European Game Engine Initiative: Arjan Brussee’s Immensive Engine

Arjan Brussee – co-founder of Guerrilla Games and former Epic Games tech director – announced the creation of a new general-purpose game engine, referred to in reports as the Immensive Engine (some sources call it the “Immense Engine”). The project was discussed on the Dutch tech podcast *De Technoloog* and is positioned as a fully European-hosted alternative to U.S. engines such as Unreal and Unity. Brussee says the engine will be built by Europeans, comply with European regulations, and integrate artificial-intelligence (AI) capabilities from the ground up.

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and UnityGizmodo

Unreal Engine, owned by Epic Games, underpins titles including *Fortnite*, *Gears of War*, *Bioshock Infinite*, *Mass Effect*, *Batman Arkham City*, and is also used in Hollywood productions like *The Mandalorian* and various children’s YouTube content. Unity occupies a similarly dominant market share. European options are limited; Germany’s CryEngine exists but is primarily a first-person-shooter engine with low adoption. The announcement aligns with a broader European push for technological independence, exemplified by the French government’s recent migration from Windows to Linux.

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• Arjan Brussee – Co-founder of Guerrilla Games (studio behind *Horizon: Zero Dawn*), former Epic Games tech director, co-founder of Boss Key with Cliff Bleszinski, and co-creator of the 1990s title *Jazz Jackrabbit*. His decades-long experience spans both European and U.S. game development ecosystems.

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

Brussee emphasizes that no current engine offers a fully European-hosted solution that adheres to EU rules. He argues that AI’s rise necessitates a new development approach, allowing developers to achieve more with fewer personnel. The Immensive Engine is presented as a choice for studios seeking an alternative to the dominant U.S. platforms, with the aim of delivering comparable general-purpose capabilities while respecting European regulatory frameworks.

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

A European-compliant engine could reduce reliance on U.S. technology, simplify adherence to EU data-protection standards, and foster a more diversified global engine market. AI-driven tooling promises to streamline content creation, potentially reshaping development pipelines and labor requirements across the industry.

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

The integration of AI into game development remains contentious among players. Some observers describe Brussee’s AI-focused strategy as “AI-pilled,” cautioning that heavy reliance on automated agents may introduce new risks or diminish creative control.

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• Engine name: Reported as “Immensive Engine” (Eurogamer) and “Immense Engine” (Gizmodo).

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

• Translation uncertainty: Several statements are translated from Dutch, creating potential variations.

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• Source reliability: One source carries a reliability score of 39.35, while another is neutral; no independent verification of development milestones or funding exists.

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• “No one is currently making an engine that is fully European-hosted, built by Europeans, and complies with European rules and guidelines,” — Arjan Brussee, former Epic tech director

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

• “Creating usable 3D worlds is becoming increasingly important, certainly for purposes other than just gaming.” — Arjan Brussee

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

• “The rise of AI means that we need to approach the development of this kind of crucial software differently.” — Arjan Brussee

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

• “if you are smart and know how to put a good framework of AI agents to work, you can do the work of ten or fifteen people.” — Arjan Brussee

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• “If you want to change something, it has to be done for the entire engine".” — Arjan Brussee

Guerrilla Games co-founder developing European game engine to rival Unreal and Unity

Development is ongoing. Brussee hinted at employing European AI models such as those from Mistral, though details remain speculative. No public timeline for release or studio adoption has been disclosed.

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