Arjan Brussee, a foundational figure in the Dutch gaming scene and co-founder of Guerrilla Games, has announced the development of the Immense Engine, a new graphics rendering platform designed to provide a “fully European” alternative to dominant American and Chinese technologies. Speaking on a May 2026 episode of the Dutch podcast De Technoloog, Brussee revealed that his new startup aims to challenge the industry standard held by Epic Games’ Unreal Engine by focusing on a modular, AI-native architecture.
The project represents a significant pivot in engine design, moving away from the monolithic “all-in-one” stacks that have defined development for decades. Brussee argues that the recent surge in artificial intelligence provides a unique opportunity to rebuild foundational software from the ground up. Instead of manual tool navigation, the Immense Engine will utilize “agentic AI” modules as its primary building blocks. This approach is intended to allow developers to swap or upgrade specific systems more fluidly as technology evolves, rather than wrestling with the rigid dependencies found in older frameworks.
Brussee’s pedigree suggests the project has the technical weight to be taken seriously. His career spans the early PC era, having programmed Epic’s Jazz Jackrabbit before spending nearly a decade as COO of Guerrilla Games during the Killzone era. After stints at Electronic Arts and a return to Epic Games as a technical director, his move to create a regional competitor addresses a long-standing gap in the market. Since Unity Technologies moved its headquarters from Denmark to San Francisco in 2009, Europe has lacked a major homegrown engine capable of competing at the highest level of the global market.
Beyond gaming, the Immense Engine is being positioned for use in defense simulations and logistics. By hosting the platform entirely within the European Union, the startup intends to offer a level of regional data compliance that is often difficult to achieve with cloud-based tools controlled by US-based corporations. While a specific release timeline has not yet been established, the focus on AI-assisted development aligns with broader industry trends, such as Sony’s recent push toward incorporating AI to streamline high-budget game production.
