Epic sells ArtStation and Sketchfab to KitBash to fund Unreal Engine 6 push
What's the deal? Epic GamesDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has sold portfolio platform ArtStationDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and 3D model marketplace SketchfabDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → to KitBashDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → for an undisclosed fee. The sale comes just over five years after the Fortnite and Unreal Engine developer acquired both platforms in 2021.
Why now? Epic said it cut the businesses loose to prioritise building Unreal Engine 6, Fortnite, the Epic Games Store, and its wider developer ecosystem.
Who is the buyer? KitBash operates 3D art platforms KitBash3DDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → and GreyscalegorillaDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom →, which give artists access to asset and material libraries, design and animation tools, and workflow technology.
What changes for users? Nothing on price. The deal will not trigger pricing changes for ArtStation, Sketchfab, or KitBash products.
Banks Boutté, co-chief executive officer of KitBash, said the platforms are where people "have built portfolios, careers, and communities." He added that the company's first priority is to "protect what users value most about each platform."
The wider context: Epic cuts costs. In 2026, it announced it would eliminate over 1,000 jobs in response to a Fortnite engagement "downturn" that began in 2025, a move Epic said would save over $500 million.
The signal: Epic is shedding assets outside its core to focus on the engine and storefront that anchor its business. For ArtStation and Sketchfab, ownership passes to a specialist that has served 3D creators for over a decade — a bet that a focused operator can steward communities a platform giant deprioritised.
Image credit: chris-hayes
Read more: Game Developer
