For years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game creation, accounting for roughly 70% of Steam releases in 2025. While open‑source options like Godot have gained traction and some studios cling to proprietary tools—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—the market has largely been locked into the duopoly of Unity and Unreal. Enter Immens, a startup founded by three seasoned veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of the industry, with stints at Epic Games, Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and Apple. The trio believes there is still room for a fresh engine, one that not only competes with the established players but also addresses their shortcomings. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is ripe for a new platform.
“A few years ago this kind of engine didn’t exist,” he said. “With AI‑assisted programming we can start building from the ground up again, under tight guidance, and achieve full functionality much faster.” Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the AI they employ is not the “prompt‑to‑output” variety that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. “If we design the codebase with AI reasoning in mind, even solo developers can add custom systems—like a bespoke particle effect—without being limited to simple scripting,” he explained.
This approach aims to let creators extend the engine quickly, leveraging AI as a productivity amplifier rather than a magical shortcut. The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current market climate, which Brussee describes as “rough.” Game development costs continue to climb, making it harder for small teams to break even. “We need new ways of working, more efficient pipelines that let us build with fewer people, less time, and smaller budgets,” he said.
The goal is to lower the financial barrier that threatens the survival of many studios. De Jong, the chief product officer, pointed out that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has created a solid foundation, it also stifles innovation. “The industry faces a range of challenges, and simply repeating old methods won’t solve them,” he warned.
He criticized the monolithic nature of current engines, which force developers to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid workflows. With AI, Immens intends to deliver a system that molds itself to the developer’s needs. Flexibility is a core tenet of Immens.
De Jong envisions an environment where users can swap, append, and modify components at will, crafting tools that match their personal workflows. “I can build an interface with exactly the shortcuts and features my team requires, and the engine will accommodate it,” he said. Valient also cautioned that AI, while powerful, can behave unpredictably if left unchecked.
Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can trace the engine’s decisions, understand its history, and ensure repeatable results. This level of oversight is crucial for creative tasks that previously required weeks of manual effort. “Now you could prototype a set of five characters with specific traits over a coffee break, reuse the tool, and discard it after,” Valient noted, highlighting the dramatic cost reduction.
The architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow. De Jong stressed that developers decide how much AI to integrate and where to apply it, as long as the AI interprets the data correctly.
Open standards also play a pivotal role. By relying on text‑based file formats, Immens enables seamless interaction with tools like Blender, Maya, or any generative system. “When everything speaks the same language, you can plug in any software without the usual friction,” Brussee explained.
Despite a vocal backlash against AI in game development—some pundits claim that a simple prompt could soon generate a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience—Immens views AI as a tool, not a replacement. Valient believes AI will make both blockbuster and indie projects better, though he acknowledges the current negative perception due to its disruptive scale. Economic concerns also surface, with many questioning whether AI‑focused startups are part of a speculative bubble.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era: “The internet didn’t disappear; many over‑hyped companies fell, but the technology endured. We’re building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our vision.” Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its first commitments but has not disclosed amounts, describing them as “reasonable.” Brussee warned against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency. The team remains lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—by design, believing that a small, focused group can make critical decisions more efficiently than a massive staff.
Balancing resources with the narrow window of opportunity created by AI’s rise is a strategic challenge. De Jong explained that while engine development is complex and cannot be rushed by sheer manpower, timing is essential to capitalize on industry shifts.
Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release within the month. The team’s progress has already outpaced their original timeline, with development moving twice as fast as anticipated.
Regarding the business model, Brussee admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” philosophy but admits it’s too early to commit to a specific approach. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking and artistic expression. “We love games and want to see greater creativity and innovation built on this technology,” Brussee concluded.
"That would be amazing."