For more than a decade, Unity and Unreal have been the de‑facto platforms for video‑game creation, together accounting for roughly 70 % of all titles launched on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have enjoyed a surge in popularity and some major studios cling to proprietary tools—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely settled into a duopoly that leaves little room for newcomers. Enter Immens, a startup founded by three industry veterans: Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient. Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of modern game development, featuring stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple.
The trio believes the status quo is ripe for disruption and that a fresh engine, built with artificial intelligence at its core, can offer a viable alternative to the entrenched giants. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new platform because “the tools that existed a couple of years ago simply don’t exist any more.” He argues that AI‑assisted programming now makes it possible to start building a game engine from scratch without the massive overhead that previously required years of engineering effort. “With a lot of guidance and control, you can assemble something that delivers full functionality quickly,” he said. Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, is quick to clarify that the AI they are leveraging is not the kind of generative, prompt‑driven magic that dominates headlines.
Instead, the company’s AI is designed to make the engine itself highly extensible. “AI can reason about massive codebases and data sets,” he noted. “If we architect the engine with that capability in mind, even solo developers or tiny teams can plug in custom systems—say, a bespoke particle effect—without being limited to superficial scripting.” This approach, Valient believes, will let creators extend the engine at a deeper level, accelerating iteration and reducing the technical debt that often plagues indie projects.
The motivation behind Immens’s ambitious undertaking stems from a grim outlook on the current games market. Brussee described the environment as “rough,” pointing out that development costs are spiraling upward, making it increasingly difficult for small studios to survive. “We need new ways of working—more efficient processes that lower budgets and shrink team sizes—so creators aren’t risking everything on a single title,” he warned.
De Jong, the chief product officer, echoed this sentiment, observing that the engine landscape has become overly standardized and consolidated. While that consolidation has provided a solid foundation, he argues it also stifles innovation. “The industry faces a host of challenges, and simply repeating the old playbook won’t cut it. We need genuine innovation, not just more of the same,” he asserted.
One of the pain points De Jong highlighted is the monolithic nature of existing engines. Developers are forced to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid workflows, which can be a barrier to creativity. With AI, Immens aims to deliver an engine that bends to the user’s needs rather than the other way around. “Flexibility is key,” he explained.
“You should be able to swap components, append new features, and build tools that match your exact workflow—down to the shortcuts, interface layout, and feature set you require for your project.” Valient also cautioned that AI, while powerful, can quickly go off‑track if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users will always see what the engine is doing, have access to its decision history, and be able to reproduce results reliably. This level of oversight, he argues, is essential for maintaining artistic integrity and preventing the “black‑box” pitfalls that have plagued other AI applications.
The company’s philosophy extends to workflow design. Immens does not impose a single pipeline; instead, it offers a modular architecture that lets developers decide how much AI to integrate and where.
“You choose the degree of AI assistance you want,” De Jong said. “Our framework is built to accommodate any level of automation while ensuring the AI interprets your intent correctly.” Interoperability is another cornerstone of Immens’s strategy. By embracing open standards and text‑based file formats, the engine can communicate seamlessly with popular tools such as Blender, Maya, and a growing ecosystem of generative‑AI utilities.
Brussee highlighted that “when files are human‑readable, any program can parse them, and the AI can manipulate them as needed.” This openness stands in contrast to many proprietary engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering cross‑tool collaboration. The broader industry conversation around AI in game development is far from unanimous. Some critics, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, warn of a future where a single prompt could generate a Grand‑Theft‑Auto‑scale experience, raising concerns about quality and authenticity.
Immens acknowledges these fears but frames AI as a tool rather than a replacement for human creativity. Valient believes AI will elevate the entire field: “Big games and everything in between will be made better because AI makes everyone more capable.” He stresses that, like any technology, AI can be misused, but the responsibility lies with developers to wield it ethically. Economic anxieties also swirl around the AI boom, with many questioning whether the sector is a bubble.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies vanished, the underlying internet didn’t disappear. “AI isn’t going away. Some firms will fail, but the ones that deliver genuine value will survive,” he said.
Immens’s goal is to build a solid engine first; AI merely accelerates development and expands creative horizons. Funding remains modest at this stage. Immens has secured its “first commitments” but has not disclosed specific figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee warned against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency: “Too much money can make a startup lazy; you need to stay scrappy.” The team currently consists of the three founders plus a handful of helpers, a deliberately lean structure that allows rapid decision‑making while managing risk. Balancing team size with ambition is a delicate act.
De Jong explained that building an engine is a complex endeavor that cannot be solved by simply hiring a million engineers. “You need a focused group to iterate, make decisions, and learn from failures,” he said. At the same time, there is a narrow window of opportunity created by the convergence of AI advances and industry turbulence. Immens aims to hit that sweet spot before the market shifts again.
The startup is already moving toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. Originally slated for a year‑long development timeline starting in April, the team reports they are now twice as fast, planning to release the demo within the current month. This rapid progress underscores the potential productivity gains that AI can unlock.
When asked about the eventual business model, Brussee expressed admiration for Epic Games’ “you succeed when we succeed” philosophy but admitted it’s too early to commit to a specific approach. The focus, for now, remains on delivering a functional, flexible engine that empowers creators. Ultimately, the founders hope Immens will rekindle the spirit of risk‑taking and artistic experimentation that first defined video games. “We love games as complex expressions of art,” Brussee concluded.
“We want to see more creativity, more daring projects, and innovation built on technology like ours. That would be amazing.”