For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the de‑facto platforms for video‑game creation, accounting for roughly 70 % of all titles launched on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives such as Godot have begun to gain traction, the majority of large studios still rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—leaving Unity and Unreal firmly in control of the market. Enter Immersive (Immens), a fledgling engine built by three industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of game development, with stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. The trio believes the current landscape still has room for a fresh engine that addresses the pain points that have accumulated over the past decade.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform because “the tools that existed a couple of years ago simply don’t exist any more.” He argues that advances in AI‑assisted programming now let developers start from a clean slate and rapidly assemble functional systems under tight supervision. In other words, the engine can deliver full‑featured capabilities much faster than traditional pipelines. Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, is quick to clarify that the AI component is not about “prompt‑to‑code” magic. Instead, it is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible.
“AI can reason over large codebases and data sets,” he says. “If we design the engine with that in mind, even a solo developer can plug in a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without wrestling with opaque scripting layers.” The goal is to let creators use AI as a productivity multiplier, not as a replacement for thoughtful engineering. The motivation behind this AI‑centric approach stems from the grim economics of modern game development.
Brussee describes the current climate as “rough,” noting that production budgets keep inflating while the odds of commercial success shrink. “We need new ways of working that lower costs, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines,” he argues. By harnessing AI to automate repetitive tasks—such as generating assets, iterating on level design, or even drafting character variations—Immens hopes to break the cycle of ever‑greater financial risk that threatens many studios. De Jong, the company’s chief product officer, observes that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated.
While this has given developers a reliable foundation, it also stifles innovation. “The industry is facing a host of challenges, and simply repeating the same processes won’t solve them,” he says. “We need a paradigm shift, not more of the same.” One of the criticisms De Jong levels at existing engines is their monolithic nature.
Developers often have to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid toolchains, limiting flexibility. With AI, Immens aims to flip that script: the engine should adapt to the developer’s workflow, not force the developer to adapt to it.
“You should be able to swap components, append new modules, or rewrite parts of the pipeline on the fly,” he explains. “If I need a custom editor with my own shortcuts and UI, I can build it directly into the engine without fighting against a locked‑down system.” Valient acknowledges that AI is a double‑edged sword. While it can dramatically speed up production, it can also produce unexpected results if left unchecked. To mitigate this, Immens is designed to keep the user in full control, logging every decision and ensuring repeatability.
“You always know what the engine is doing and why,” he says. “If you need to generate five characters with a specific trait, you can do it in minutes instead of weeks, then discard the temporary tool once the job is done.” This on‑demand tooling, he argues, is where the real power lies.
Flexibility is baked into Immens’s core philosophy. The framework does not prescribe a single workflow; instead, it offers a modular architecture that lets teams decide how much AI to incorporate and where.
“You choose the level of automation that fits your project,” De Jong notes. “Our responsibility is to make sure the AI understands the context correctly, but the ultimate direction remains with the developer.” Interoperability is another pillar of the platform. By embracing open, text‑based standards, Immens can communicate seamlessly with popular tools such as Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI pipeline. “When files are plain text, any system can read and manipulate them,” Brussee says.
“That means you can plug in third‑party assets or custom pipelines without wrestling with proprietary lock‑ins.” This openness, he believes, is a missing piece in many current engines, which often act as closed ecosystems. The broader conversation around AI in game development is polarized.
Some commentators hype “click‑to‑game” promises, suggesting that a simple prompt could spawn a Grand‑Theft‑Auto‑scale experience. Immens’s team tempers those expectations, positioning AI as a powerful tool rather than a miracle shortcut. “AI will make every creator better, not replace them,” Valient asserts.
“It’s a disruptive technology, but like any tool, its impact depends on how responsibly we wield it.” Economic anxieties also shadow the AI boom, with many questioning whether the sector is a bubble. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while numerous startups vanished, the underlying internet persisted and flourished. “AI isn’t going away,” he says.
“Our focus is on building a solid engine; the hype may ebb, but the technology will remain.” Immens has yet to disclose formal investment figures, though the founders mention having secured “first commitments” and deem the amount “reasonable.” Brussee warns against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency. The company deliberately remains lean—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers—to stay agile and maintain a scrappy mindset. Balancing team size with ambition is a delicate act.
De Jong explains that building an engine is a complex undertaking that cannot be solved by simply throwing a million developers at the problem. A small, focused group can make critical decisions and iterate faster, especially given the narrow window of opportunity presented by the AI wave.
The team is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month. Brussee notes that the project, which began in April, is already progressing at double the speed initially projected, underscoring the acceleration AI can provide.
Regarding the business model, Immens admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” licensing approach but admits it is too early to commit to a specific strategy. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking, artistic expression, and innovation. “We love games and want to see more daring, creative experiences,” Brussee concludes.
“If our technology can help make that happen, it would be amazing."