For years, Unity and Unreal have reigned supreme in the game‑development world, powering roughly 70% of the titles that appeared on Steam in 2025. While Godot has enjoyed a surge in popularity and some studios cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—the duopoly of Unity and Unreal still dominates the market. Enter Immens, a startup founded by three seasoned veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient. Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of the industry, with 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 that addresses the shortcomings of the current offerings. In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform.
"A few years ago the idea of an AI‑enhanced engine didn’t really exist. Today, with AI‑assisted programming, we can start from scratch again and deliver full‑featured tools much faster," he said. Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the AI they employ is not the "prompt‑to‑content" gimmick that dominates headlines.
Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. "If we design the codebase with AI in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or a brand‑new gameplay mechanic without being limited to a tiny scripting layer," he noted. The goal is to let creators harness AI to extend the engine quickly, not to replace the creative process.
The motivation behind this ambitious project stems from the harsh reality of today’s game market. Brussee described it as "rough" and warned that development costs are spiralling. "Games are getting more expensive, and studios are risking everything. We need new ways of working that cut costs, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines," he argued.
The team sees AI as a lever to achieve those efficiencies. De Jong, the chief product officer, observed that the engine landscape has become overly standardized and consolidated.
While that stability provides a solid foundation, it also stifles innovation. "The industry faces many challenges, and simply repeating old methods won’t solve them. We need breakthrough ideas, not more of the same," he asserted. A key criticism of existing engines is their monolithic nature.
Developers often have to bend to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. De Jong believes an AI‑centric engine can flip that script, offering a flexible framework that adapts to the user’s workflow. "You should be able to swap components, append new tools, and tailor the interface to exactly what your project requires," he explained. This level of customisation, he says, is essential for creators with diverse backgrounds and needs.
Valient also warned that AI, while powerful, can behave unpredictably if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can see the engine’s decision history, ensuring repeatable results.
"You might once have spent weeks designing five characters with a specific trait. With the right AI‑driven tool, you could prototype that over coffee and iterate instantly," he said, highlighting the dramatic productivity gains the team envisions. Flexibility is baked into Immens’s design philosophy.
The engine does not impose a single workflow; instead, it supplies a modular architecture that lets teams decide how much AI to incorporate and where. De Jong stressed that the AI must understand the developer’s intent correctly, otherwise the system could become a hindrance rather than a help. Interoperability is another pillar of the project.
By embracing open, text‑based standards, Immens aims to play nicely with the broader ecosystem—whether that’s Blender, Maya, or other generative tools. "When files are human‑readable, any software can parse them. This opens the door for seamless integration, something many proprietary engines still struggle with," Brussee said. The conversation around AI in game development is often polarized.
Some commentators hype "click‑to‑game" scenarios where a single prompt spawns a GTA‑level experience, while others fear a dystopian future of automated content. Immens’s founders see AI as a tool, not a replacement.
Valient believes AI will make every developer better, but stresses responsible use: "Any tool can be misused; it’s up to us to guide it constructively." Economic concerns also surface, with many questioning whether AI‑focused startups are part of a speculative bubble. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies will fall, the underlying technology endures.
"AI isn’t disappearing. The internet survived its bubble, and AI will likely follow a similar trajectory—good products will persist," he remarked.
Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its "first commitments" but has not disclosed amounts, describing the capital raise as "reasonable". Brussee cautions against over‑funding, noting that excess cash can breed complacency. The company deliberately stays lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—because building a sophisticated engine requires focused decision‑making rather than a massive headcount.
Timing is critical. De Jong explains that the window for AI‑driven engine innovation is narrowing as the industry evolves. They aim to balance a small, agile team with enough resources to hit that sweet spot before the market shifts again.
Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team expected this milestone by the end of the year, yet they are already two‑fold ahead of schedule, planning to release the demo within the month.
As for the business model, Brussee admires Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" approach but admits it’s too early to lock down specifics. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will empower creators to push artistic boundaries, take risks, and deliver experiences that move the medium forward. "We love games and want to see more daring, creative work.
If our technology can help make that happen, it would be amazing," Brussee concluded.