For many years the game‑development landscape has been dominated by a duopoly of Unity and Unreal, which together powered roughly 70% of all Steam releases in 2025. While open‑source alternatives such as Godot have made notable strides, the majority of large studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions—Capcom’s RE Engine being a prime example—leaving the market largely sealed off to the two giants. Enter Immens, a fledgling venture founded by three industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—who believe there is still room for a fresh engine and, more importantly, a better way to build games.
Their résumés read like a who’s‑who of modern game development: experience at Epic Games (the creators of Unreal), Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. Together they aim to challenge the status quo.
In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is ripe for a new engine, noting that “a few years ago the idea of an AI‑assisted development platform simply didn’t exist.” He explained that AI‑enhanced programming now lets developers start from scratch under tight guidance, accelerating the delivery of fully‑functional features. Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the AI they employ is not the “prompt‑to‑content” gimmick that dominates headlines. Instead, their AI is woven into the engine’s architecture to make it highly extensible.
“The AI can reason about massive codebases and data sets,” he said. “If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even solo developers or tiny teams can plug in custom systems—like a bespoke particle effect—without being limited to a narrow scripting layer.” This approach, he believes, empowers creators to iterate faster and tailor the engine to their unique visions. The motivation behind Immens’s AI‑centric engine stems from the current economic pressures on developers.
Brussee described the market as “rough,” pointing out that production costs keep climbing, making it increasingly difficult for studios to stay solvent. “We need new workflows that lower costs, shrink team sizes, and shorten timelines,” he asserted. “Otherwise you risk everything—your livelihood, your studio, your creative freedom.” De Jong, the company’s chief product officer, echoed this sentiment, noting that the engine space has become overly standardized and consolidated. While this has provided a solid foundation, he warned that the industry now faces a series of challenges that cannot be solved by simply iterating on existing tools.
“We need innovation, not more standardisation,” he said. “A different paradigm is required.” One of the pain points De Jong highlighted is the monolithic nature of current engines. Developers are forced to adapt to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines. With AI, Immens aims to flip that script, offering an engine that bends to the developer’s needs rather than the other way around.
“Flexibility is key,” he explained. “You should be able to swap components, append new ones, or build entirely custom tools that match your workflow—down to the exact shortcuts, UI layout, and feature set you prefer.” Valient also cautioned that AI, while powerful, can quickly go off‑track if left unchecked. To mitigate this, Immens is building transparency into the system: users can see what the AI is doing, review its decision history, and ensure repeatable results. This level of control, he argues, is essential for reliable creative pipelines.
He illustrated the potential with a simple example: generating five characters with specific traits that previously might have taken weeks can now be drafted over a coffee break, used a handful of times, and discarded—dramatically reducing cost. Immens’s philosophy is to avoid imposing a single workflow on its users. De Jong emphasized that the engine’s architecture is deliberately modular, allowing developers to decide how much AI they want to incorporate and where.
“The framework is there, but the choice is yours,” he said. “We just need to make sure the AI interprets instructions correctly.” Interoperability is another cornerstone of the platform.
By adopting open, text‑based standards, Immens ensures that files can be read and manipulated by any tool—be it Blender, Maya, or a generative‑AI suite. Brussee highlighted that many engines remain closed ecosystems, hindering seamless integration.
“When everything speaks the same open language, you can plug in any software and have it communicate instantly,” he noted. “That’s a huge step forward that proprietary tech has struggled to achieve.” The broader conversation around AI in games is fraught with hype and backlash. Some commentators on LinkedIn predict a future where a single prompt can spawn a Grand Theft Auto‑scale experience.
Immens’s team acknowledges that such “click‑to‑game” fantasies may eventually materialise, but for now they view AI strictly as a tool that augments human creativity. Valient summed it up: “AI will make everyone better, not replace them. The negative perception comes from the sheer scale of disruption we’re witnessing.” De Jong added a note of responsibility, urging the industry to adopt AI ethically: “Any technology can be misused. It’s up to us to ensure it serves constructive purposes.” Economic anxieties also swirl around AI, with many questioning whether the sector is a bubble.
Valient compared the situation to the dot‑com era, arguing that while some companies will fade, the underlying technology will persist and evolve. “We’re focused on building a solid engine; AI simply accelerates our development and expands what we can dream,” he said. “Whether it’s a bubble is irrelevant to us—our goal is to create lasting value.” Funding for Immens remains modest. The founders have secured initial commitments but have not disclosed exact figures, describing the amount as “reasonable.” Brussee warned against over‑capitalisation, noting that too much money can breed complacency.
“Startups need to stay scrappy,” he laughed. “Excess cash can make you lazy.” The company remains a lean operation—just the three founders plus a handful of helpers.
This intentional size allows rapid decision‑making while avoiding the pitfalls of a massive, unwieldy team. De Jong explained the trade‑off: “Building an engine is complex, but you don’t need a thousand engineers.
A small, focused group can iterate faster and make smarter choices, especially during this window of opportunity created by AI’s rise.” Immens is currently racing toward a proof‑of‑concept demo that showcases a generative‑AI‑driven editing workflow. The team aims to release the demo within the month, already having accelerated their timeline dramatically—what they expected to take until year‑end is now half‑finished.
Brussee admitted that predicting exact milestones is challenging given the rapid pace of development. The business model is still under discussion.
While Immens admires Epic’s “we succeed when you succeed” revenue share, they consider it premature to commit to any specific approach. Ultimately, Brussee hopes the engine will empower creators to push the medium forward, fostering more risk‑taking and artistic expression. “We love games and want to see more daring, innovative experiences,” he said.
“If our technology can help make that happen, it would be amazing."