Epic Games buys 3D asset platform Sketchfab
Unreal Engine is taking a step closer to being a one-stop shop for developers.
Epic Games seems determined to give developers everything they need to make games in Unreal Engine without having to look elsewhere for parts. The company has bought Sketchfab, a 3D asset platform.
"By joining forces, Epic and Sketchfab will be able to make 3D, AR and VR content more accessible and grow the creator ecosystem, which are critical to an open and interconnected Metaverse," Epic wrote in a blog post. "Sketchfab will continue to operate as an independently branded service while collaborating closely with the Unreal Engine team."
Sketchfab hosts more than 4 million 3D assets. Users can edit, buy and sell content on the platform. Epic has dropped Sketchfab's store fees to 12 percent (which matches the Epic Games Store cut) so people making 3D assets receive a larger slice of sales revenue. Epic also says it will maintain Sketchfab's integrations with 3D creation and publishing platforms. The assets will still work elsewhere, including in rival game engines such as Unity.
The Sketchfab Plus plan — which allows users to upload more assets with larger file sizes — is now free to everyone. Current Plus subscribers are being bumped up to the Pro plan at no extra cost, and Sketchfab is increasing the monthly upload limit on the Pro tier from 30 to 50.
The Sketchfab deal follows Epic's acquisition of ArtStation, a hub where CGI- and game-focused artists can host their portfolios and sell work. Epic slashed that marketplace's fees from 30 percent to 12 percent as well.
