For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the go‑to tools for game creators, accounting for roughly 70 % of all Steam releases projected for 2025. While open‑source options 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 dominated by the two giants. 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 experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, Apple, and more. The trio believes there is still space for a fresh engine that addresses the shortcomings of existing tools and offers a new paradigm for developers.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee explained that the timing feels right for a new engine because “the technology that didn’t exist a couple of years ago is now within reach.” He highlighted AI‑assisted programming as a catalyst that could let developers start from a clean slate and rapidly assemble fully functional systems under guided control. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarified that the AI they are integrating is not the “prompt‑and‑receive” model that dominates popular discourse. Instead, the AI is embedded in the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. “AI can reason over large codebases and data sets,” he said.
“If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can add a custom particle system or any other feature without being confined to a limited scripting layer.” This approach aims to let creators extend the engine quickly and safely, using AI as a productivity enhancer rather than a replacement for human ingenuity. The motivation behind Immens stems from a bleak outlook on the current games market. Brussee described the environment as “rough,” noting that development costs continue to climb, making it harder for small teams to survive.
He asked whether the industry could discover more efficient workflows that lower budgets, reduce risk, and enable faster delivery. De Jong echoed this sentiment, observing that the engine landscape has become standardized and consolidated, providing a solid foundation but lacking the innovation needed to address emerging challenges. According to De Jong, today’s engines often force developers into a monolithic workflow, requiring them to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. With AI, Immens intends to flip that script: the engine will adapt to the user’s needs.
He envisions a system where developers can swap components, append new functionality, and craft bespoke tools tailored to their personal workflows—complete with custom shortcuts, interfaces, and feature sets. Valient warned that AI, while powerful, can “go off the rails” 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 outcomes. He illustrated the benefit with a hypothetical scenario—creating five characters with a specific trait that once required weeks of manual work can now be generated in minutes, used a handful of times, and discarded, dramatically cutting costs.
Flexibility is baked into Immens’ 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 built on open standards, meaning files are text‑based and readable by any compatible tool.
Brussee highlighted the advantage: “If the AI can read a file, it can interact with Blender, Maya, or any generative system without a proprietary bottleneck.” This openness aims to solve the long‑standing interoperability problems that have plagued many engines. The broader AI debate in game development is heated. Some critics on LinkedIn predict a future where a simple prompt can spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience, fueling fears of “click‑to‑game” solutions.
Immens’ team acknowledges that such extremes might one day be possible, but they view AI primarily as a tool that amplifies human creativity rather than replaces it. Valient believes AI will make developers better, while De Jong stresses responsible usage, noting that every technology can be misused if not handled thoughtfully. Economic concerns also loom. The AI sector is often labeled a bubble, with inflated valuations and speculative hype.
Valient compared it to the dot‑com era: the internet didn’t disappear, but many over‑valued companies fell away, leaving only the truly valuable products. Immens aims to be one of those lasting solutions by focusing on building a solid engine first, using AI to accelerate development and enable bigger creative visions. Funding remains modest.
Immens has secured its “first commitments” but has not disclosed amounts, describing the target as “reasonable.” Brussee cautioned against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency and erode the scrappy mindset essential for a startup. The company remains lean, consisting of the three founders and a handful of helpers, deliberately keeping the team small to make decisive progress.
The team is already racing ahead of schedule. They began development in April and aim to release a proof‑of‑concept demo this month, showcasing a generative AI‑driven editing workflow. Brussee admitted that timeline predictions are difficult, but the current pace is roughly twice as fast as initially expected. As for the business model, Immens admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” philosophy but admits it’s too early to define specifics.
Ultimately, the founders hope their engine will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking, artistic expression, and innovation. “We love games and want to see more creativity,” Brussee concluded. “If our technology helps build the next wave of groundbreaking titles, that would be amazing.”