For years, Unity and Unreal have been the dominant forces in game creation, accounting for roughly 70% of Steam releases in 2025. While Godot has made notable strides and some studios cling to proprietary solutions like Capcom’s RE Engine, the market has largely been monopolized by the two giants.
Against this backdrop, three seasoned developers—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—have launched Immens, a fresh game engine built around artificial intelligence, believing there is still room for innovation. The trio’s résumés read like a who's‑who of the industry: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Their collective background fuels confidence that they can challenge the status quo.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee remarked that the timing is ripe for a new engine because "the tools that existed a few years ago simply aren’t enough today." He added that AI‑assisted programming now makes it possible to start from a clean slate while still maintaining tight guidance and control, enabling developers to achieve full functionality quickly. Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, stresses that the AI embedded in the engine is not about generating content from vague prompts. Instead, it focuses on constructing an extensible codebase that can be easily expanded by small teams or solo creators. "AI can reason over massive code and data sets," he explained.
"If we design the architecture with that capability in mind, anyone can add a custom particle system, a unique physics module, or any other feature without being confined to a limited scripting layer. The goal is to let developers harness AI to accelerate extensions, not replace their creative input." The motivation behind Immens is rooted in the current economic pressures of game development.
Brussee describes the landscape as "rough" and warns that production costs are spiraling upward, making it harder for studios to stay afloat. He asks whether new workflows can break this cycle, allowing teams to produce high‑quality games with fewer people, tighter budgets, and shorter timelines.
De Jong, the chief product officer, echoes this sentiment, noting that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated. While standardization provides a solid foundation, the industry now needs genuine innovation rather than incremental tweaks.
According to De Jong, existing engines often force developers into a monolithic workflow, complete with proprietary file formats that must be accommodated rather than adapted. He envisions an engine that bends to the user’s needs, offering interchangeable components, appendable modules, and the ability to craft bespoke tools tailored to individual workflows. "I can build an interface with the exact shortcuts and features my team requires," he said, illustrating how the engine’s flexibility could empower creators to work exactly the way they want. Valient acknowledges AI’s power but also its volatility.
He warns that without careful oversight, AI can "go off the rails" quickly. Immens therefore aims to keep users in the driver’s seat, providing full visibility into the engine’s decisions and a reproducible history of changes. This transparency lets developers create disposable tools for specific tasks—like generating five characters with a particular trait—in a matter of minutes, a process that previously might have taken weeks.
The resulting workflow is not only faster but dramatically cheaper, unlocking creative possibilities that were once out of reach. Flexibility is baked into Immens’ architecture. The team refuses to impose a single workflow, instead allowing users to decide how much AI to incorporate and where. De Jong stresses that the underlying framework must be robust enough to support diverse approaches while ensuring the AI interprets instructions correctly.
Interoperability is another cornerstone. By embracing open, text‑based standards, Immens can seamlessly exchange data with tools like Blender, Maya, or any generative system.
"When files are human‑readable, any program can parse them," Brussee noted. This openness contrasts with many engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering collaboration across different software packages. Immens’ design aims to create a unified communication layer where all tools speak the same language.
The broader AI debate in game development is heated. Some commentators predict a future where a simple prompt can spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience, fueling fears of a "click‑to‑game" era.
While Immens’ founders acknowledge that such a scenario might eventually be possible, they view AI strictly as a tool that enhances human creativity rather than replaces it. Valient believes AI will make developers better, even if current perceptions are tinged with negativity due to the rapid disruption it causes. Economic concerns also loom large. Critics warn that the AI boom could be a bubble with inflated valuations.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, arguing that while many companies will fade, the underlying technology and genuinely useful products will endure. "AI isn’t disappearing; it’s accelerating our ability to dream bigger and build faster," he said, noting that Immens is focused on delivering a solid engine first, with AI serving as an accelerator. Funding remains modest.
Immens has secured initial commitments but has not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as "reasonable." Brussee cautions against excessive capital, noting that too much money can breed complacency. The company remains lean, consisting of the three founders and a handful of helpers, a deliberate choice to stay scrappy and agile. Balancing team size with ambition is a delicate act.
De Jong explains that building an engine is a complex undertaking that cannot be solved by simply hiring a large staff. A small, focused team can make thoughtful decisions and iterate efficiently, especially given the narrow window of opportunity presented by the AI wave.
Immens is currently developing a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow, slated for release later this month. Brussee admits that their original timeline—targeting the end of the year—has been halved, reflecting the speed gains the technology promises. The business model is still evolving. While Immens appreciates Epic’s "we succeed when you succeed" licensing philosophy, the founders deem it premature to make definitive statements.
Ultimately, Brussee hopes Immens will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking, artistic expression, and innovation in games. "We love games and want to see more creativity," he concluded. "If our tech can help make that happen, that would be amazing."