Epic is making Megascans free to all – but only until the end of 2024
Epic Games is making content from Megascans, its popular online library of real-world 3D scan data, available to everyone for free, not just users of Unreal Engine.
When Fab, Epic’s new ‘open marketplace’ for stock CG content, launches next month, users will be able to download and use Megascans content under the Fab Standard license.
The assets will remain free until the end of 2024, after which Epic will begin charging for most of the content, including to use it in Unreal Engine projects. Find our FAQs on the changes below.
What is Megascans?
The “world’s largest scanned 3D asset library”, Megascans is an online library of 3D scans of real-world objects like rocks, plants, buildings and props, plus materials and 2D textures.
The content is widely used in a range of markets, including game development, architectural visualization, motion graphics, VFX and virtual production.
How was Megascans content previously licensed?
Epic Games originally acquired Megascans in 2019, along with original developer Quixel, making the content available to use for free in projects created in Unreal Engine, its game engine.
Users of other game engines and DCC tools required a subscription to download and use Megascans assets, which operated on a points-based system.
Assets are currently downloaded via the free Bridge app, or the integrated version in Unreal Engine, also used to download MetaHuman characters generated via MetaHuman Creator.
How will access to Megascans changes when Fab launches?
That changes when Fab launches next month, with Megascans content moving from the Quixel website and Bridge to Fab and its integration in Unreal Engine.
Until the end of 2024, Megascans assets will be free under Fab’s Standard license, for use in “all engines and tools”, including in commercial projects, with the restrictions set out in the EULA.
According to Epic’s blog post announcing the changes: “When you acquire Quixel content on Fab – whether free or paid – you can use it forever.”
How much will Megascans content cost in future?
However, in 2025, Epic will begin charging for Megascans assets, “to support the ongoing improvement, curation and development of new Megascans content”.
“While we will continue to offer some content for free, the majority of Megascans will no longer be available for free unlimited use in Unreal Engine projects”.
Instead of being purchasable with points, Megascans assets will be priced individually.
Prices for individual 2D and 3D assets will start at $0.99, procedural asset kits at $4.99, and asset packs at $24.99.
Why is Epic making the changes to Megascans?
The change follows Epic’s decision to start charging large studios subscription fees for using Unreal Engine in non-games projects, after having to lay off 16% of its staff last year.
What is happening to the Quixel Bridge?
Existing subscribers will continue to have access to any content previously acquired through the Bridge app, including MetaHumans, until Epic Games “eventually” discontinues it.
The firm doesn’t give an exact date on which Bridge and the Quixel website will become unavailable, but says that it will provide users with advance notice before this happens.
What is happening to Quixel Mixer?
Epic’s FAQs on the changes don’t mention Mixer, Quixel’s free material-authoring tool.
The software hasn’t been updated since Mixer 2022.1 was released two years ago, with Epic hinting at the time that it might “be one of the final updates to Mixer” in its current form.
We’ve contacted Epic to check whether Mixer will still be available for download after Quixel content is migrated to Fab, and will update if we hear back.
When will all of the Megascans content be available to everyone for free?
Epic has already made all Megascans subscriptions available for free, and discontinued automatic renewals of paid subscriptions.
That makes it possible to sign up for a free subscription and download Megascans content via Bridge, albeit under the existing Epic Content License, which only covers use in Unreal Engine.
We’ve contacted Epic to check whether Megascans content already downloaded will switch to the Fab Standard license when Fab launches, and again, will update if we hear back.
Updated 23 September 2024: Epic Games has updated its online FAQs to clarify that assets “will still be governed by the license that was in place when you got those assets”.
Assets acquired through paid subscriptions will have the Fab Standard License applied in addition to the original license; but if you’re on a free subscription, you need to wait until Fab launches to acquire assets under the Fab Standard License.
It’s also worth noting that you can’t simply download assets and have the new license apply: you need to add them actively to your Fab library.
When is Fab launching?
The Fab website will launch in “mid-October 2024”. You can find more information in this story.
Read Epic Games’ blog post on the launch timescale for Fab
(Includes an overview of the changes to Megascans)
Read Epic Games’ FAQs about the upcoming changes to Megascans
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