FAB is abysmal!
*NO direct access through launcher
*Terrible search system (Does not filter properly at all, also populates the same asset multiple times in the results)
*Terrible interface (cannot enlarge images, when going back a page it never reverts to where you left off instead brings you to the top of the page)
*Cannot hide owned assets from populating in searches
*NO Wishlisting
*NO Q/A with creators
*Price gouging
*Assets are not properly verified as “add to project” or “create new project”
*Scams, Outdated, Unsupported assets
These are just issues that I have come across and are enough to make me not want to use this garbage. Feel free to add your concers and upvote because I don’t know what Epic was thinking with this mess and hope they hear us to revert back to marketplace. One can hope!
Also, the filtering inside the launcher for assets is now complete garbage as well. I have 5 duplicates of each category, some of them with spelling errors. Epic has dropped the ball on the UE marketplace, and if they aren’t willing to fix it then CGBucket will be more than happy to fill the vacuum
I very agree, I feel very frustrated and disappointed with the fab.com marketplace, With specialized UE marketplace we had some level of certain quality, there were written reviews and I bought many professional assets there for thousands of dollars. When I go to FAB.com I see another common 3D marketplace with mixed quality of assets, which I’m repelled of. So sad, I don’t even have a plan to spend a penny there, even if I want, there is no wishlist, infinite scrolling is frustrating, licensing is confusing and prices are over-the-top. I don’t understand. Having a specialized marketplace was much better. I don’t care that I can use those assets in other engine, why should I when I’m using UE. Doesn’t make sense.
Unfortunately companies feel that if they’ve spent time and money on something, they have to keep at it - even when it’s obviously wrong and a mistake. Why go back when you’re already waist-deep in your mistake?
Going back to separate markets for separate use-cases is the right answer, but they won’t fix this.
Agreed! Who ever decided to combine the market place and Quixel bridge into Fab should be in prison. We are now required to download asset from the web with what feels like zero integration to the engine or other software like cinema 4d or maya. The work flow is slower we now have to manual organize all our files and rebuild materials, the layout is unorganized and feel like a second rate 3d model shop. I cant complete my project on time because of this, at lease give us a app like bridge that has software plugins for exporting and a actually organized search features FAB is not ready, really took a step backwards.
I came to the forums to look for this thread. And I am happy that is exist because I am angry. I am not sure who came up with the design or decision to create this FAB thing, but its simply not the UE Marketplace. I am an older UE developer (started with UEdit for the original Unreal) and grew up with Epic. Since the UE Marketplace exists, I am being used to my daily routine:
check for new free assets
check free of the month
check 50% off sales
check what’s new in general, even buying high-priced assets if worth it
having clear routines when I look for special topics like water.
Now, I can see a ton of things that simply would not pass the quality assurance in the past. AI-generated content with “no AI used” tagged. Free models that even put some free 3D model pages from the early 2000s to shame. The content is all over the place, and even simple searches like “water” now pull up 1000 assets where literally 800 have nothing to do with water at all.
In all honesty, it’s fine that people learn 3D today like I did 26 years ago - but nobody would want to see my first 3D models on a serious platform, cluttering. Same goes for the 1000th AI generated Icon-Pack. Yes, even if they are curated - it’s not fine to say that it’s not AI generated - it still is. And I am saying this as a person with ComfyUI pipeline and 200GB of local Stable Diffusion models on my drive.
Bring back the old Marketplace, this FAB here is a disgrace and a slap into people who come here for serious business.
Sorry, but I don’t believe they will change their decision. This is how I see the situation, at least in part. While it may not be the whole picture, it’s an important aspect that I don’t see being discussed anywhere, and it’s certainly not something Epic is openly stating.
This decision seems to have been driven by Epic’s priorities, which center on profit and while that isn’t inherently bad, it’s important to understand. Fortnite is Epic’s primary revenue source, and they see a significant opportunity in UEFN. By having a vast library of ready-made assets, they enable creators to build their own “metaverse.” If Epic succeeds in creating the marketplace for game assets, it will naturally, even indirectly, lead to a greater number of products optimized for Unreal Engine.
However, the way this has been handled has been deeply flawed, and the current state of FAB is outright embarrassing. I don’t think they’re going to reverse their decision, but these are just my thoughts, based on my skepticism about the reasons Epic has provided for creating FAB.
Honestly, I’ve been looking at what’s going on here for the last couple of months in complete bewilderment. I don’t recognize Epic at all like they’ve turned into exemplar evil money-hungry corp overnight.
I think there will be no return to the past - too much has been broken and this stuff can’t be turned back. At least not with this team. When I read the forum and their responses, I get a picture of bunch of elementary school students massaging chatGPT to make the online store for them while others doing silly damage control with all that “I’ll pass your pain to team” and roadmaps.
I also agree with opinion that UEFN was one of the main driving forces of change. Of course they want Fortnite to last as long as it can. Nobody would be too concerned if some fan-made “island” will have hundred meter Darth Vader statue in the center and AI-generated Princess Leia posters around.
So brace yourself, the dark side it taking it’s turn…
The issue with their so-called Metaverse is that it already exists for over 17 years. It’s called Second Life. And everyone who got into it knows what I am talking about. A whole portfolio of content, ranging between high quality down to a ton of complete useless garbage which got some nice advertisement - and you literally paid a ton of money for it, just to figure out that it’s useless. And sure, while FAB might have some refund support (?), who really wants to do all the paperwork. Nobody. Customer lost, Garbage Creator and Epic won.
I know, it’s probably writing against windmills - but I won’t give up on some of Epic’s braver souls — yet.
