For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game development, accounting for roughly 70% of all titles launched on Steam in 2025. While open‑source options like Godot have gained traction, the majority of large studios still cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—leaving Unity and Unreal with a near‑monopoly on the market. Enter Immersive Technologies, better known as Immens, founded by three industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient. Their résumés read like a who's‑who of game‑making royalty, with stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple.
Together they argue that despite the apparent saturation, there is still room—and indeed a need—for a fresh engine that addresses the shortcomings of today’s heavy‑weight tools. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform because "the landscape has changed in ways that didn’t exist a few years ago." He believes that AI‑augmented programming can finally allow developers to start building from a clean slate, offering rapid, full‑featured prototypes without the long‑winded scaffolding that currently hampers innovation. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, is quick to clarify that the AI they employ is not the typical "prompt‑to‑output" gimmick that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible.
"When you design a system with AI in mind, you enable even solo developers or tiny teams to add new subsystems—like a custom particle system—without wrestling with obscure scripting layers," he said. The goal is to let creators harness AI as a productivity multiplier, accelerating the addition of bespoke features while keeping the underlying engine stable and understandable.
The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current economic pressures of game development. Brussee described the market as "rough" and warned that production costs keep climbing, making it harder for independent studios to survive. "We need new ways of working that lower risk, shrink budgets, and let smaller teams ship faster," he argued. The trio sees AI as a lever to break the vicious cycle of ever‑inflating expenses.
De Jong, the chief product officer, pointed out that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated. While that consolidation provides a solid foundation, it also stifles the kind of disruptive innovation the industry now requires. "Continuing to do things exactly as we have in the past won’t cut it," he said. "We need a different approach—one that embraces flexibility rather than imposing a monolithic workflow." Current engines often force developers to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines.
De Jong envisions an engine that bends to the user’s needs, allowing interchangeable modules, custom toolchains, and personalized shortcuts. "Imagine being able to craft a toolset that mirrors your own workflow, down to the exact interface elements you prefer," he explained.
This level of customization, he believes, will empower creators to focus on design rather than wrestling with technical constraints. Valient also warned that AI, while powerful, can misbehave if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: developers can see exactly what the engine is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable outcomes.
This auditability is crucial when AI is used to generate assets or automate repetitive tasks, such as creating a set of characters with specific traits. What once took weeks can now be prototyped over a coffee break, then refined or discarded as needed. Flexibility is baked into Immens from the ground up.
De Jong stressed that the engine does not dictate a single workflow; instead, it offers a modular architecture where teams decide how much AI to integrate and where. The framework is deliberately open, supporting open standards and text‑based file formats that can be read and manipulated by any tool.
"If you work with Blender, Maya, or any generative system, you can plug it straight into Immens because the data is interoperable," Brussee noted. This openness contrasts sharply with many existing engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering cross‑tool collaboration.
The broader industry conversation around AI in games is polarized. Some pundits hype the idea of "click‑to‑game" engines that could conjure a Grand Theft Auto‑style world from a single prompt. Immens’ founders acknowledge that such visions may someday materialize, but they view AI primarily as an enhancer, not a replacement for human creativity. "AI makes everyone better, not a substitute for talent," Valient said, acknowledging the current negative perception due to rapid disruption.
Economic concerns also loom large. Critics label the AI boom a bubble, fearing inflated valuations and unsustainable hype.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com bubble, noting that while many companies vanished, the underlying technology— the internet—persisted and flourished. He argues that Immens is focused on building a genuinely useful engine; AI simply accelerates development and expands creative horizons. Whether the market is in a bubble remains uncertain, but the team believes the technology’s trajectory is irreversible.
Funding-wise, Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as "reasonable." Brussee cautioned against over‑capitalization, noting that excess cash can breed complacency. The company deliberately remains lean, consisting of the three founders plus a handful of helpers. This small‑team approach allows for rapid decision‑making and iterative development, which is essential when trying to capture a fleeting market window created by AI’s rise.
Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team expected this milestone by year‑end, but they are already two‑fold ahead of schedule, reflecting the speed gains they claim AI can deliver. While the exact business model is still under discussion, Brussee expressed admiration for Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" licensing philosophy, though he admits it’s too early to commit.
Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will empower creators to push artistic boundaries, take risks, and bring more innovative experiences to players. "We love games and want to see more daring, creative work," Brussee concluded.
"If our technology can help spark that innovation, it would be amazing."