For many years, Unity and Unreal have reigned supreme in the game‑development world, together accounting for roughly 70 % of all titles released on Steam in 2025. While open‑source options such as Godot have begun to gain traction, the majority of large studios still cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—and the market appears largely locked into the two dominant players. Enter Immens, a fledgling startup founded by three industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of game‑tech history, featuring stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. The trio believes there is still room for a fresh engine that not only competes on performance but also reshapes the way developers build games.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform. “A few years ago the idea of an AI‑augmented engine didn’t exist,” he said.
“Now, with AI‑assisted programming, we can start from a clean slate and deliver full‑featured tools much faster, while still keeping tight developer oversight.” Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the AI they are integrating is not the sort of “prompt‑to‑output” wizardry that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible.
“If we design the engine with AI reasoning in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without wrestling with opaque scripting layers,” he explained. “The goal is to let creators extend the engine quickly and safely, using AI as a productivity partner rather than a magical shortcut.” The motivation behind this ambitious project stems from a harsh market reality that Brussee describes as “rough.” Game development costs have ballooned, making it increasingly difficult for small teams to break even.
“We need new ways of working that shrink budgets, accelerate timelines, and reduce risk for studios of all sizes,” he argued. The founders see AI as a lever to achieve those efficiencies, enabling teams to prototype, iterate, and polish with fewer resources. De Jong, Immens’s chief product officer, observes that the engine landscape has become overly standardized and consolidated. While that consolidation has provided a solid foundation, it also stifles innovation.
“The industry is at a crossroads,” he said. “Continuing to rely on monolithic, one‑size‑fits‑all engines will not solve the emerging challenges. We need a paradigm shift—flexibility, modularity, and AI‑driven extensibility—to move forward.” One of the pain points De Jong highlights is the “monolithic approach” of current engines, which often forces developers to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. With AI, Immens aims to flip that dynamic, offering an engine that adapts to the developer rather than the other way around.
“Imagine being able to swap out components, append new tools, or redesign the UI to match your personal workflow,” he said. “A designer with a background in visual effects could build a custom interface that mirrors their exact shortcuts and feature set, streamlining the entire production process.” Valient is quick to acknowledge AI’s limits. While the technology is “really powerful,” it can also veer off course if left unchecked. Immens therefore places a strong emphasis on transparency and control.
“When you use our engine, you always know what the AI is doing, why it made a particular change, and you can reproduce the result,” he explained. This audit‑trail approach ensures that developers retain full ownership of their code and assets, mitigating the risk of opaque, black‑box behavior. The flexibility promise extends to workflow design. De Jong stresses that Immens does not impose a single pipeline; developers decide how much AI to employ and where.
“Our architecture is deliberately open, so you can build the exact process that works for you—whether you lean heavily on AI for asset generation or prefer a more hands‑on approach.” Interoperability is another cornerstone of the platform. By embracing open standards and text‑based file formats, Immens enables seamless communication with tools such as Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI service. “If the data is readable as plain text, any AI can parse it and act on it,” Brussee noted.
“This eliminates the silos that have traditionally plagued proprietary engines and allows a truly plug‑and‑play ecosystem.” The broader AI debate in game development is heated. Some commentators on LinkedIn predict a future where entire AAA experiences can be conjured with a single prompt, fueling both excitement and fear. Immens’s team acknowledges the hype but positions AI as a collaborative instrument rather than a replacement for human creativity.
“One day we might see ‘click‑to‑game’ tools, but today AI is a catalyst that makes developers better, not a substitute for them,” Valient said. “The current negative perception stems from the scale of disruption, not from any inherent flaw in the technology.” Economic concerns also swirl around AI, with skeptics warning of a speculative bubble. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era: the internet didn’t disappear when the bubble burst; many companies simply fell away, leaving the strongest survivors.
“We’re focused on building a solid engine first. AI accelerates our development and expands our vision, but the core product must stand on its own merits,” he affirmed.
Whether the market is in a bubble remains uncertain, but Immens is betting on lasting value. Funding details are still under wraps.
The founders have secured “first commitments,” but have not disclosed amounts, describing the target as “reasonable.” Brussee warns against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency. “Startups need to stay scrappy; otherwise you lose the edge that drives innovation.” Immens remains a lean operation—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers.
This intentional small size reflects their belief that a massive team does not guarantee success in building a complex engine. “You need a focused group to make critical decisions and iterate quickly,” De Jong explained. “At the same time, you must time your growth to capture the window of opportunity presented by AI’s rise.” The team is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow.
They aim to release the demo within the month, a timeline that has already outpaced their original estimate of finishing by year‑end. “We’re moving twice as fast as we thought we would,” Brussee said, highlighting the speed gains that AI can deliver. Business‑model discussions are ongoing.
While Immens admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” revenue share, they consider it premature to lock in a specific approach. “We’re still exploring the best way to align incentives with developers,” Brussee added. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will empower creators to push the artistic and technical boundaries of games. “We love games and want to see more risk‑taking, more creativity, more daring experiences,” Brussee concluded.
“If our engine can help bring that vision to life, it will be a remarkable achievement for the whole industry."