For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game development, powering roughly 70% of the titles released on Steam in 2025. While Godot has made notable strides recently and some large studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely been monopolized by these two giants. Against this backdrop, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immens, a new AI‑enhanced game engine that they believe can carve out a fresh niche and push the technology forward.
The founders’ résumés read like a who’s‑who of modern game development: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Their collective expertise fuels confidence that they can challenge the status quo.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is right for a new engine, noting that “there’s an opportunity now” that simply didn’t exist a few years ago. He believes AI‑assisted programming can revive the spirit of building tools from the ground up, allowing developers to achieve full functionality much more quickly while retaining tight guidance and control.
Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarifies that the AI they are integrating is not the “prompt‑to‑output” hype that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible. He explains, “AI can reason about large amounts of data and code. If we design the codebase 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.” This approach aims to give developers the ability to use AI as a productivity multiplier, not as a replacement for thoughtful engineering.
The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current economic pressures of the games market, which Brussee describes as “rough.” Development costs are soaring, and studios of all sizes are feeling the squeeze. “It’s really hard to be successful making games,” he says. “They’re getting ever more expensive. You need to break out of that cycle, find new ways of working, and make games with fewer people, faster, and on smaller budgets so you’re not risking your livelihood.” De Jong, the chief product officer, points out that the engine landscape has become overly standardized and consolidated.
While this has provided a solid foundation, he argues that the industry now needs genuine innovation. “Continuing to do things the way we’ve always done isn’t enough,” he says.
“We need a different way—flexibility, interchangeability, and the ability to create bespoke tools tailored to each project’s unique demands.” He criticizes the monolithic nature of current engines, which force developers to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid workflows. With AI, Immens aims to become an engine that adapts to the developer, not the other way around. Flexibility is a core design principle.
De Jong envisions a system where users can swap components, append new features, and build custom interfaces that match their personal workflows. “I can create tools that have exactly the shortcuts, features, and UI I need for my team,” he explains. This level of customization, powered by AI that can understand and manipulate the engine’s codebase, is meant to empower creators to iterate rapidly without being hamstrung by one‑size‑fits‑all solutions. Valient acknowledges AI’s power but also its volatility.
“It can go off the rails quickly if you don’t pay attention,” he warns. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can see what the engine is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable outcomes. This visibility is crucial when AI is used to automate tasks like generating multiple characters with specific traits—a process that previously could take weeks but now might be accomplished over a coffee break.
The ability to spin up disposable, highly efficient workflows is, according to Valient, a game‑changing advantage. The engine’s architecture deliberately avoids imposing a single workflow.
De Jong stresses that developers can decide how much AI to incorporate and where to apply it, provided the AI correctly interprets the context. Immens also embraces open standards, allowing seamless interoperability with tools such as Blender, Maya, and other generative pipelines. “When files are text‑based, anything can read them,” Brussee notes.
“The AI can read those files and act on them, enabling smarter interfaces across the entire toolchain.” This openness counters the typical isolation of proprietary engines, which often resist integration with external software. Despite the enthusiasm, there is a vocal backlash against AI in game development, fueled by sensational claims on platforms like LinkedIn that a simple prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑level experience.
Immens’ team tempers such hype, describing AI as a powerful tool rather than a magic wand. Valient believes that AI will ultimately make developers better, not replace them, and that responsible usage is essential. De Jong adds that every technology carries risk, but the industry must learn to wield it responsibly. Economic concerns also surface, especially regarding the perception of an AI bubble with inflated valuations.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies will fall, the underlying technology endures. “AI isn’t going away,” he asserts.
“We’re building a good engine; AI just helps us move faster and think bigger.” The founders remain cautious about funding, preferring a modest, “reasonable” amount to avoid the complacency that can accompany excess capital. Brussee jokes that too much money can make a startup lazy, emphasizing the need for scrappiness.
Immens remains a very lean operation—just the three founders and a handful of helpers. This size is intentional, as De Jong explains that building an engine is a complex endeavor that cannot be rushed by throwing a million developers at it.
A small, focused team can make deliberate decisions and iterate efficiently, especially during the narrow window of opportunity presented by the current AI wave. The team is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow.
They aim to release this demo within the month, already having accelerated their timeline dramatically—what was projected to take until year‑end is now expected in half that time. While the business model is still being refined, Brussee mentions admiration for Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” licensing philosophy, though Immens is not ready to commit to any specific approach.
Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will enable more daring, creative games that push the medium forward. “We love games and want to see more risk‑taking and artistic expression,” Brussee says.
“If our technology can help creators innovate, that would be amazing.”