For years, Unity and Unreal have dominated the game‑development landscape, powering roughly 70 % of the titles that landed on Steam in 2025. While Godot has enjoyed notable growth and some studios cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely been a duopoly. Into this entrenched environment step three industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—who have launched Immersive (Immens) with the belief that a fresh engine can still find a foothold and, more importantly, improve the status quo.
The founders’ résumés read like a who’s‑who of game‑tech powerhouses: Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and Apple all feature among their past affiliations. Their collective experience gives them a unique perspective on why the current engine ecosystem feels stale and why an AI‑augmented solution could be the catalyst the industry needs. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because “the tools that didn’t exist a couple of years ago are finally feasible.” He points to AI‑assisted programming as a game‑changer that lets developers start from a clean slate while still retaining tight guidance and control. “You can build something with full functionality fast,” he says, emphasizing speed without sacrificing robustness.
Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarifies that their use of AI isn’t the flashy “prompt‑to‑asset” approach that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible.
“AI can reason about massive codebases and data,” he notes. “If we design the engine with that in mind, even solo developers can plug in custom systems—like a bespoke particle engine—without being confined to a limited scripting layer.” This vision positions AI as a productivity amplifier, enabling rapid iteration and deeper customization.
The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the harsh realities of today’s game market. Brussee describes the environment as “rough,” where development costs keep climbing and the risk of financial ruin looms large for small studios. “We need new ways of working that lower costs, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines,” he asserts.
The goal is to break the vicious cycle of ever‑inflating budgets that threatens the livelihood of independent creators. De Jong, the chief product officer, observes that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has provided a reliable foundation, he argues that the industry now demands innovation over further standardization.
“Continuing to do things exactly as we have in the past won’t cut it,” he says. “We need a different paradigm.” One of the pain points De Jong highlights is the monolithic nature of existing engines.
Developers must adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines, which can stifle creativity. With AI, Immens aims to flip this model: the engine should adapt to the developer, not the other way around. “Flexibility is key,” he explains. “You should be able to swap components, append new features, and craft tools that match your personal workflow—down to the exact shortcuts, UI layout, and feature set you need.” Valient acknowledges AI’s power but also its volatility.
He stresses that Immens will keep users in the driver’s seat, providing full transparency over what the AI does and why. “You’ll see the history of each operation, ensuring repeatability and trust,” he says. This control is crucial for creative processes that traditionally required weeks of manual labor; now, a developer could prototype a set of characters with specific traits over a coffee break, using AI‑generated tools that can be discarded after a few uses, dramatically cutting costs.
Immens’s architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow. De Jong emphasizes that teams can decide how much AI to incorporate and where, as long as the underlying system understands the tasks correctly. Open standards also play a central role.
By relying on text‑based file formats, Immens ensures that any tool—whether Blender, Maya, or a future generative‑AI suite—can interoperate seamlessly. “When everything speaks a common language, you can plug in new software without fighting against closed‑door engines,” Brussee notes.
The broader AI debate in game development is polarized. Some pundits hype “click‑to‑game” engines that could conjure Grand Theft Auto‑scale experiences from a single prompt.
Immens’s team tempers such expectations, viewing AI as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement for human craftsmanship. “AI will make everyone better, not eliminate the need for skilled creators,” Valient says, acknowledging the current negative perception of AI as a disruptive force. Economic anxieties also surface, with many questioning whether AI is a bubble. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, suggesting that while some companies will fall, the underlying technology will endure.
“We’re focused on building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our ability to dream bigger and deliver faster,” he asserts. The founders have secured initial funding commitments but remain cautious about over‑capitalization, noting that excess cash can breed complacency. “A lean team forces us to stay scrappy and make smart decisions,” Brussee laughs. Immens remains a small operation—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers—by design.
De Jong explains that a massive workforce doesn’t guarantee success in building a complex engine; a focused, iterative approach is more effective. At the same time, timing is critical. The team believes the next few years present a narrow window to capitalize on AI’s momentum and industry shifts before the market settles into a new equilibrium.
The company is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month. Brussee admits that their original timeline—targeting the end of the year—has been halved, highlighting the speed gains they’re already experiencing. Regarding the business model, Immens is still exploring options.
While they admire Epic Games’ “we succeed when you succeed” revenue sharing, they consider it premature to commit to a specific structure. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will empower creators to push artistic boundaries and take risks. “We love games as complex expressions of art,” Brussee says.
“If our technology can spark more creativity and innovation, that would be amazing.”