For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game creation, accounting for roughly 70% of the titles released on Steam in 2025. While open‑source options like Godot have gained traction, and a handful of large studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions such as Capcom’s RE Engine, the market has largely been a duopoly. Against this backdrop, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have decided that there is still space for a fresh engine that addresses the shortcomings of the status quo. Their startup, Immens, is built around the idea that artificial intelligence can be harnessed not just as a gimmick, but as a structural advantage that makes a game engine more extensible, adaptable, and affordable for small teams.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform because “a couple of years ago this kind of AI‑assisted development didn’t exist.” He believes that with AI‑supported programming, developers can return to a more iterative, from‑scratch approach while still benefitting from rapid, high‑level functionality. The goal is to give creators a toolbox that can be assembled quickly, yet remains under tight guidance and control so that the engine behaves predictably.
Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, stresses that the AI component is not about generating content from a single prompt. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly modular and easy to extend.
"If we design the engine with AI in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system, a new rendering pass, or any bespoke feature without being confined to a limited scripting layer," he said. This philosophy aims to empower developers to tailor the engine to their unique artistic and technical needs, rather than forcing them to bend their vision to fit a monolithic tool. The motivation behind Immens is also economic. Brussee describes the current climate as “rough” for developers, noting that production budgets continue to balloon while the risk of failure grows.
He argues that the industry needs a new workflow that cuts costs, shortens development cycles, and allows smaller teams to compete without jeopardizing their livelihood. De Jong, the chief product officer, echoes this sentiment, pointing out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While a solid foundation is valuable, he believes the industry now requires genuine innovation rather than incremental improvements.
One of the pain points De Jong highlights is the “monolithic approach” of existing engines, which often lock developers into proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. By contrast, Immens intends to be a flexible, interchangeable system where users can swap components, append new tools, and modify interfaces to suit their personal workflows.
He envisions a scenario where a developer can craft a custom editor that mirrors their own habits—specific shortcuts, UI layouts, and feature sets—thereby streamlining the creative process. Valient is realistic about AI’s limitations. He acknowledges that while the technology is powerful, it can also produce unpredictable results if left unchecked.
To mitigate this, Immens is built to keep the user in the loop, providing full transparency about what the AI is doing, the history of its actions, and the ability to reproduce outcomes reliably. This level of control, he argues, enables developers to create disposable tools for one‑off tasks—such as generating five characters with a particular trait—in a matter of minutes rather than weeks, dramatically reducing cost. Flexibility is a core tenet of Immens’ design.
The engine does not prescribe a single workflow; instead, it offers a modular architecture that lets teams decide how much AI to incorporate and where. De Jong stresses that the framework must be robust enough to support diverse development styles while ensuring the AI interprets instructions correctly. Interoperability is another priority.
By adopting open, text‑based standards, Immens aims to communicate seamlessly with popular tools like Blender, Maya, and other generative pipelines. Brussee explains that when files are human‑readable, any AI can parse and manipulate them, opening the door to smarter interfaces across the entire toolchain. This openness contrasts with many current engines, which often act as closed ecosystems that hinder smooth data exchange.
The broader conversation around AI in games is polarized. Some commentators on platforms like LinkedIn hype the notion of “click‑to‑game” experiences where a simple prompt yields a Grand Theft Auto‑scale world. Immens’ founders caution against such hype, positioning AI as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement for human creativity. Valient believes that AI will elevate the entire industry by making developers more capable, even if the technology currently carries negative connotations due to its disruptive potential.
Economic concerns also surface, with skeptics warning of an AI bubble fueled by inflated valuations. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies vanished, the underlying internet technology persisted and flourished. He argues that Immens is focused on building a genuinely useful engine; AI simply accelerates their ability to dream bigger and deliver faster. Whether the market is in a bubble remains uncertain, but the team remains confident that a solid product will survive any downturn.
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 warns against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency and reduce the scrappy mindset essential for a startup.
The company remains deliberately lean, consisting of the three founders and a handful of helpers, to maintain agility and focus. Balancing team size with ambition is a delicate act.
De Jong explains that building a sophisticated engine cannot be achieved by simply hiring a large workforce; it requires a small, dedicated group that can make thoughtful decisions over time. At the same time, there is a narrow window of opportunity as AI reshapes the industry, and the team must secure enough resources to capitalize on this moment without overextending.
Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team aims to release this demo within the month, having accelerated their timeline significantly—what was initially projected to take until the end of the year is now expected to arrive in half that time. This rapid progress underscores the potential efficiency gains that AI can bring to engine development. The business model remains under discussion.
While Immens appreciates Epic Games’ “we succeed when you succeed” revenue approach, Brussee admits it is too early to commit to a specific pricing strategy. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the boundaries of interactive art, fostering more risk‑taking, creativity, and innovation in games.
As Brussee puts it, “We love games, we love complex expressions of the art form, and we want to see more of that. If our technology can help bring that vision to life, that would be amazing."