For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the go‑to platforms for game creation, accounting for roughly 70% of Steam releases projected for 2025. While Godot has enjoyed a surge in popularity and some studios—such as Capcom with its RE Engine—still rely on proprietary solutions, the market has largely been dominated by the two giants.
Against this backdrop, three seasoned developers—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immens, a fresh engine that they believe can carve out space for a more efficient, AI‑enhanced workflow. The founders’ résumés read like a who’s‑who of the industry: 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 limitations of existing tools and a clear vision for what could be improved. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because “the landscape has changed in the last couple of years.” He argues that AI‑assisted programming now makes it feasible to start building from a clean slate while still retaining tight control over the development process.
Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, stresses that the AI component is not about “prompt‑to‑content” magic that many hype‑driven discussions focus on. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. "AI can reason over large codebases and data sets," he said. "If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without being confined to a limited scripting layer.
The goal is to let creators extend the engine quickly and safely." The motivation for this ambitious project stems from the current economic climate of game development. Brussee describes the situation as “rough,” noting that production costs keep climbing and smaller studios are increasingly at risk. He asks whether the industry can find new, more efficient ways of working that lower budgets and reduce team sizes without sacrificing quality.
De Jong, Immens’ chief product officer, echoes this sentiment, observing that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While that consolidation has provided a solid foundation, he believes the industry now needs genuine innovation rather than incremental tweaks. One of the key criticisms De Jong has of today’s engines is their monolithic nature.
Developers must adapt to rigid, proprietary file formats and workflows that often feel forced. With AI, Immens aims to flip that script, offering an engine that molds itself to the developer’s needs.
"Flexibility is essential," he explained. "You should be able to swap components, append new features, or build entirely custom tools that match your personal workflow—down to the shortcuts, UI layout, and feature set you prefer." Valient acknowledges that AI, while powerful, can also veer off course if left unchecked. To mitigate this, Immens is being built with transparency and user control at its core.
Users will be able to see exactly what the AI is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable results. This level of oversight enables developers to create disposable tools for specific tasks—like generating five characters with a particular trait—in minutes rather than weeks, dramatically cutting costs. Immens does not enforce a single workflow. De Jong emphasizes that the framework is deliberately open‑ended, allowing teams to decide how much AI integration they want and where to apply it.
The engine also embraces open standards, meaning that text‑based assets can be read and manipulated by any compatible software. "When files are plain text, any tool—Blender, Maya, or a generative model—can interact with them," Brussee noted. "We want a world where engines no longer act as isolated islands but as cooperative participants in a broader ecosystem." The conversation around AI in game development is often polarized. Some commentators on platforms like LinkedIn predict a future where a simple prompt can spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑level experience, sparking fears of a “click‑to‑game” utopia.
Immens’ team acknowledges these concerns but frames AI as a tool, not a replacement for human creativity. Valient believes AI will elevate the entire industry, making both blockbuster titles and indie projects better because creators are empowered with smarter assistants.
Economic anxieties also linger, with many questioning whether the AI boom is a 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 building a genuinely useful engine; AI simply accelerates development and expands creative horizons.
Whether the market is in a bubble remains uncertain, but the team is committed to delivering value regardless. Funding details are still under wraps.
Immens has secured its first round of commitments, but the founders have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee warns against excessive capital, suggesting that too much money can lead to complacency and a loss of the scrappy mindset that fuels innovation. The company remains lean, consisting of the three founders and a handful of helpers, a deliberate choice to maintain agility while tackling the complex task of building an engine. 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 they thought would take until year‑end is now arriving months earlier.
As for the business model, Brussee admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” approach but admits it’s too early to commit to a specific strategy. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will spark a wave of creativity and risk‑taking in the industry.
"We love games and want to see more daring, artistic expressions," Brussee said. "If our technology can help developers push boundaries and innovate, that would be amazing."