Epic Games announced the sale of the ArtStation and Sketchfab platforms to KitBash3D for an undisclosed amount. The company justified the decision as part of its focus on core projects, including Unreal Engine 6, Fortnite, and the Epic Games Store.
The two platforms, used by digital artists and creators of 3D models, had been owned by Epic Games since 2021. Among the more than 10 million registered users, many accused the former owner of failing to act amid the rise of images and objects generated by artificial intelligence, which made it harder to showcase original work and reduced the quality of published content.
Artists celebrate
On social media, the news was received with enthusiasm by part of the community. "It's good that you escaped that AI garbage," one artist wrote. In a Twitter post on Tuesday, August 11, the ArtStation account said it cares about supporting professional artists and the time, skill, and effort dedicated to their work. The message also says: "Your voices will be an important part of how we think about what's next. Keep it up. We are here and we are listening."
New owner
KitBash3D, the new owner, said the day-to-day operation of the sites, work portfolios, and resource libraries will not be affected. ArtStation acknowledged that the new owner will have to work to regain the trust of the community.
