Unity and Unreal have long dominated the game‑development landscape, accounting for roughly 70% of all Steam releases in 2025. While Godot has made notable strides recently and some studios still rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely been locked into the two giants. Against this backdrop, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immersive (Immens) with the conviction that there is still space for a fresh engine and, more importantly, for meaningful improvement.
The trio’s résumés read like a who’s‑who of modern game development: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, Apple, and more. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is now right to build a new engine because "the tools that existed a few years ago simply aren’t sufficient any longer." He believes AI‑enhanced programming can return developers to a state of true creation, allowing them to start projects from a clean slate while still benefiting from robust guidance and rapid functionality. 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 embedded in the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible.
"AI can reason over large codebases and data sets," he explains. "If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even solo developers or tiny teams can add deep custom features—like a bespoke particle system—without being constrained to superficial scripting.
The AI simply accelerates the extension process." The motivation behind this AI‑centric engine stems from the current market climate, which Brussee describes as "rough." Development costs are soaring, budgets are ballooning, and the risk of failure is higher than ever. He asks, "How can we break this cycle? Can we discover more efficient workflows that let smaller teams produce high‑quality games faster and with less money?" The answer, according to Immens, lies in leveraging AI to streamline repetitive tasks, reduce overhead, and democratize advanced capabilities.
De Jong, Immens’s chief product officer, points out that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has provided a solid foundation, the industry now faces a host of new challenges that cannot be solved by simply iterating on existing tools. "We need innovation, not more of the same," he says. "Current engines take a monolithic approach: developers must adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines.
With AI, we can flip that model and let the engine adapt to the developer’s needs." Flexibility is a core tenet of Immens. De Jong envisions a system where developers can interchange, append, and modify components at will, crafting bespoke tools that match their personal workflows. He gives an example of tailoring an interface with exact shortcuts, features, and layouts that suit a specific project, eliminating the friction of one‑size‑fits‑all solutions.
Valient acknowledges AI’s power but also its volatility. "If you don’t keep a close eye on it, the system can go off the rails quickly," he warns. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can see the engine’s decision history, ensuring repeatability and trust.
This visibility enables rapid prototyping—imagine designing five distinct characters with unique traits over a coffee break, then discarding the temporary tool once the task is complete, a process that previously would have taken weeks and a sizable budget. The architecture of Immens is deliberately agnostic. It does not enforce a singular workflow or dictate how much AI should be employed.
Instead, it offers a modular framework where developers decide the extent and location of AI integration. De Jong stresses the importance of the AI understanding the developer’s intent correctly, which hinges on well‑structured, open standards. Open standards are another pillar of Immens’s strategy.
By using text‑based file formats, the engine can interoperate seamlessly with popular tools such as Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI pipeline. "When files are readable as plain text, any system can parse them," Brussee notes. This openness counters the typical isolation of proprietary engines, fostering a more collaborative ecosystem where tools communicate fluently.
The broader conversation around AI in game development is polarized. Some voices on LinkedIn sensationalize the idea that a single prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience, fueling fear of "click‑to‑game" solutions. Immens’s team acknowledges that such extremes may one day be possible, but they view AI primarily as an empowering instrument rather than a replacement for human creativity.
Valient asserts that AI will make developers better, not obsolete, and that the technology’s current negative perception stems from its disruptive scale. Economic concerns also loom large.
Critics worry that AI‑centric startups are part of a speculative bubble with inflated valuations. Valient counters that, like the dot‑com era, the underlying technology is here to stay even if some companies fall away. "We’re focused on building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our development and expands our imagination," he says. Whether the market is in a bubble remains uncertain, but the team is confident that a well‑crafted product will endure.
Funding for Immens remains modest. The founders have secured initial commitments but have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as "reasonable." Brussee cautions against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency.
The company intentionally stays lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—to maintain agility and focus. Scaling an engine is a complex endeavor that cannot be tackled by throwing a massive team at the problem. De Jong explains the need for a small, dedicated group that can make thoughtful decisions and iterate carefully.
At the same time, they must act quickly to capture the window of opportunity presented by the AI wave. Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release this month. The timeline has already outpaced their original estimate: what was projected to take until the end of the year is now on track for a mid‑year launch, demonstrating the very speed gains they claim AI can deliver. The business model is still evolving.
While Immens admires Epic Games’ philosophy of succeeding when developers succeed, they admit it is too early to formalize a revenue strategy. Ultimately, Brussee hopes Immens will catalyze a new wave of creative risk‑taking in the industry.
"We love games and want to see more daring, artistic expressions," he says. "If our technology can help studios push boundaries and innovate, that would be amazing."