For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game development, together accounting for roughly 70% of all titles released on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives such as Godot have gained traction and some large studios continue to rely on proprietary tools—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—the market has largely been locked into the two major engines.
Enter Immens, a startup founded by three seasoned veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient. Their résumés span Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and Apple, giving them a breadth of experience that few can match. The trio believes there is still room for a fresh engine that addresses the shortcomings of the current landscape.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform. "A few years ago the idea of building a modern engine from the ground up seemed impossible," he said.
"Now, with AI‑assisted programming, we can start from scratch again while still maintaining tight control and delivering full functionality quickly." Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarified that their use of AI is not about generating assets from a simple prompt. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. "If we design the engine with AI in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a unique gameplay mechanic without rewriting large sections of code," he noted.
"The AI helps reason about the existing code and data, accelerating extensions and reducing the barrier to customization." The motivation behind this AI‑centric engine stems from the increasingly hostile economics of game development. Brussee described the current climate as "rough" and warned that production costs continue to climb, making it harder for small teams to survive. "We need new workflows that cut costs and enable faster delivery with fewer people," he argued. "Otherwise studios risk their livelihoods on ever‑larger budgets." 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, he believes the industry now requires genuine innovation rather than incremental improvements. "The monolithic nature of existing engines forces developers to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines," he said. "With AI, we can create an engine that bends to the developer’s needs instead of the other way around." Flexibility is a core tenet of Immens. De Jong envisions a system where developers can swap out modules, append new tools, and tailor interfaces to their personal workflows.
"Imagine being able to craft a toolset that mirrors your own habits—exact shortcuts, specific features, the precise UI you need for a project," he explained. "That level of personalization is what we aim to deliver." Valient also warned that AI, while powerful, can behave unpredictably if left unchecked. To mitigate this, Immens is building transparency into the engine: users will see the full history of AI‑generated changes, ensuring repeatability and control.
"You’ll always know what the engine did and why," he said. "That makes it possible to create disposable tools for one‑off tasks—like generating five characters with a particular trait in minutes—without committing months of manual labor." The architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow. De Jong emphasized that teams can decide how much AI to incorporate and where, provided the AI understands the context correctly.
This openness extends to interoperability: Immens adopts open, text‑based standards so that files can be read and manipulated by any compatible software. "Whether you’re using Blender, Maya, or a generative‑AI suite, the engine can plug into those tools because everything communicates through shared standards," Brussee noted. "That solves a long‑standing pain point where engines acted as closed ecosystems." There is a vocal backlash against AI in game creation, with some critics sensationalizing the notion that a simple prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience. Immens’ team acknowledges the hype but frames AI as a tool rather than a magic button.
Valient believes AI will make developers better, not replace them, and stresses responsible usage. "Every technology can be misused; it’s our duty to guide it toward positive outcomes," he said. Economic concerns also swirl around the AI boom, with many questioning whether the sector is a bubble.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, arguing that while some companies will fail, valuable technology and products will endure. "AI isn’t disappearing; it’s evolving. Our focus is on building a solid engine that leverages AI to accelerate development and inspire bigger dreams," he explained.
Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed amounts, describing the capital they seek as "reasonable." Brussee cautions against over‑funding, noting that excess cash can breed complacency. The company remains a lean operation—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers—by design.
De Jong believes a small, focused team is essential for making nuanced architectural decisions without the overhead of a massive staff. Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month. The timeline has already outpaced their original expectations; what was projected to take until year‑end is now arriving in half that time. This rapid progress underscores the potential efficiency gains AI can bring.
Regarding the business model, Brussee admires Epic Games’ philosophy of sharing success with developers but admits it is too early to commit to a specific revenue structure. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push artistic boundaries, take risks, and deliver innovative experiences. "We love games and want to see more daring, creative work," Brussee concluded.
"If our technology can help studios build something truly groundbreaking, that would be amazing."