For decades, Unity and Unreal have reigned supreme in the world of game development, powering roughly seventy percent of all titles launched on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have gained traction and some heavyweight studios cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—the duopoly of Unity and Unreal still dominates the engine marketplace. Enter Immens, a fledgling company founded by three industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of game‑making powerhouses, 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, one that not only competes with the incumbents but also addresses the systemic problems they see in today’s development pipelines. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because “the tools that existed a couple of years ago simply don’t meet the needs of modern creators.” He argues that AI‑assisted programming now makes it possible to start building a game from scratch with far less boilerplate code.
“With guided, controllable AI, you can assemble functional systems quickly while retaining full oversight,” he said. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarified that the company’s use of AI is not about the flashy “prompt‑to‑asset” hype that dominates social media.
Instead, their AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. “AI excels at reasoning over large codebases and data sets,” he noted. “If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can plug in a custom particle system, a bespoke animation controller, or any other feature without being confined to a limited scripting layer.” This approach, he argues, empowers developers to extend the engine far beyond what traditional plug‑in ecosystems allow. The motivation behind Immens is also economic.
Brussee described the current market as “rough,” pointing out that development costs keep climbing, pushing studios into ever‑larger financial risk. “We need new workflows that shrink budgets, accelerate timelines, and let smaller teams produce high‑quality experiences without jeopardising their livelihoods,” he said. De Jong echoed this sentiment, noting that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated, offering a solid foundation but stifling innovation. According to De Jong, existing engines follow a monolithic model: developers must adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines.
Immens aims to flip that script by delivering a flexible, modular system that can be reshaped by the user. “You should be able to swap components, append new tools, and craft interfaces that match your personal workflow,” he explained. “If I need a tool with specific shortcuts, UI layout, and feature set for my team, I can build it directly into the engine.” 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 built to keep the developer in the driver’s seat: every AI action is logged, repeatable, and fully transparent. “You always know what the engine is doing and why,” he said. This traceability allows creators to generate, test, and discard rapid‑prototype tools—such as a script that spawns five characters with particular traits—in minutes rather than weeks, dramatically cutting costs. Flexibility is baked into Immens’ core philosophy.
De Jong stresses that the engine does not enforce a single workflow; instead, it provides a scaffolding that lets teams decide how much AI assistance they want and where to apply it. The architecture is deliberately open, supporting industry‑standard, text‑based file formats that can be read and manipulated by AI or external tools alike. “When files are human‑readable, any system—Blender, Maya, a generative model—can plug in seamlessly,” Brussee observed.
This openness contrasts with many current engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering interoperability. The broader conversation around AI in game development is contentious.
Some commentators warn of a future where a simple prompt could generate a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience, fueling fears of “click‑to‑game” shortcuts. Immens’ founders see AI not as a replacement but as an enhancer. Valient believes AI will make developers better, not obsolete, and that the current negative perception stems from the disruptive scale of the technology.
De Jong adds that, like any tool, AI must be used responsibly; the industry has a duty to shape its impact positively. Economic anxieties also loom. Critics label the AI boom a bubble with inflated valuations.
Valient counters that while bubbles burst, the underlying technology endures—just as the internet survived the dot‑com crash. “We’re focused on building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our vision,” he said. Whether the market is overheated remains uncertain, but Immens is intent on delivering value regardless.
Funding details are still vague. Immens has secured its “first commitments” but has not disclosed amounts, describing the target as “reasonable.” Brussee warns against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency. The company deliberately remains lean—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers—to stay scrappy and make decisive, iterative progress.
Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a full editing workflow powered by generative AI. The team expected to finish by year‑end, yet they are already two‑fold ahead of schedule, aiming to release the demo within the month. This rapid development underscores the very efficiency they claim AI can provide.
As for the business model, Immens admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” revenue share but admits it’s too early to commit to a specific approach. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push artistic boundaries, take risks, and inject fresh innovation into the medium. In summary, Immens represents a bold attempt to break the cycle of ever‑increasing development costs and monolithic tooling. By weaving AI into the engine’s extensibility, embracing open standards, and championing flexibility, the veteran team aims to give indie studios and solo developers a powerful, controllable platform that can keep pace with the fast‑evolving demands of modern game creation.
If successful, this could herald a new era where high‑quality games are no longer the exclusive domain of massive studios, but a playground for anyone with a vision and the right tools.