For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game creation, accounting for roughly 70% of all titles released on Steam in 2025. While Godot has enjoyed notable growth recently and large studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely been locked into the two major players. Against this backdrop, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have founded Immens with the conviction that there is still room for a fresh, competitive engine. Their résumés span heavyweight firms such as Epic Games (the creator of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and Apple, giving them a breadth of experience that they now aim to channel into a new platform.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a novel engine that simply didn’t exist a few years ago. He believes that advances in AI‑assisted programming now make it feasible to start building tools from the ground up again, while still maintaining tight guidance and control. “With AI‑supported coding you can get full‑featured functionality up and running quickly,” he said. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarified that the company’s use of AI is not about generating content from a single prompt, as popular hype often suggests.
Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. "AI can reason over massive amounts of data and source code," he noted. "If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even solo developers or very small teams can plug in custom systems—say, a bespoke particle system—without being confined to a limited scripting layer. The AI helps them extend the engine faster and more safely." The motivation behind this AI‑centric approach stems from the current state of the games market, which Brussee describes as "rough." Development costs keep climbing, making it increasingly difficult for creators to break even.
He argues that new, more efficient workflows are essential to lower budgets, reduce team sizes, and shorten production cycles, thereby protecting studios from financial ruin. "We need to find ways to work smarter, not harder, so that making games doesn’t become a gamble that threatens livelihoods," he said. De Jong, the chief product officer, observes that the engine landscape has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has provided a stable foundation, it also stifles innovation.
"The industry faces a host of challenges, and simply repeating the old playbook won’t solve them," he asserted. "We need fresh ideas, not more of the same." One of De Jong’s criticisms of existing engines is their monolithic nature. Developers must adapt to rigid, proprietary file formats and workflows, which can be a barrier to creativity. By contrast, Immens aims to be a pliable platform that molds itself around the developer’s needs.
"Flexibility is key," 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 specific functionalities you require." Valient acknowledges that AI, while powerful, can also behave unpredictably if left unchecked. To mitigate this, Immens is built with transparency and control at its core. Users can see exactly what the engine is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable outcomes.
This level of oversight allows creators to craft bespoke utilities for specific tasks—such as generating a set of characters with particular traits—in a matter of minutes rather than weeks. "What used to cost a small fortune can now be done over coffee," he said, emphasizing the dramatic productivity boost. The engine’s design deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow. De Jong stresses that the framework and architecture are open‑ended, letting developers decide how much AI to incorporate and where.
The goal is to provide a solid scaffolding while leaving creative choices to the user, ensuring that the AI behaves as an assistant rather than a dictator. Interoperability is another pillar of Immens.
By embracing open standards and text‑based file formats, the engine can seamlessly communicate with popular tools such as Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI pipeline. "When files are human‑readable, any system can parse them," Brussee noted.
"This opens the door to smarter interfaces across the entire toolchain, something proprietary engines have historically resisted." There is a vocal backlash against AI in game development, fueled in part by sensational claims on platforms like LinkedIn that a simple prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience. Immens’ team acknowledges that while a "click‑to‑game" future might one day be possible, they view AI primarily as a powerful instrument for creators.
"AI will make everyone better, not replace them," Valient said. "It carries negative connotations now because it is disrupting the industry at an unprecedented scale." De Jong adds that responsible use is essential. "Every tool can be misused; it’s up to us to steer AI toward productive outcomes," he remarked.
The conversation also touches on economic anxieties surrounding AI startups, with some fearing a bubble of over‑valued companies. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many ventures will fail, the underlying technology—like the internet—will endure.
"We are focused on building a genuinely good engine. AI helps us iterate faster and dream bigger, but the core product must stand on its own merits," he explained. Funding remains modest.
Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as "reasonable." Brussee warns against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency. The company deliberately remains lean, consisting of the three founders and a handful of helpers.
This small size is strategic: building an engine is complex, but scaling the team too quickly can dilute focus and slow decision‑making. De Jong highlights the delicate balance between manpower and timing.
"You can’t throw a million developers at an engine and expect it to work instantly," he said. "You need a tight, focused group to make critical choices, especially during the narrow window of opportunity the industry currently faces with AI integration." Immens is currently targeting a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month.
The timeline has already outpaced original expectations; what was projected to take until year‑end is now on track for a much earlier launch. Brussee attributes this acceleration to the efficiencies unlocked by AI‑assisted development. Regarding the business model, Immens admires Epic Games’ revenue‑share philosophy—"we succeed when you succeed"—but acknowledges that it’s still too early to commit to a specific approach. Ultimately, Brussee hopes the engine will enable creators to push the medium forward, fostering more artistic risk‑taking and innovation.
"We love games and want to see the art form evolve. If our technology can help developers take bigger creative leaps, that would be amazing," he concluded.