Arjan Brussee Announces The Immensive Engine as 2026 European Alternative

The Unity Engine and Unity 6, alongside Unreal Engine 5 (UE5), have long dominated the market for game development, but a new contender is emerging in 2026. Arjan Brussee, co-founder of Guerrilla Games and former technical director at Epic Games, has announced the development of The Immensive Engine, a project designed to serve as a sovereign European alternative to existing US-centric software options.

The Strategic Need for a European Engine

In our coverage at In Game News, we have tracked the increasing reliance of global studios on American-made software. Brussee, who also co-founded Boss Key Productions alongside Cliff Bleszinski, identifies a significant gap in the current market. According to his recent statements on the podcast De Technoloog, no existing engine is fully hosted and built within Europe while strictly adhering to European regulatory guidelines.

Brussee emphasizes that the utility of 3D world creation extends far beyond the traditional gaming sector. As industries outside of entertainment seek to build digital environments, the demand for localized, compliant, and accessible development tools has grown. By creating a platform that is built by Europeans for Europeans, Brussee aims to provide studios with an alternative that avoids the potential jurisdictional complexities associated with US-based platforms like the Unity Engine or UE5.

Modernizing Development with AI Integration

A central pillar of The Immensive Engine is its fundamental approach to artificial intelligence. Brussee argues that legacy engines were designed for a different era of production, where users were forced to navigate complex, manual menu structures. He notes that in systems like Unreal Engine 5, modifying core engine behavior often requires broad, sweeping changes that can impact the entire project architecture.

The Immensive Engine is being constructed with AI agents integrated into the software from the initial design phase. Brussee suggests that this shift will fundamentally change the efficiency of small teams. By leveraging a well-structured framework of AI agents, a single developer could theoretically perform the work that previously required a team of ten to fifteen people. This approach seeks to streamline production pipelines and reduce the overhead associated with manual asset management and engine configuration.

Industry Context and AI Adoption

The adoption of AI in the gaming sector remains a subject of intense discussion among players and developers alike. However, major industry stakeholders are already investing heavily in the technology to optimize their production workflows. For perspective, the following companies have publicly engaged with AI-driven development strategies:

• Krafton: Exploring AI for procedural content and character generation.
• Square Enix: Integrating AI for NPC dialogue and narrative systems.
• Electronic Arts (EA): Utilizing machine learning to accelerate asset creation and testing.

Comparing Development Options in 2026

Studios currently evaluating their engine requirements face a complex landscape. While the Unity Engine remains a popular choice for mobile and indie development, and UE5 continues to set standards for high-fidelity graphics, The Immensive Engine is positioning itself as a specialized solution for studios prioritizing data sovereignty and AI-augmented efficiency.

For more updates on industry trends, you can follow our industry news coverage. As the project progresses, the industry will watch to see if Brussee’s vision of AI-first development can successfully challenge the established dominance of the Unity Engine and Unreal Engine 5. For technical analysis of current engine capabilities, see our engine technology reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is The Immensive Engine?
The Immensive Engine is a new game development platform created by Guerrilla Games co-founder Arjan Brussee, designed as a European-hosted alternative to US-based engines.

Is The Immensive Engine a rival to Unreal and Unity?
Yes, it is positioned as a competitor to established tools like the Unity Engine and Unreal Engine 5 by offering a platform that complies with European data regulations.

How does The Immensive Engine integrate AI development?
The engine is built with AI at its core, utilizing a framework of AI agents intended to automate tasks that would traditionally require a team of ten to fifteen developers.