For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game development, responsible for roughly 70% of the titles that appeared on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives such as Godot have gained traction, and some large studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely been a duopoly. Against this backdrop, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immens, a startup that believes a fresh engine, built with artificial intelligence at its core, can break the cycle of ever‑rising costs and shrinking creative freedom. The founders’ résumés read like a who’s‑who of modern game development.
Brussee spent time at Epic Games, the creator of Unreal, and contributed to titles such as the *Hitman* series. De Jong’s background includes work on *Horizon* at Guerrilla Games and leadership roles at Boss Key and Apple. Valient, the chief technology officer, brings deep systems‑engineering expertise from his stints at several AAA studios.
Together they argue that the current engine landscape, while stable, has become complacent. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because AI‑assisted programming has finally matured enough to let developers “start making things from scratch again.” He envisions a platform where extensive guidance and control enable rapid delivery of full‑featured experiences without the massive overhead traditionally associated with building an engine from the ground up. Valient clarified that Immens does not rely on the hype‑driven notion of “prompt‑to‑content” AI. Instead, the company’s AI components are designed to make the engine itself highly extensible.
"AI can reason about massive codebases and data sets," he said. "If we architect the engine with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can plug in a custom particle system or a bespoke rendering pipeline without wrestling with opaque scripting layers. The AI assists in extending the engine quickly, not in generating entire games with a single command." The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the harsh economics of modern game production. Brussee described the current climate as “rough,” noting that development budgets keep climbing while the risk of failure grows.
He asked whether the industry could discover “new ways of working” that lower costs, shorten timelines, and reduce team sizes, thereby protecting studios from financial ruin. De Jong echoed this sentiment, pointing out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While a solid foundation is valuable, he believes the sector now needs genuine innovation rather than incremental refinements.
He warned that existing engines often force developers into a “monolithic approach,” requiring them to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid workflows. With AI, Immens aims to flip that script, offering an engine that molds itself to the developer’s needs. Flexibility is a recurring theme. De Jong illustrated a scenario where a developer can craft tools that match their personal workflow—custom shortcuts, interfaces, and features tailored to a specific project.
This level of personalization, he argues, is impossible with the current generation of engines that dictate a one‑size‑fits‑all pipeline. Valient also cautioned that AI, while powerful, can “go off the rails” if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can see exactly what the AI is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable outcomes. This oversight enables rapid prototyping—such as generating five unique characters with distinct traits in the time it would previously have taken weeks—while still allowing developers to discard temporary tools after use, dramatically cutting costs.
The architecture of Immens is deliberately agnostic. It does not impose a specific workflow; developers decide how much AI assistance they want and where to apply it. De Jong highlighted the importance of open standards: by using text‑based file formats, the engine can interoperate seamlessly with tools like Blender, Maya, or other generative pipelines. "When everything speaks a common language, you can plug in any software and have it communicate instantly," he explained.
This openness addresses a long‑standing pain point where many engines act as closed ecosystems that hinder cross‑tool integration. Public discourse around AI in game development is polarized. Some commentators on LinkedIn predict a future where a simple prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience, sparking fears of “click‑to‑game” solutions that might devalue human creativity. The Immens team acknowledges these concerns but frames AI as a catalyst rather than a replacement.
Valient believes AI will make “everyone better,” enhancing the capabilities of artists and programmers alike. De Jong added that, like any powerful tool, AI must be wielded responsibly; the industry has a duty to guide its use toward constructive ends.
Economic anxieties also surface, particularly the notion that AI‑focused startups are riding a speculative bubble. Valient compared the situation to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies will fall, the underlying technology endures.
"AI isn’t disappearing; it’s accelerating our ability to dream bigger and build faster," he said. Immens aims to be a durable player by focusing on delivering a genuinely good engine, rather than chasing inflated valuations.
Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its “first commitments,” but the founders have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee warned against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency. The company deliberately remains lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—to stay scrappy and make thoughtful decisions.
Balancing team size with ambition is a delicate act. De Jong explained that building an engine is a complex undertaking that cannot be solved by hiring a massive workforce. Instead, a small, focused group can iterate, make critical architectural choices, and respond swiftly to market shifts.
This approach also positions Immens to capitalize on the narrow window of opportunity presented by the convergence of AI advances and industry fatigue with existing engines. Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team expected this to take until the end of the year, yet they are already on track to release the demo within the month—an indication that their AI‑centric development pipeline is delivering the speed they promise. Regarding the business model, Brussee admires Epic Games’ “we succeed when you succeed” licensing philosophy but admits it is too early to commit to a specific revenue strategy.
He hopes Immens will ultimately enable creators to push the medium forward, fostering more artistic risk‑taking and innovation. In summary, Immens seeks to disrupt the status quo by delivering an AI‑enhanced, highly extensible, and open‑standard game engine that empowers small teams to produce high‑quality experiences without the prohibitive costs and rigid workflows of today’s dominant platforms. If successful, it could herald a new era of creativity and efficiency in game development.