With the demise of Google Poly this year, rival 3D model library Sketchfab has become one of the main resources for artists and developers to showcase and purchase 3D content. Today, Sketchfab has announced its been acquired by Epic Games, allowing the service to provide users with some new offers.
Boasting over 4 million 3D assets created by its 5 million-strong community, the web-based service has supported virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) for many years now. Sketchfab’s collaboration with Epic Games actually began earlier this year thanks to an Epic Megagrant followed by integration with Epic Games products like RealityCapture and ArtStation. Details on the acquisition haven’t been revealed but Alban Denoyel, CEO and co-founder of Sketchfab has said: “We will remain an independently branded service with the same mission and vision.”
There are going to be some changes that look to be for the better where Sketchfab users are concerned. When it comes to selling 3D models on Sketchfab the store fees are being reduced to 12%. The paid feature service Sketchfab Plus is now free, so you don’t have to pay for more uploads and larger file size. If you’ve got a Sketchfab Plus account then it’ll be upgraded to the pro version for free. The business plan will be retired with customers moved over to the enterprise-level service, at no additional cost.
“We built Sketchfab with a mission to empower a new era of creativity and provide a service for creators to showcase their work online and make 3D content accessible,” said Denoyel in a statement. “Joining Epic will enable us to accelerate the development of Sketchfab and our powerful online toolset, all while providing an even greater experience for creators. We are proud to work alongside Epic to build the Metaverse and enable creators to take their work even further.”
“The Sketchfab team has done an incredible job opening up the world of 3D content on the web and enabling anyone to edit and publish content online,” said Marc Petit, VP and General Manager of Unreal Engine. “As the adoption of real-time 3D technology continues to grow, demand for web-based solutions will only increase. We are excited to work together with the Sketchfab team to empower even more creators.”
With Epic Games backing Sketchfab will become even more pivotal as a go-to library for 3D content sharing, further supporting Epic’s (currently unrevealed) metaverse plans. For further updates from Sketchfab, keep reading VRFocus.
via Mint VR