Unity and Unreal have long been the dominant forces in game development, accounting for roughly 70% of Steam releases in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have gained traction, most large studios still cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—leaving the market largely monopolized by the two giants.
Against this backdrop, three seasoned veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immersive (Immens), a new AI‑enhanced engine that they believe can carve out a meaningful niche. The trio’s 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. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is ripe for a fresh engine, noting that "a few years ago the tools we need simply didn’t exist." He sees AI‑assisted programming as a catalyst that can resurrect the possibility of building a game engine from the ground up, offering developers a high‑level of control while accelerating the delivery of full‑featured systems.
Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarifies that their use of AI diverges from the hype‑driven "prompt‑to‑asset" narrative. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. "AI can reason about massive codebases and data sets," he explains.
"If we design the underlying code with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can plug in a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without wrestling with opaque scripting layers." This extensibility is meant to empower creators to iterate faster, leveraging AI as a productivity partner rather than a replacement for human ingenuity. The motivation behind Immens is also economic.
Brussee describes the current development climate as "rough," with budgets ballooning and the risk of failure rising for small studios. "Games are getting more expensive, and we need new ways to break that cycle," he says.
The goal is to enable teams to produce high‑quality experiences with fewer people, shorter timelines, and lower financial exposure, thereby safeguarding the livelihoods of independent studios. De Jong, the chief product officer, points out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated.
While this has provided a solid technical foundation, it also stifles innovation. "Continuing to do exactly what we’ve always done won’t solve the challenges the industry now faces," he asserts.
He criticizes the "monolithic approach" of existing engines, where developers must adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. With AI, Immens aims to flip the script: the engine should adapt to the developer’s workflow, allowing seamless interchange of assets, on‑the‑fly tool creation, and personalized interfaces tailored to each project’s unique needs. Valient acknowledges AI’s double‑edged nature.
While the technology is "really powerful," it can also veer off course if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can see exactly what the AI is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable outcomes. This level of oversight is crucial for creative tasks such as generating multiple characters with specific traits—tasks that previously required weeks of manual work can now be prototyped over a coffee break and refined iteratively.
Flexibility is baked into Immens’s core design. De Jong stresses that the engine does not impose a single workflow; developers decide how much AI assistance they want and where to apply it. The architecture is built on open standards, meaning that text‑based files can be read and manipulated by any compatible tool. "If you’re using Blender, Maya, or any generative system, you can plug it in because everything communicates through open formats," Brussee notes.
This openness contrasts with many proprietary engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering interoperability. The broader AI debate in game development is polarized.
Some pundits on LinkedIn hype the prospect of "click‑to‑game" experiences where a simple prompt spawns a Grand Theft Auto‑scale world. Immens’s team acknowledges that such a future might be possible, but they view AI primarily as a tool that amplifies human creativity rather than replaces it. "AI will make everyone better," says Valient, noting that the current negative perception stems from the disruptive speed and scale of the technology.
Economic anxieties also swirl around AI, with concerns about a speculative bubble inflating valuations. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, arguing that while many AI startups will falter, the underlying technology is here to stay.
"The internet didn’t disappear after the bubble burst; the same will happen with AI," he asserts. Immens’s focus remains on building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates development and expands creative horizons. Funding remains modest.
Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed amounts, describing the capital sought as "reasonable." Brussee warns against over‑funding, noting that excess cash can breed complacency. The company deliberately stays lean—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers—to maintain agility and avoid the pitfalls of a massive, unwieldy team.
Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month. The team originally projected a year‑long timeline but has already achieved milestones twice as fast, underscoring the productivity gains they claim AI can deliver. The eventual business model is still under discussion. While Immens admires Epic Games’ revenue‑share philosophy—"we succeed when you succeed"—they consider it premature to make definitive statements.
Ultimately, Brussee hopes Immens will catalyze a wave of innovative, risk‑taking games that push the medium forward. "We love games and want to see more creativity and daring," he says. "If our technology can help developers realize bold ideas, that would be amazing."