For many years, Unity and Unreal have been the de‑facto platforms for game development, accounting for roughly 70 % of all titles released on Steam in 2025. While open‑source options like Godot have gained traction and some studios continue to rely on proprietary solutions such as Capcom’s RE Engine, the market has largely been dominated by the two giants.
Yet three seasoned industry veterans—Arjan Brussee, Sjoerd De Jong, and Michal Valient—believe there is still room for a fresh alternative. Their new venture, Immens, is set to build an AI‑enhanced engine that promises lower expenses and faster iteration, especially for small teams.
The founders’ résumés read like a who’s‑who of game‑making powerhouses. Brussee and De Jong have spent years at Epic Games, the creators of Unreal, while Valient’s background includes stints at Guerrilla Games, Boss Key, and even Apple. In a recent interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Brussee argued that the timing is right for a novel engine: “A few years ago the idea of an AI‑augmented workflow simply didn’t exist.
Now the tools are mature enough to let developers start from scratch again, with far more guidance and control.” Valient, Immens’s chief technology officer, clarified that the AI component is not about generating content from a single prompt. Instead, it is woven into the engine’s architecture to make the codebase highly extensible. “AI can reason over massive amounts of data and source code,” he explained.
“If we design the engine with that capability in mind, even a solo developer can plug in a custom particle system, a bespoke animation pipeline, or any other feature without being limited to a narrow scripting layer.” This philosophy aims to give creators the freedom to extend the engine quickly, using AI as a productivity accelerator rather than a replacement for human ingenuity. The motivation behind Immens stems from a bleak outlook on the current economics of game development. Brussee described the environment as “rough,” noting that production budgets keep climbing while the margin for error shrinks.
“Making games is becoming increasingly expensive,” he said. “We need new ways of working that lower costs, shrink team sizes, and accelerate timelines, so studios aren’t risking everything on a single title.” De Jong, the chief product officer, observed that the engine market has become overly standardized and consolidated.
While that consolidation has provided a stable foundation, he believes the industry now needs genuine innovation. “Continuing to do exactly what we’ve always done won’t solve the challenges we face,” he argued. “We need a different approach—something flexible, modular, and adaptable to each project’s unique demands.” One of the pain points with existing engines is their monolithic nature. Developers often have to conform to proprietary file formats and rigid pipelines, which can stifle creativity.
De Jong envisions an engine that bends to the user’s workflow: “You should be able to swap components, add new tools, and tailor the interface to match your personal shortcuts and team requirements.” In practice, this could mean building a custom level‑design tool that mirrors a designer’s exact workflow, or creating a rapid‑prototyping script that integrates seamlessly with the rest of the system. Valient is quick to acknowledge AI’s limitations. While he praises its power, he warns that unchecked AI can “go off the rails” if developers don’t monitor its output.
Immens therefore emphasizes transparency and control. “When you use the engine, you always know what it’s doing and why,” he said. “You can trace the history of any change, ensuring repeatability and allowing you to roll back or refine as needed.” This level of oversight is intended to keep the creative process grounded, even as AI handles repetitive or data‑intensive tasks.
Flexibility is baked into Immens’s core design. De Jong stresses that the engine does not impose a single workflow; instead, it offers a framework that can be shaped by the user. “You decide how much AI you want to involve and where,” he noted.
“The architecture is open enough to let you plug in your preferred tools—whether that’s Blender, Maya, or a generative‑AI model—because we rely on open standards and text‑based file formats.” By using open, human‑readable formats, the engine can interoperate with a wide array of third‑party software, reducing the friction that often plagues proprietary pipelines. The broader conversation around AI in game development is polarized. Some commentators predict a future where entire experiences can be conjured with a single prompt, a notion that fuels both excitement and fear.
Immens’s team acknowledges the hype but frames AI as a “tool,” not a replacement for skill. “Big games and indie titles alike will benefit because AI makes everyone better,” Valient asserted. “It’s disruptive, but that disruption can be harnessed responsibly.” Economic concerns also loom large. Critics worry that AI‑centric startups are part of a speculative bubble.
Valient draws a parallel to the dot‑com era, noting that while many companies vanished, the underlying technology— the internet— persisted and flourished. “We’re focused on building a solid engine first; AI simply accelerates our development and expands what’s possible,” he said. “Whether the market is in a bubble is uncertain, but history shows useful technology outlives the hype.” Funding for Immens remains modest.
The founders have secured “first commitments” but have not disclosed amounts, describing the target as “reasonable.” Brussee cautions against over‑funding, noting that excess capital can breed complacency. “Startups need to stay scrappy,” he laughed. “Too much money can make you lazy.” The company remains lean, consisting of the three founders plus a handful of helpers. De Jong explains that a small, focused team is essential for an undertaking as complex as building a game engine.
“You can’t throw a million engineers at the problem and expect miracles,” he said. “You need a tight group that can make deliberate decisions and iterate quickly, 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.
The team aims to release the demo within the month, having already accelerated their timeline dramatically. “When we started in April, we thought we’d be at the end of the year,” Brussee recalled. “We’re now roughly twice as fast as we expected.” As for the business model, Immens is still exploring options.
While they admire Epic Games’ revenue‑share approach—"we succeed when you succeed"—they admit it’s too early to commit to a specific strategy. Ultimately, Brussee hopes the engine will empower creators to push the medium forward. “We love games and the artistic expression they enable,” he said.
“We want to see more risk‑taking, more creativity, and more innovation built on technology like ours. That would be amazing."