Unity and Unreal have long ruled the game‑development landscape, accounting for roughly seventy percent of all titles launched on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have gained traction and some studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—the market has largely been a duopoly dominated by the two giants. Enter Immens, a fledgling engine built by three industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient. Their résumés read like a who's‑who of modern game‑making, with experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple.
The trio believes there is still room for a fresh approach that can address the shortcomings of existing tools. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is ripe for a new engine because "the landscape looks different than it did a few years ago." He sees AI‑assisted programming as a catalyst that can restore the ability to build systems from the ground up without the massive overhead that currently plagues developers. "With the right guidance and control, you can assemble a fully functional pipeline in a fraction of the time," he said.
Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the company’s use of AI is not about generating assets with a single prompt. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. "AI excels at reasoning over large codebases and data sets.
If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even solo creators or tiny teams can plug in custom modules—say, a bespoke particle system—without being confined to a limited scripting layer," he explained. This extensibility, he believes, will let developers iterate faster and tailor the engine to their unique artistic visions. The motivation behind Immens’s AI‑centric design stems from the harsh economic realities of modern game production. Brussee described the current climate as "rough," noting that development costs keep climbing, making it increasingly difficult for small studios to survive.
"We need new working methods that reduce expenses, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines so creators aren’t risking their livelihoods on a single title," he warned. De Jong, the chief product officer, pointed out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has provided a stable foundation, it also stifles innovation. "The industry faces a suite of challenges, and simply repeating the old formula won’t cut it.
We need fresh ideas, not more of the same," he asserted. He criticized the "monolithic" nature of current engines, which force developers to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid workflows. With AI, Immens aims to deliver an engine that molds itself to the user’s needs rather than the other way around.
Flexibility is a core tenet of Immens. De Jong envisions a system where developers can swap components, append new features, and craft bespoke tools that match their personal workflows.
"Imagine being able to design an interface with exactly the shortcuts, panels, and automation you need for a specific project—nothing more, nothing less," he said. Valient acknowledged that AI, while powerful, can behave unpredictably if left unchecked. To mitigate this, Immens is built to keep users in the driver’s seat. "You always see what the engine is doing, its decision history, and you can reproduce or modify those actions," he noted.
This transparency is intended to make AI‑generated tools reliable and repeatable, turning what used to be weeks‑long manual tasks into rapid, coffee‑break‑sized iterations. The architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow.
"You decide how much AI you want to incorporate and where," De Jong emphasized. The team also prioritizes open standards, ensuring that text‑based files can be read and manipulated by any compatible software.
"When files are open, the AI can parse them, and tools like Blender, Maya, or any generative system can plug straight in," Brussee said. This openness contrasts with many existing engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering interoperability.
Public sentiment toward AI in game development is mixed, with some fearing a future where a simple prompt produces a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience. Immens acknowledges the hype but frames AI as a "tool" rather than a magic wand. Valient believes AI will elevate the entire industry: "Big titles and indie projects alike will benefit because AI makes everyone better," he said, noting that the technology’s disruptive nature is what fuels its negative perception.
Economic anxieties also swirl around AI, with critics warning of a speculative bubble. Valient compared the situation to the dot‑com era, arguing that while many companies will fall, the underlying technology will persist.
"AI isn’t disappearing; it’s accelerating our ability to dream bigger and build faster," he remarked. Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed amounts, describing the target as "reasonable." Brussee cautioned against over‑capitalization, warning that too much money can breed complacency. The company remains a lean operation—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—by design.
De Jong explained the balance: a small, focused team can make deliberate decisions, while still being large enough to seize the emerging market window created by AI’s rise. Currently, Immens is racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release within the month.
The timeline has already outpaced their original estimate; what was projected to take until year‑end is now arriving roughly twice as fast. Regarding monetization, Brussee hinted at an approach similar to Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" model, but admitted it’s too early for firm statements. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push artistic boundaries and take risks. "We love games and want to see more daring, innovative experiences," Brussee concluded.
"If our technology can help bring that vision to life, that would be amazing."