For years, the game‑development landscape has been dominated by two heavyweight engines—Unity and Unreal—responsible for roughly seventy percent of the titles that appeared on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have made notable strides and some studios cling to proprietary solutions such as Capcom’s RE Engine, the market has largely been a duopoly.
Enter Immens, a fledgling venture founded by three seasoned veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient. Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of the industry, featuring stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Together they argue that there is still space for a fresh engine—one that not only competes on features but also rethinks how games are built. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform because “the tools that existed a few years ago simply aren’t enough today.” He believes AI‑assisted programming can revive the notion of building an engine from the ground up, giving developers a way to achieve full functionality quickly while retaining granular control.
Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, is quick to clarify that their use of AI is not about “prompt‑to‑asset” magic. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. “If we design the codebase with AI in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without wrestling with opaque scripting layers,” he said. The goal is to let creators harness AI as a speed‑boost for extending the engine, not as a black‑box that spits out finished content.
The motivation behind this ambitious project stems from the current economic climate of game development, which Brussee describes as “rough.” Production budgets are ballooning, and the risk of financial ruin for small studios is increasing. “We need new ways of working that cut costs, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines,” he argued.
By leveraging AI to automate repetitive tasks and streamline pipelines, Immens hopes to lower the barrier to entry and make it feasible for indie teams to ship polished experiences without jeopardizing their livelihoods. De Jong, the chief product officer, points out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated.
While this has given developers a stable foundation, it also stifles innovation. “The industry is facing a host of challenges, and simply iterating on the same monolithic tools won’t solve them,” he noted. He envisions an engine that adapts to the user rather than forcing developers to conform to rigid file formats and proprietary workflows. Flexibility is at the heart of Immens’s design philosophy.
De Jong explains that users should be able to swap components, append new modules, and craft custom tools tailored to their specific workflow. “Imagine being able to build an interface with the exact shortcuts, features, and layout that match your team’s needs—that’s the freedom we aim to provide.” Valient also warns that AI, while powerful, can “go off the rails” if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: developers can see exactly what the engine is doing, track its decision history, and ensure repeatable results.
This level of oversight is crucial when AI is used to generate assets or automate processes that previously required weeks of manual labor. “What used to cost a small studio a fortune can now be prototyped over coffee,” Valient said, highlighting the potential for rapid iteration. The engine’s architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow.
De Jong stresses that teams can decide how much AI to integrate and where, as long as the underlying system can interpret AI outputs correctly. To facilitate seamless collaboration with existing tools, Immens adopts open standards and text‑based file formats. “If the data is readable, the AI can manipulate it, and you can plug in software like Blender, Maya, or any generative model without friction,” Brussee explained. This openness contrasts with many current engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering interoperability.
Public sentiment toward AI in game development is mixed, with some critics fearing a future where “click‑to‑game” solutions replace skilled craftsmanship. The Immens team acknowledges these concerns but frames AI as a collaborative instrument rather than a replacement. “AI will make everyone better, not eliminate the creative process,” Valient asserted.
De Jong added that responsible use of AI is a collective responsibility, echoing the broader tech industry’s call for ethical deployment. Economic anxieties also swirl around the AI boom, with many questioning whether the hype represents a bubble. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while countless startups vanished, the underlying internet persisted and flourished. “We’re focused on building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our vision,” he said, emphasizing that the true test will be the quality and durability of the product, not the market’s speculative fervor.
Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its “first commitments,” but the founders have been tight‑lipped about the exact amount, describing it as “reasonable.” Brussee cautions against over‑capitalization, noting that excess cash can breed complacency. The company intentionally remains lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—believing that a small, focused team can make decisive architectural choices without the overhead of a massive staff. Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases AI‑driven editing workflows.
The team set an initial target of year‑end delivery but has already accelerated the timeline, achieving a prototype two times faster than expected. While the final business model is still under discussion, Brussee expressed admiration for Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” licensing approach, though he admits it’s too early to commit. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the medium forward.
“We love games and want to see more daring, artistic expressions,” Brussee concluded. “If Immens can lower the cost and risk of innovation, we’ll have helped the industry take a bold new step.”