3D characters remain one of the most important asset types in game development, and they continue to perform strongly on online marketplaces. In this article, we look at marketplace data, popular art styles, and real-world workflows to understand which 3D characters sell best and why developers keep buying them.
3D Game Characters, Art Styles, and Marketplace Demand: What Developers Look For
Yes, it is still possible to make a living as a 3D character artist, and demand for 3D character assets in game development remains high. Nearly every video game requires characters in some form, including main protagonists, playable heroes, enemies, companions, and non-player characters (NPCs) that populate the game world. Because of this, character assets continue to be one of the most frequently searched asset types on online 3D marketplaces.
Making a Living as a 3D Character Artist by J Hill
According to the Unity Asset Store report, 63% of developers actively look for character assets when sourcing third-party content. This confirms that characters are a core requirement in game production, not a niche category.
Note: Pre-rigged and animated base meshes are even more valuable, as they can save additional production time and expand usability across games and animations. Low-poly stylized characters and creatures also remain consistently in demand across 3D marketplaces.
In the video Making a Living as a 3D Character Artist, J Hill explains that specializing in character creation is still a viable career path, especially when artists combine strong production workflows with marketplace sales.
Source: Unity Asset Store
You can find the full report details here:
Developers are not limited to a single visual style when searching for characters. Unity’s data shows consistent demand for stylized, low poly, realistic, and fantasy 3D characters, depending on the game genre, platform, and target audience. Mobile, indie, and casual games often favor stylized or low-poly characters for performance reasons, while realistic and fantasy characters are common in PC and console games. Across all styles, developers consistently prioritize characters that are optimized, game-ready, and easy to integrate into a game engine, which directly influences purchasing decisions.
Source: Unity Asset Store
Marketplace Trends, Art Styles, and Why Optimized 3D Characters Still Sell Well
Marketplace data continues to show that 3D characters are among the best-performing digital asset categories. According to the FAB marketplace report, characters rank as the second most in-demand asset category, highlighting their importance across both indie and professional development teams. This demand is not limited to a single aesthetic, as realistic, stylized, and fantasy character assets all perform well depending on project needs.
Creating a Game Character – The Rogue – Blender 3 by Grant Abbitt (Gabbitt)
These trends align with real production workflows demonstrated in tutorials such as Creating a Game Character – The Rogue by Grant Abbitt, where a complete, game-ready character is built with reuse and efficiency in mind.
Source: FAB from Fab 2025 Year in Review report
Developers typically do not search for high-resolution sculpts alone; instead, they look for characters that are structured, optimized, and prepared for animation or direct use in game engines such as Unity or Unreal. Assets that combine visual quality with technical usability tend to maintain steady sales over time.
Source: FAB from Fab 2025 Year in Review report
From Marketplace Demand to Faster Production: Why Base Meshes Make Sense
Base meshes are widely used because they significantly reduce the time required to create new 3D characters. Starting from a high-quality base mesh allows artists and developers to focus on customization, proportions, clothing, and style rather than rebuilding anatomy and topology from scratch. This advantage becomes even stronger when base meshes are already optimized, rigged, animated, or bundled with sound effects, making them immediately usable in production.
Source: CGTrader
Marketplace data shows long-term demand for realistic, stylized, low poly, and fantasy characters, which means these styles are not temporary trends but ongoing needs. Having base meshes that cover these styles gives creators a practical advantage, enabling faster iteration, consistent results, and easier scaling across multiple projects. For developers and asset creators alike, reusable base meshes support efficient workflows and align well with the continued demand for 3D character assets on marketplaces.
Human Body Base Mesh Animated and Rigged 10 3D Models Pack – 20K Polygons + 76 Sound Effects
Note: Characters consistently rank among the top-selling 3D models, and using a base mesh can reduce character modeling time by up to 80%.
Cartoon Animals Animated and Rigged Base Mesh 12 3D Models Pack
Want to Turn Your 3D Skills into Income? Read These Next
- 4 Proven Ways to Earn Money with 3D Skills
- How and Where to Sell Your 3D Models Online
- What Sells on 3D Marketplaces? Data-Driven Insights from CGTrader, FAB, Unity & YouTube
- Analyzing 3D Character Sales: Which Styles Work Best on Marketplaces
Want to Save Even More Time in 3D Design?
Over the years, we’ve built up a solid library of base meshes — from detailed human bodies to stylized animals and even imaginative fantasy creatures. Each one is designed to give you a strong foundation so you can focus on the creative details instead of starting from scratch. Curious to see what’s inside? Take a look below and click on any image to explore the full package or individual model.
