For years, Unity and Unreal have been the go‑to tools for game creators, powering roughly 70 % of the titles that landed on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have begun to attract attention, most major studios still cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—leaving the market largely dominated by the two giants. Enter Immens, a fledgling venture founded by three industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—who believe there is still room for a fresh engine that can address the shortcomings of the status quo.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of game development: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Together they aim to challenge the entrenched players with a platform built around artificial intelligence. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because "the technology that didn’t exist a couple of years ago is now mature enough to be the foundation of something truly different." He argues that AI‑augmented programming can let developers start from a clean slate and achieve full‑featured functionality much more quickly than traditional pipelines allow.
Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, stresses that their use of AI is not about the flashy "prompt‑to‑asset" hype that dominates many headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. "When you design a codebase with AI in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without wrestling with opaque scripting layers," he says.
The goal is to let creators extend the engine itself, rather than merely script on top of a rigid framework. The motivation behind this AI‑centric approach stems from the bleak economics of modern game development.
Brussee describes the current climate as "rough," noting that production budgets keep inflating while the odds of commercial success shrink. "We need new ways of working that lower costs, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines," he argues. By leveraging AI to automate repetitive tasks and streamline iteration, Immens hopes to help studios avoid the financial peril that has claimed countless indie ventures.
De Jong, the chief product officer, points out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has given developers a reliable foundation, it also stifles innovation. "The industry is facing a suite of challenges, and simply persisting with the same old tools isn’t enough," he says. "What we need now is genuine innovation, not more of the same." One of the pain points he highlights is the "monolithic" nature of existing engines.
Developers must conform to proprietary file formats and workflows, which can be inflexible and time‑consuming. With AI, Immens aims to flip that dynamic, offering an engine that adapts to the developer’s needs. "You should be able to swap components, append new ones, or build entirely custom tools that match your personal workflow," De Jong explains. He envisions a scenario where a designer can craft a set of shortcuts, interfaces, and features that mirror their own creative process, rather than being forced into a one‑size‑fits‑all environment.
Valient acknowledges that AI is a double‑edged sword. While it is "really powerful," it can also veer off course if left unchecked.
To mitigate this, Immens is building transparency into the system: users will always know what the AI is doing, have access to its decision history, and retain full control over the output. This repeatability is crucial for maintaining artistic integrity and for debugging complex pipelines. The flexibility of Immens extends to its openness.
The engine will rely on text‑based, open standards that can be read and manipulated by a variety of tools—Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI suite. "When files are plain text, any program can parse them," Brussee notes.
This interoperability reduces the friction that often occurs when trying to integrate third‑party assets into a closed ecosystem. There is a vocal backlash against AI in game development, with some pundits warning that future "click‑to‑game" engines could make high‑budget experiences trivial to produce. Immens’s team, however, views AI as a catalyst rather than a replacement. Valient says, "AI will make everyone better, not take the creative spark away." They stress responsible use, acknowledging that any tool can be misused, but it is up to the community to guide its application.
Economic concerns also swirl around the AI boom, with many questioning whether the sector is a bubble. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many startups will fail, the underlying technology—just like the internet—will endure. "We’re focused on building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our development and expands our imagination," he says.
Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed a figure, describing the amount as "reasonable." Brussee warns against over‑capitalization, noting that excessive cash can breed complacency.
The company deliberately stays lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—to maintain agility and keep costs in check. Balancing team size with ambition is a delicate act. De Jong explains that building an engine is a complex undertaking that cannot be solved by simply throwing a large workforce at it. A small, focused team can make thoughtful decisions and iterate faster, which is crucial given the narrow window of opportunity presented by the AI wave.
Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team originally projected a year‑long development timeline, yet they are already two‑fold ahead of schedule, aiming to release the demo within the month. When asked about the eventual business model, Brussee mentions admiration for Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" philosophy but admits it is still too early to define concrete terms. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking, artistic expression, and innovation in games.
"If we can help make more daring, creative titles possible, that would be amazing," Brussee concludes.