For years, Unity and Unreal have been the de‑facto platforms for video‑game creation, accounting for roughly 70 % of all Steam releases projected for 2025. While Godot has made notable strides and some studios cling to proprietary tools—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely been a duopoly dominated by the two giants.
Against this backdrop, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immens, a startup that believes there is still room for a fresh engine and, more importantly, for a better way to build games. The founders’ résumés read like a who’s‑who of modern game development: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Their combined background gives them a unique perspective on the shortcomings of existing technology and the opportunities that emerging AI tools present.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is now right for a new engine because "the landscape didn’t exist a couple of years ago." He explained that AI‑assisted programming can let developers start from a clean slate, offering "guidance and control" that accelerates the delivery of full‑featured systems. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, is quick to clarify that the AI they employ is not the "prompt‑and‑receive" model that dominates popular discourse.
Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. "If we design the code with AI reasoning in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without being limited to superficial scripting," he said. This approach aims to empower creators to extend the engine quickly, using AI as a catalyst rather than a crutch.
The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current economic pressures of game development. Brussee described the market as "rough," noting that production costs are spiralling and that many studios struggle to stay afloat. "We need new workflows that cut costs, shrink team sizes, and shorten timelines," he asserted.
The goal is to break the cycle where developers risk their livelihoods on ever‑larger budgets. De Jong, the chief product officer, sees the engine market as having reached a point of "standardisation and consolidation." While this has provided a stable foundation, he believes the industry now demands innovation rather than incremental improvements. He criticized the "monolithic" nature of existing engines, which force developers to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines.
With AI, De Jong envisions an engine that adapts to the user’s needs, allowing developers to swap, append, or modify components at will. "I can craft tools that match my exact workflow—shortcuts, interfaces, features—all tailored to my team’s project," he explained. Valient acknowledges that AI is a double‑edged sword.
While it offers immense power, it can also produce unpredictable results if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can trace the engine’s decisions, review its history, and ensure repeatable outcomes. This level of oversight enables rapid prototyping—such as generating five characters with specific traits in the time it once took weeks—while still allowing the developer to discard temporary tools after use. Flexibility is a core design principle for Immens.
The engine does not impose a single workflow; instead, it offers a modular architecture where teams decide how much AI to incorporate and where. De Jong stressed that the framework must be robust enough to let creators dictate their processes, while still guaranteeing that the AI interprets instructions correctly.
Interoperability is another priority. By adopting open, text‑based standards, Immens can communicate seamlessly with popular tools like Blender, Maya, or other generative pipelines. "When files are human‑readable, any system can parse them," Brussee noted. This openness contrasts with many proprietary engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering cross‑tool integration.
Immens aims to create a "smarter interface" where all components speak the same language, simplifying pipelines that have long been fragmented. The broader conversation around AI in game development is charged with both excitement and skepticism. Some commentators on LinkedIn hype "click‑to‑game" engines that could conjure Grand Theft Auto‑scale experiences from a single prompt.
Immens’ team tempers such expectations, positioning AI as a powerful tool rather than a magical shortcut. Valient believes AI will elevate creators, making them more productive, while De Jong warns that responsible usage is essential: "Any tool can be misused; it’s our duty to steer it toward positive outcomes." Economic anxieties also surface, especially concerns that AI‑centric 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. He argues that Immens is focused on delivering a solid engine; AI merely accelerates development and expands creative horizons.
Whether the market is in a bubble remains uncertain, but the team is confident that a well‑built product will endure. Funding for Immens is still in its early stages. The founders have secured "first commitments" but have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as "reasonable." Brussee cautions against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency.
"Startups need to stay scrappy," he laughed, emphasizing the value of lean operations. Currently, Immens consists of the three founders plus a handful of helpers.
This intentionally small team allows for rapid decision‑making and focused development. De Jong explains the trade‑off: a massive team does not automatically translate to faster progress; instead, a compact group can iterate, make critical design choices, and align with the narrow window of opportunity presented by AI’s rise. The company is racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow.
Originally slated for a year‑long timeline, the prototype is now expected within the month, reflecting a development speed twice as fast as anticipated. Brussee attributes this acceleration to the very AI principles they are embedding in the engine. Regarding monetisation, Immens has not settled on a final model. While they admire Epic Games’ philosophy of sharing success with developers, they admit it is too early to commit to a specific approach.
Ultimately, the team hopes their technology will enable more daring, artistic games. "We love games as an expressive art form and want to see more risk‑taking," Brussee concluded. "If our engine can help creators push boundaries, that would be amazing."