Unity and Unreal have long held sway over the game‑development landscape, accounting for roughly 70% of Steam releases in 2025. While Godot has gained traction and some studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—Unity and Unreal still dominate the engine market. Against this backdrop, three seasoned veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immens, a new AI‑enhanced engine they believe can carve out space for fresh ideas and greater efficiency.
The founders bring a résumé that reads like a who’s‑who of the industry: experience at Epic Games, Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argues that the timing is right for a new engine, noting that "an opportunity now exists that didn’t exist a couple of years ago." He points to AI‑assisted programming as a catalyst that could let developers start from a clean slate again, providing rapid, full‑featured functionality under tight guidance and control. Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarifies that the AI they employ is not the sort of generative prompt‑to‑content tool that dominates headlines.
Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. "AI can reason about large codebases and data sets," he explains. "If we design the code with that in mind, even small teams or solo creators can extend the engine beyond simple scripting. Want a custom particle system?
You can add it directly. The AI helps you do that faster." The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current economic pressures of game development. Brussee describes the market as "rough," with development costs spiralling and success becoming increasingly elusive. "We need new ways of working that lower costs, speed up production, and let smaller teams deliver quality games without risking their livelihoods," he says.
De Jong, the chief product officer, observes that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has provided a solid foundation, he believes the industry now needs innovation rather than more of the same. "We’re at a point where the challenges we face demand a different approach," he asserts.
"Standardisation alone won’t solve them." A key criticism of existing engines is their monolithic nature. Developers must adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid workflows.
With AI, Immens aims to flip that model, offering an engine that adapts to the developer’s needs. De Jong emphasizes flexibility: "You can swap components, append new ones, modify existing tools, and build exactly what your project requires—down to the shortcuts, UI layout, and feature set." Valient acknowledges AI’s power and its pitfalls.
While AI can accelerate development dramatically, it can also veer off course if left unchecked. Immens therefore gives users full visibility and control over the AI’s actions, including a complete history of decisions to ensure repeatability. He illustrates this with a hypothetical: creating five characters with a specific trait might have taken weeks before; now, a developer could prototype the concept over coffee, reuse the tool multiple times, and discard it when done, saving substantial time and money.
Flexibility is baked into Immens’s design philosophy. The engine does not impose a single workflow; developers decide how much AI to integrate and where. De Jong stresses that the underlying framework must be robust enough for users to choose their own processes while ensuring the AI interprets instructions correctly.
Interoperability is another cornerstone. By embracing open, text‑based standards, Immens can communicate seamlessly with tools like Blender, Maya, or any generative pipeline. "When files are text‑based, any system can read them," Brussee notes. "The AI can parse those files and act on them, making cross‑tool integration far simpler than the closed, proprietary ecosystems we see today." The broader conversation around AI in game development is polarized.
Some commentators predict a future where entire AAA experiences can be generated with a single prompt, fueling both excitement and fear. Immens’s team envisions a more measured role for AI: as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement. Valient says, "Big games and everything in between will be created because AI makes everyone better, not because AI does the work for you." De Jong adds a note of responsibility: "AI is a tool, like any other technology. It can be misused, but it’s up to us to apply it responsibly and productively." Economic anxieties also linger, with many questioning whether the AI boom is a bubble.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies will fail, the underlying technology persists. "AI isn’t disappearing; it’s here to stay. The challenge is building genuinely good products that stand the test of time," he says. Funding for Immens remains modest.
The founders have secured initial commitments but have not disclosed amounts, describing the target as "reasonable." Brussee warns against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency and erode the scrappy mindset essential for a startup. The team itself is tiny—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers—by design.
De Jong explains that building an engine is a complex endeavour that doesn’t benefit from a massive headcount. "You need a focused, small team to make deliberate decisions and iterate. At the same time, you must seize the narrow window of opportunity presented by AI’s rise," he says. Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release this month.
Brussee notes that the project, which began in April, is already progressing twice as fast as initially projected, underscoring the speed gains AI can provide. The business model is still taking shape.
While Immens appreciates Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" licensing philosophy, Brussee says it’s too early to make definitive statements about revenue structures. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will enable creators to push the medium forward. "We love games and want to see more daring, artistic expression," Brussee concludes.
"If our technology can foster greater creativity and risk‑taking, that would be amazing."