Arjan Brussee, co-founder of Guerilla Games and former technical director at Epic Games, has announced The Immense Engine, a game engine positioned as a European alternative to Unreal Engine and Unity. The project emphasizes generative AI integration as a core feature and targets both game development and defense industry applications like military simulation and training.
Brussee's positioning of the engine as explicitly European reflects growing interest in reducing reliance on US-based tech infrastructure, particularly following regulatory scrutiny and geopolitical tensions affecting major engine providers. Unity faced significant backlash over runtime fees and policy changes, while Unreal Engine remains tightly controlled by Epic despite its dominance in AAA development.
The Immense Engine's focus on AI-heavy features aligns with industry trends. Game studios increasingly experiment with procedural generation, NPC behavior systems, and asset creation through machine learning. However, this direction also arrives amid developer concerns about training data sourcing and job displacement in art and design roles.
Defense industry applications represent a distinct revenue stream beyond traditional game development. Military and government agencies routinely license commercial engines for training simulations, vehicle operation, and tactical exercises. This dual-use positioning gives Brussee's venture access to institutional funding unavailable to consumer-focused competitors.
The project faces substantial headwinds. Unreal's free-to-use model and vast asset ecosystem have cemented its position in professional development. Godot has captured significant indie mindshare through open-source licensing. Launching a proprietary engine requires either aggressive pricing, distinctive features, or institutional backing. Brussee has Guerilla's credibility and Epic experience, but those credentials alone won't reverse developer inertia toward established platforms.
The Immense Engine's success depends on delivering tangible advantages in AI-assisted development workflows or enterprise features that Unreal and Unity don't adequately address. Without