For years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game creation, accounting for roughly 70% of the titles that appeared on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have begun to attract attention and some major studios still rely on proprietary solutions such as Capcom’s RE Engine, the market has largely been locked into the duopoly of Unity and Unreal.
Enter Immens, a startup founded by three industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—who believe there is still room for a fresh engine and, more importantly, room for a better way of building games. Their résumés read like a who's‑who of the gaming world, featuring stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Together, they are setting out to challenge the status quo. 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 aren’t enough anymore." He sees AI‑assisted programming as a catalyst that can let developers start from a clean slate again, providing a high‑level of guidance while still delivering rapid, full‑featured results.
Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarifies that the AI they are integrating is not the kind of generative, prompt‑driven magic 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 says.
"If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a bespoke gameplay mechanic without wrestling with obscure scripting layers. The AI becomes a partner that accelerates extension rather than a black‑box that spits out content on command." The motivation behind this AI‑centric approach is the increasingly hostile economics of game development.
Brussee describes the current climate as "rough," noting that production budgets are spiralling and the risk of failure is higher than ever. "We need new ways of working that lower costs, shrink team sizes, and speed up delivery," he argues. "If we can cut the development cycle, studios won’t have to gamble their entire livelihood on a single title." De Jong, the chief product officer, points out that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has produced a solid foundation, it also stifles innovation.
"The industry is facing a host of challenges, and simply repeating the old playbook won’t solve them," he says. "We need breakthroughs, not just more of the same." One of the pain points De Jong highlights is the monolithic nature of existing engines. Developers often have to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines, limiting creativity.
With AI, Immens aims to deliver an engine that molds itself to the developer’s workflow. "Flexibility is key," he explains. "You should be able to swap components, append new tools, and shape the interface to match your personal habits and project needs. Imagine having a UI that reflects exactly the shortcuts and features you use daily—that's the kind of adaptability we’re building." 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 gives users full visibility into the engine’s decisions, complete with a history log so actions are repeatable and auditable.
This transparency lets developers create throw‑away tools for specific tasks—like generating five characters with unique traits in minutes instead of weeks—without sacrificing control. The platform is deliberately agnostic about workflow. De Jong stresses that Immens does not impose a single methodology; teams decide how much AI to employ and where.
The underlying architecture is built on open standards, meaning text‑based files can be read and manipulated by any compatible software. "When files are open and human‑readable, the AI can parse them, and tools like Blender, Maya, or custom pipelines can plug in seamlessly," Brussee notes.
This openness contrasts with many engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering interoperability. There is a vocal backlash against AI in game development, often fueled by sensational claims that a simple prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience.
Immens’s founders see such "click‑to‑game" fantasies as far‑off, positioning AI instead as a powerful assistant that elevates human creators. "AI makes everyone better," Valient says, acknowledging the current negative perception but insisting the technology will become a standard part of the creative toolbox. Economic concerns also swirl around AI, with many fearing a speculative bubble.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies vanished, the internet itself persisted and flourished. "We’re focused on building a solid engine; AI just accelerates our ability to dream bigger and ship faster," he asserts.
Whether the market is in a bubble remains uncertain, but the team believes that quality products will survive regardless of hype cycles. Funding details are still under wraps.
Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed amounts, describing the target as "reasonable." Brussee warns against excessive capital, suggesting that too much money can breed complacency. The company remains lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—by design.
De Jong explains that engine development is complex and cannot be rushed by sheer manpower; a focused, small team allows for thoughtful decision‑making while still capitalising on the narrow window of opportunity presented by AI’s rise. Immens is currently building a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month.
The timeline has already outpaced initial expectations; what was projected to take until year‑end is now shaping up to be delivered in half that time. Regarding the business model, Brussee admires Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" philosophy but admits it is too early to commit to a specific approach. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking, artistic expression, and innovation. "We love games and want to see the art form evolve," Brussee concludes.
"If Immens can help make that happen, it would be amazing."