For more than a decade, Unity and Unreal have been the de‑facto platforms for creating video games, accounting for roughly seventy percent of all titles launched on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have begun to attract attention, most large studios still lean on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s in‑house RE Engine being a prominent example—leaving the market largely dominated by the two giants. Enter Immens, a fledgling company founded by three industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient. Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of game development, featuring stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple.

Together they argue that there is still room for a fresh engine, and that the next generation of tools should be built with artificial intelligence at its core. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform that simply didn’t exist a few years ago.

“With AI‑assisted programming, you can start building from a clean slate again,” he said. “Guided by intelligent systems, you can assemble fully functional features much more quickly than before.” Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the company’s use of AI is not about generating assets from vague prompts, a narrative that has become common in popular discourse. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible.

“If we design the engine with AI‑friendly structures, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without being confined to a limited scripting layer,” he explained. “The AI helps you extend the engine faster, but the developer remains in control.” The motivation behind this AI‑centric approach stems from the current economic realities of game development.

Brussee described the market as “rough,” noting that production budgets continue to climb while the risk of failure remains high. “We need new ways of working that lower costs and enable smaller teams to deliver high‑quality experiences on tighter schedules,” he said. “If we can make the development pipeline more efficient, studios can protect their livelihoods and take creative risks without jeopardising everything.” De Jong, Immens’s chief product officer, observed that the engine landscape has become overly standardized and consolidated.

While this has provided a solid foundation, it also stifles innovation. “The industry faces a host of challenges, and simply iterating on existing tools isn’t enough,” he argued. “We need a paradigm shift—flexibility, modularity, and the ability for the engine to adapt to the developer’s workflow rather than the other way around.” One of the pain points with current engines is their monolithic nature.

Developers must conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines, which can hinder creativity. De Jong envisions an engine that behaves more like a modular toolkit: developers could swap components, append new modules, or even craft entirely custom interfaces tailored to their personal workflow. “Imagine being able to design a toolbar that mirrors your own mental model, with shortcuts and features exactly where you need them,” he said.

“That level of personalization is what we aim to deliver.” Valient also warned that AI, while powerful, can “go off the rails” if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control. Users can audit the AI’s actions, view its decision history, and ensure repeatable results.

This accountability is crucial when the engine is used to automate tasks such as generating multiple character variants with specific traits—a process that traditionally might take weeks but could now be prototyped over a coffee break. “You can run the tool, get five usable assets, discard it, and move on. That speed and cost reduction is transformative,” Valient noted. Flexibility is baked into Immens’s core philosophy.

The engine does not enforce a single workflow; instead, it provides a framework that developers can shape to their needs, deciding how much AI assistance they want and where to apply it. De Jong stressed the importance of open standards to achieve seamless interoperability with existing tools like Blender, Maya, or other generative pipelines. “When files are text‑based and adhere to open specifications, any program can read and manipulate them,” Brussee explained.

“Our AI can parse those files, modify them, and communicate with other software without the usual proprietary barriers. That openness is a huge advantage over traditional engines that act as closed ecosystems.” The broader community remains divided on AI’s role in game creation. Some commentators on LinkedIn sensationalize the technology, claiming that a single prompt could produce a Grand Theft Auto‑scale world.

Immens acknowledges the hype but treats AI as a sophisticated instrument rather than a magic button. “One day we might see ‘click‑to‑game’ solutions, but for now we view AI as a tool that amplifies human talent,” Valient said. “It’s disrupting the industry at an unprecedented scale, which explains the negative connotations, but ultimately it will make developers better.” Economic concerns also surface, with many questioning whether AI‑focused startups are part of a speculative bubble. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies vanished, the underlying technology— the internet—persisted and flourished.

“AI isn’t disappearing; it’s evolving. Some firms will fail, but those that deliver genuinely useful products will survive. Our goal is to build a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our development and expands our creative horizons.” Funding for Immens remains modest. The founders have secured initial commitments but have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee cautioned against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency.

“Startups need to stay scrappy; too much money can make you lazy,” he laughed. The team itself is intentionally lean—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers. De Jong explained that building an engine is a complex undertaking that does not benefit from a massive headcount.

“You need a small, focused group to make critical decisions and iterate quickly. At the same time, you must time your effort to capture the current wave of AI innovation before the window closes.” Immens is currently targeting a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month. The timeline has already outpaced their original expectations; what was projected to take until year‑end is now arriving roughly twice as fast.

“Predicting timelines is hard when the technology moves this quickly,” Brussee admitted. Regarding the business model, Immens admires Epic Games’ philosophy of sharing success with developers but admits it is too early to formalize a pricing strategy. The founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more artistic expression and risk‑taking.

“We love games and want to see more daring, innovative titles,” Brussee concluded. “If our technology can help bring those visions to life, that would be amazing."