Unity and Unreal have long held sway over the game‑development landscape, accounting for roughly 70% of Steam releases in 2025. While Godot has enjoyed notable growth recently and some major studios cling to proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—the market has largely been dominated by the two giants. Enter Immersive’s founders—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—who believe there is still space for a fresh engine and, more importantly, room for improvement.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of the industry, featuring stints at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and Apple. United by a shared vision, they are setting out to challenge the status quo.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that “the moment is ripe for a new engine that simply didn’t exist a few years ago.” He pointed to AI‑assisted programming as a catalyst that could let developers start from scratch again, offering “guided yet flexible” tools that deliver full functionality quickly. Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the AI they employ is not the “prompt‑to‑image” hype that dominates headlines. Instead, it is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. “AI can reason over large codebases and data sets,” he explained.
“If we design the engine with that in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or any other feature without being limited to superficial scripting.” This approach, he says, empowers creators to extend the engine rapidly, using AI as an accelerator rather than a crutch. The motivation behind this AI‑powered engine stems from the current economic pressures on game studios. Brussee described the market as “rough,” noting that development costs are soaring and that many studios struggle to stay viable. “We need new ways of working that lower expenses, shrink team sizes, and speed up production,” he said.
“Otherwise you risk your livelihood and your studio’s future.” De Jong, Immens’s chief product officer, highlighted a trend toward “standardisation and consolidation” in the engine space. While this has provided a solid foundation, he argues that the industry now requires genuine innovation.
“Continuing to do things exactly as we have in the past isn’t enough,” he asserted. “We need a different approach, one that breaks the monolithic model of current engines.” Current engines often force developers to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid workflows.
De Jong envisions an engine that adapts to its users, allowing them to swap components, append new modules, and craft bespoke tools tailored to their specific projects. “Imagine being able to design a toolset that matches your personal workflow—exact shortcuts, interfaces, and features—so your team can work exactly how it needs to,” he said.
Valient acknowledged AI’s power but warned that it can “go off the rails” if left unchecked. Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control: users can see what the engine is doing, track its decision history, and ensure repeatable outcomes. This level of oversight, he argues, makes it possible to generate complex assets—like a set of five uniquely‑traited characters—within minutes rather than weeks, dramatically cutting costs. Flexibility is baked into Immens’s design.
De Jong stressed that the engine does not impose a single workflow; developers decide how much AI to incorporate and where. The architecture is deliberately modular, allowing teams to pick and choose AI‑driven features while maintaining full awareness of the underlying processes.
Interoperability is another pillar of the platform. By relying on open, text‑based standards, Immens can communicate seamlessly with tools such as Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI pipeline. “When files are plain text, any program can read them,” Brussee noted. “This opens the door for smarter interfaces across the entire development stack, something proprietary engines have historically resisted.” The broader AI debate in game development is heated.
Some commentators on LinkedIn claim that future engines will let anyone conjure a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience with a single prompt. While Immens’s team acknowledges that a “click‑to‑game” future is conceivable, they view AI strictly as a tool that enhances human creativity. “AI will make everyone better, not replace them,” Valient said, noting the technology’s disruptive reputation.
Economic concerns also swirl around AI, with many fearing a bubble of overvalued startups. Valient compared the situation to the dot‑com era, arguing that while some companies will fail, solid products will survive. “AI isn’t disappearing; it’s evolving,” he said.
“Our focus is on building a great engine that leverages AI to speed up development and expand creative horizons.” Funding remains modest. Immens has secured its “first commitments,” though the founders have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee warned against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency. “Startups need to stay scrappy,” he laughed.
The company remains tiny—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers—by design. De Jong explained that building an engine is a complex endeavor that cannot be solved by throwing a million engineers at it. A small, focused team can make deliberate decisions and iterate efficiently, especially given the narrow 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 expectations; what they thought would take until year‑end is now arriving in half that time. Regarding the business model, Brussee said Immens admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” licensing philosophy but admitted it’s too early to commit to a specific approach. Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the medium forward.
“We love games and want to see more daring, artistic expression,” Brussee concluded. “If our technology can help developers take bigger creative risks, that would be amazing."