For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the go‑to tools for game makers, powering roughly 70 % of the titles that appeared on Steam in 2025. While open‑source alternatives such as Godot have begun to gain traction, the market is still heavily dominated by proprietary solutions, with major studios often sticking to in‑house engines like Capcom’s RE Engine. In this landscape, three seasoned veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—believe there is still room for a fresh approach.
Their startup, Immens, aims to introduce a new engine that leverages artificial intelligence to break the cycle of ever‑rising development costs and shrinking creative freedom. 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 combined expertise gives them a unique perspective on why the current engine ecosystem feels stagnant. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is right for a new platform, noting that “an opportunity now exists that simply didn’t exist a few years ago.” He believes AI‑assisted programming can resurrect the idea of building tools from the ground up, offering developers a way to achieve full‑fledged functionality much more quickly.
Valient, Immens’ chief technology officer, clarifies that the AI component is not about generating assets with a single prompt, but about constructing an engine architecture that is inherently extensible. “AI can reason over large 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 confined to a limited scripting layer.” This philosophy underpins Immens’ promise: AI should accelerate extension, not replace the developer’s creative control.
The motivation behind this AI‑driven engine stems from the harsh reality of today’s game market. Brussee describes the environment as “rough,” emphasizing that development budgets keep inflating while the margin for error shrinks. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult to succeed,” he says. “We need new workflows that lower costs, speed up production, and let smaller teams compete without risking their studios.” De Jong, the chief product officer, points out that the engine space has entered a phase of “standardisation and consolidation.” While this has provided a stable foundation, he argues that the industry now demands innovation rather than incremental improvements.
“Continuing to do things the same way won’t cut it,” he asserts. “We need a different paradigm—one that embraces flexibility and adaptability.” Current engines often impose a monolithic structure on developers, forcing them to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. De Jong envisions an engine that bends to the user’s needs instead.
“You should be able to swap components, append new modules, and craft tools that match your exact workflow,” he says. “Imagine a UI built with the shortcuts, features, and layout that suit your team’s specific project. That level of customization is what we’re targeting.” Valient acknowledges AI’s power but also its volatility.
“If you’re not careful, it can go off the rails quickly,” he warns. To mitigate this, Immens is built with transparency in mind: users will always see what the engine is doing, retain a full history of changes, and be able to reproduce results reliably. This control is essential for creating disposable, task‑specific tools that can be spun up in minutes rather than weeks, dramatically reducing the cost of iterative development. Flexibility is baked into Immens’ architecture.
The framework does not dictate a single workflow; developers decide how much AI to incorporate and where. De Jong stresses that the system must be able to understand the developer’s intent correctly, ensuring that AI assistance feels like a natural extension rather than a black box.
Interoperability is another cornerstone. By embracing open standards and text‑based file formats, Immens aims to play nicely with existing tools such as Blender, Maya, or any generative‑AI pipeline. Brussee notes that “when files are human‑readable, any program—including AI—can parse and manipulate them.” This openness contrasts with many current engines that act as closed ecosystems, hindering seamless integration. The broader conversation around AI in game development is polarized.
Some critics fear a future where a simple prompt can spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience, leading to hype‑driven “click‑to‑game” promises. Immens’ team tempers these expectations, positioning AI as a powerful assistant rather than a replacement for human creativity.
Valient believes that AI will elevate the entire industry: “Big games and indie titles alike will benefit because AI makes everyone better.” Economic concerns also loom large. The AI boom has sparked bubble‑like speculation, with inflated valuations and uncertain sustainability. Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies will fade, the underlying technology endures.
“AI isn’t disappearing; it’s becoming a core part of how we build software,” he says. “Our focus is on delivering a solid engine that leverages AI to speed up development and enable bigger dreams, regardless of market hype.” Funding remains modest.
Immens has secured its “first commitments” but has not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee cautions against excessive capital, suggesting that too much money can breed complacency. The company deliberately stays lean—just the three founders and a handful of helpers—to retain agility and maintain a scrappy mindset. Balancing team size with ambition is a delicate act. De Jong explains that building an engine is a complex, long‑term endeavor that cannot be rushed by hiring hundreds of engineers.
Instead, a small, focused group can make thoughtful decisions and iterate efficiently, especially during the narrow window of opportunity presented by AI’s rapid evolution. Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team expected this milestone to arrive by year‑end, but they are already two‑fold ahead of schedule, aiming to release the demo within the month. While timelines remain fluid, the early progress signals that the AI‑centric approach is delivering tangible speed gains.
The business model is still under discussion. Brussee admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” licensing philosophy but admits it’s too early to commit to a specific strategy.
Ultimately, the goal is to empower creators to push the medium forward. “We love games as an art form,” Brussee concludes.
“We want to see more risk‑taking, more creativity, and more innovation built on technology like ours. If we can make that happen, it would be amazing."