Top 10 Sites For Free 3D Game Art

Want some free 3D game art and cool assets to use for your upcoming game?

We’ve recently scoured the internet and compiled a list of the best game asset resources and sites to download free 3D game art. All of these awesome websites offer 3D game art for free or have both free and paid options available for game developers. So, if you’re working with a budget, you’ll definitely want to bookmark these top resource sites!

Finding Free 3D Game Art

You can find a lot of great freebies when you know how and where to look. Finding free game art can be a fun and painless process, especially if you follow a few simple tips for using resource sites before you start. The first quick tip is to come up with your main game idea or theme before you even begin to search. Many resource sites have hundreds to thousands of different game assets from characters and platforms to free sound effects and UI buttons. It’s easy to quickly become overwhelmed if you don’t know exactly what you want in your game. So, keep things simple by having a basic idea in mind. Come up with a few different game ideas. Then pick your favorite to use for your search.

Hunting around for free 3D game art is a lot like grocery shopping, it’s easy to get sidetracked and get more than you need. So, having a list on hand can help keep you focused on only downloading what’s necessary and working towards finishing your game. Are you making a racing game and need free car 3D models? Or will it be an arcade or puzzler and your primary focus is finding a cool background to use? Just make a quick list of the main assets necessary to get things rolling.

And the final tips to remember when using free resource sites like these is to check the license and attribution requirements before downloading. Every website and graphic varies. So, always review their policies and give credit when necessary.

Now that we’ve covered, all of that. Let’s get this show on the road!

Top 10 Sites For Free 3D Game Art

Free3D Models

Free3D has all kinds of free 3D game art that you can snag. You can download architecture, vehicles, characters, aircraft, furniture, electronics, animals, plants, weapons, sport related, food, and anatomy 3D models. It’s a community-driven game asset site, where people showcase their skills by posting and sharing their latest creations. They have a wide assortment of assets available. When users submit their 3D art they get to set their own attribution requirements. So, be sure to check each graphic’s license and policy before downloading. If you’d like to skip the hassle of having to provide credit, they also have a Premium 3D Models section with graphics reasonably priced.

Turbo Squid

Turbo Squid is a trusted resource site that has been around forever. They offer both paid and free 3D game art. But you can easily find freebies by entering ‘free’ into the search box. You’ll be surprised by the hundreds of incredible 3D models that come up. Download free car models, trees, dinosaurs, characters, and other cool objects. You can also narrow down your search with the different filter options. Choose by format, license, poly count, rigged, animated, real-time, and even graphics on sale.

CraftPix

CraftPix also offers free and premium 3D game assets. They have 3D game assets perfect for building out different 3D environments in your game. CraftPix is notorious for its unique game art and themes. You can find a variety of landscapes, from desert mountains and tropical locals to winter wonderlands. They have tons of low-poly 3D models with FBX and OBJ formats ranging from medieval townsfolk to entire elf villages. If your idea is a little on the creative side, this site is worth checking out.

itch.io

Itch.io is an indie game and asset marketplace that offers both paid and free game art. The site has a vast collection of 3D game art available. They also feature a variety of asset bundle packs. You can click on ‘free’ in the filter options to find over 1,000 free game assets. Itch.io is community driven, so each listing varies regarding use. There’s also plenty of free games that you can check out for inspiration as well.

CGTrader

CGTrader is a game asset marketplace that also has a large selection of freebies. They offer a variety of free 3D models that you can download from vehicles to cool characters. The graphics are available in all the major formats for 3D game art including MAX, OBJ, FBX, #DS, STL, C4D, BLEND, MA, and MB so you can use them for virtually any 3D project. When you’re browsing the free section at CGTrader, keep in mind that editorial licenses are not allowed in commercial products. Only the royalty-free licensed 3D game art can be used commercially.

The premium 3D models aren’t a bad option either since they continuously have special deals and sales. Plus if you’re a first time user, when you create an account at CGTrader you get $20 free worth of game art to help get you started.

Clara.io

Clara.io is cloud-based 3D modeling, animation, and rendering software that runs directly in your web browser. They have a growing community consisting of 100,000 creators who frequently upload and share assets that you can download for free. You can find swords, guns, robots, people, vehicles, architecture, dragons, Minecraft, Pokemon, objects, and space 3D game art. It’s definitely worth checking out.

OpenGameArt

Another fantastic place to score free 3D game art is OpenGameArt.org. They have a vast collection of free game assets. Many of them are under a public domain license, so you can use them freely in your commercial products without providing credit. They have all types of graphics from 2D to 3D along with a very active community of users who frequently vote and submit new creations. Try to use the filter options to find the latest submissions. Anything that is new hasn’t been downloaded or used as much as the more popular assets. It’s a neat trick for finding unique game art.

Oyonale

Oyonale is an old but handy resource site dedicated to 3D art created with rendering software like POV-Ray, Cinema 4D, FinalRender and Poser. They have a book, image and text generators, and a nice collection of free 3D game art that you can download. You can find a variety of different 3D models on Oyonale. They have everything from animals and objects to vehicles and cool weapons.

DMI Car 3D Models

If fast cars are more your speed, and you’re in need of a 3D vehicle for your game than you should check out DMI Car 3D Models. This site has an extensive collection of 3D model cars. From today’s most popular sports cars to highway patrol cars and WWII military tanks, you can find just about any vehicle at DMI. They also have a nice selection of 3D models that you can download for free. Although most of them are in Lightwave format, you can open them in C4D as well.

NASA 3D Resources

Yes, you read that right! NASA has a NASA 3D Resources page where you can download hundreds of free 3D models, textures, and space related images. If you’re making a space themed game, you can find some really cool authentic looking 3D game art here. It’s definitely worth browsing. There’s roughly 300 or so graphics listed. You can find astronauts, asteroids, meteorites, satellites, Apollo Lunar models, and much more.

All of the game developer resources on this list are excellent for finding free 3D game art. If you come up with an idea first and jot down what you need, you’ll be able to locate the perfect assets to make your game look amazing. Also, always remember to check the license and attribution requirements before downloading, and have fun. Happy game making!