developers build bolder, more imaginative experiences, that would be amazing.”