Hi everyone,
I recently started using Unreal Engine and I’m working on my first few projects. I’ve noticed that many tutorials and example projects rely heavily on Megascans – but since the switch to Fab, most of those assets are no longer free.
As a beginner with a limited budget, it’s frustrating to see that others still have access to these assets for free because they started earlier. It feels kind of unfair that newcomers now have to pay for what used to be standard.
Are there any alternatives to Megascans with similar quality?
Would really appreciate any tips on how other new users are handling this – or if it even makes sense to stick with Unreal as a beginner in 2025.
Thanks in advance!
last days researching i just found out how big of a deal this is. I gues noone answering here speaks for itself. Make a abonement or something at least, there is no way to get into cinematic renders without megascanns and the dissadvantage of new people is insanly.
Hey @Chili-Bang-Bang, thanks for showing your interest in Megascans. However, it is so unfortunate that we won’t be able to provide you with those assets as the deadline for claims has passed. However, for beginners we still have a few free UE environments and some other assets on Fab.com. Just go to fab and search “Quixel” using free assets tag. That should help you get started. 
Well, yes — it’s great to get started. But afterwards, I have to compete with all the people who claimed all 18,000 assets, which are probably worth around $100,000 — and even more in Europe with VAT included. As a one-person videography business, that’s simply not an option for me.
Don’t get me wrong — I’m not complaining about getting access to some assets for free. I appreciate that. What frustrates me is the shift: Unreal Engine became an industry standard partly because of the years-long offer of free Megascans. And now that so many creators rely on them, switching to a pricing model that is extremely expensive for some, but not for others, creates a gap between users of the same engine.
If there were any way to access those assets at an affordable price — maybe through a subscription — that’s all I’m really asking for. But I don’t have $100K just lying around.