For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game development, accounting for roughly 70% of all titles released on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives like Godot have gained traction and some studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a notable example—the market has largely been monopolized by the two giants. Against this backdrop, three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have founded Immens with the conviction that there is still space for a fresh engine that addresses the shortcomings of existing tools.
The founders bring an impressive résumé: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is right for a new engine, noting that “an opportunity now exists that didn’t exist a couple of years ago.” He believes that AI‑augmented programming can resurrect the ability to build a game engine from the ground up, offering developers rapid, full‑featured functionality under tight guidance and control. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarifies that the AI they employ is not the “prompt‑and‑get‑art” variety that dominates headlines. Instead, the AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible.
"AI can reason over massive codebases and data sets," he explains. "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 being limited to a small scripting layer. The goal is to let creators extend the engine quickly and safely using AI as an accelerator, not a replacement for thoughtful design." The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current economic climate of the games sector, which Brussee describes as "rough." Development costs continue to climb, making it increasingly difficult for small teams to achieve commercial success without taking on substantial financial risk. "We need new ways of working that lower expenses, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines," he says.
"If we can break the cycle of ever‑rising budgets, studios can protect their livelihoods and take more creative risks." 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, it also stifles innovation. "The industry faces a series of challenges, and simply repeating the old methods won’t solve them," he asserts. "What we need now is genuine innovation, not more of the same." One of the pain points with current engines is their monolithic nature.
Developers often have to conform to proprietary file formats and workflows, limiting flexibility. De Jong envisions an engine that adapts to the user rather than forcing users to adapt to it.
"It must be extremely flexible—allowing you to swap components, append new features, or build entirely custom tools tailored to your workflow," he says. "Imagine being able to craft a UI with the exact shortcuts, panels, and shortcuts that suit your team’s unique needs." Valient acknowledges that AI, while powerful, can behave unpredictably if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can see exactly what the engine is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable results.
This level of oversight enables rapid prototyping—such as generating five distinct characters with specific traits in minutes rather than weeks—while still allowing developers to discard temporary tools after use, dramatically reducing cost. Flexibility is baked into Immens’ core design. The engine does not impose a single workflow; instead, it provides a modular architecture where developers decide how much AI to incorporate and where. De Jong stresses that the AI must understand the context correctly, which is why the underlying codebase is built with AI compatibility from the start.
Interoperability is another priority. By adopting open, text‑based standards, Immens can communicate seamlessly with popular tools like Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI pipeline.
"When files are plain text, any program can read them," Brussee notes. "This openness means the AI can parse and manipulate assets directly, creating smarter interfaces across the entire production pipeline." The broader conversation about AI in game development is polarized.
Some commentators hype "click‑to‑game" scenarios where a single prompt could spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience. Immens’ team tempers such expectations, viewing AI as a powerful assistant rather than a magic wand. Valient says, "Big games will still require human creativity; AI simply makes everyone better." Economic concerns also loom large.
Critics warn of an AI bubble with inflated valuations. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies will fail, the underlying technology endures. "AI isn’t disappearing; it’s here to stay and it’s making us faster and more ambitious," he asserts.
"Whether we’re in a bubble is uncertain, but history shows that useful technologies survive the hype cycles." Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its first round of commitments but has not disclosed amounts, describing the target as "reasonable." Brussee cautions against excessive capital, which can breed complacency. "Startups need to stay scrappy; too much money can make you lazy," he laughs. The company remains lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers.
This small size is intentional, allowing rapid decision‑making while avoiding the pitfalls of a massive, unwieldy team. De Jong explains the trade‑off: a complex engine cannot be built by throwing a million developers at it, yet timing is critical to capture the window of opportunity presented by AI’s rise.
Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month. The timeline has already outpaced their original estimate; what was projected to take until year‑end is now on track for a much sooner launch. Regarding the business model, Brussee admires Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" approach but admits it’s too early to commit to a specific strategy. Ultimately, the team hopes Immens will empower creators to push the boundaries of interactive art, fostering more risk‑taking and innovation in the industry.
"We love games and want to see more daring, creative experiences," Brussee concludes. "If our technology can help make that happen, it would be amazing."