For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game development, powering roughly 70% of the titles that appeared on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives such as Godot have enjoyed notable growth, most large studios still lean on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example. The market, therefore, appears firmly locked into a duopoly. Enter Immens, a fledgling venture founded by three seasoned industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of game‑making powerhouses, spanning 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, 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 because “the technology that didn’t exist a couple of years ago is now mature enough to let us start building from scratch again.” He believes AI‑assisted programming can accelerate the delivery of full‑featured systems, giving developers a faster route from concept to playable prototype.
Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, stresses that the AI they employ is not the “prompt‑to‑image” hype that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. “If we design the code base with AI in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without rewriting large portions of the engine,” he says.
The goal is to let creators use AI as a productivity multiplier, extending the engine’s capabilities quickly and safely. The motivation behind Immens is also economic.
Brussee describes the current climate as “rough” for developers, noting that production budgets are inflating while the risk of failure grows. He asks, “How can we break out of that cycle? Can we discover more efficient ways to work, reduce costs, and deliver games faster with smaller teams?” The answer, he believes, lies in leveraging AI to streamline repetitive tasks and accelerate iteration, thereby lowering the financial barrier to entry. De Jong, the company’s chief product officer, points out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated.
While this has provided a reliable foundation, he argues that the industry now needs genuine innovation rather than more of the same. He criticizes the “monolithic approach” of existing engines, where developers must conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. With AI, Immens aims to flip that script, offering an engine that molds itself to the developer’s workflow. “Flexibility is key,” De Jong explains.
“You should be able to swap components, append new features, and craft tools that match your exact needs—down to the shortcuts, UI layout, and workflow quirks that suit your team.” This level of customization, powered by AI‑driven code analysis, is intended to let studios of any size create a development environment that feels tailor‑made. Valient acknowledges that AI is a double‑edged sword. While it can be incredibly powerful, it can also “go off the rails” if left unchecked. To mitigate this, Immens is built with transparency and control at its core: developers can see exactly what the engine is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable outcomes.
This auditability is meant to keep the creative process trustworthy, even when AI generates assets or scripts on the fly. The engine’s architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow.
De Jong says, “It’s up to you how you want to use it, and how much AI you want to involve.” The framework is designed to interoperate with open standards, meaning that text‑based files can be read and manipulated by any tool—whether it’s Blender, Maya, or a custom in‑house solution. By embracing open formats, Immens hopes to eliminate the “weird outlier” problem where proprietary engines act as closed ecosystems, hindering collaboration across different software.
Public sentiment about AI in game development is mixed. Some commentators warn of a future where a simple prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience, sparking fears of a “click‑to‑game” apocalypse.
Immens’ team, however, views AI as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for human creativity. Valient believes that AI will make developers better, not obsolete, and that the current negative perception stems from the disruptive speed of the technology.
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 internet didn’t disappear. “We’re building a solid engine; AI simply helps us iterate faster and dream bigger,” he says. Whether the market is overheated remains uncertain, but Immens is focused on delivering a product that stands on its own merits.
Funding details are still vague. Immens has secured its “first commitments” but has not disclosed amounts, describing the target as “reasonable.” Brussee cautions against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency and reduce the scrappy mindset essential for a startup. The team remains lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—by design.
De Jong explains that building an engine is a complex undertaking that doesn’t benefit from a massive headcount; a small, focused group can make thoughtful decisions and iterate quickly. At the same time, they recognize a narrow window of opportunity as AI reshapes the industry, and they are balancing the need for resources with the desire to stay agile. Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases an AI‑driven editing workflow. The prototype is slated for release this month, and the team reports that they are already moving twice as fast as their original timeline projected.
While the exact business model is still being refined, Brussee admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” philosophy but admits it’s too early to commit to a specific revenue structure. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will empower creators to push the boundaries of what games can be.
“We love games and want to see more risk‑taking, more creativity,” says Brussee. “If our technology can help spark that innovation, it would be amazing.”