Game development can be an expensive and resource-intensive endeavor, but thankfully, there are plenty of places where you can find free or affordable assets to help bring your Unity project to life. Here’s a list of 10 excellent resources for game assets:
1. Unity Asset Store
The Unity Asset Store (https://assetstore.unity.com/) is the official marketplace for Unity that offers a wide variety of assets, including 2D and 3D models, animations, sound effects, scripts, and shaders. Many of these are free or available at discounted prices during sales. Sales happen throughout the year, and you will find yourself hoarding tons, and tons of assets. Well, at least I have. It’s an excellent starting point to get free or low cost assets.
2. Itch.io
Itch.io (https://itch.io/) is a treasure trove for indie developers. Many creators share free or pay-what-you-want assets, covering everything from pixel art and music to complete game templates. It’s a great platform to support small creators while keeping your budget low. You can also sell your own assets there and or your own games there so it’s a good all around resource.
3. OpenGameArt.org
OpenGameArt.org(https://opengameart.org/) is a community-driven platform offering free game art, sound effects, and music under permissive licenses like Creative Commons. It’s a fantastic resource for finding diverse assets while ensuring proper attribution. Most assets there are licensed under Creative Commons version 1.0 which is fairly permissive.
4. Kenny.nl
Kenny.nl (https://kenney.nl/) provides free, high-quality game assets, including sprites, tile sets, 3D models, and UI elements. The assets are released under a public domain license, allowing you to use them freely in commercial and non-commercial projects. You can prototype your game using their assets so you can get the feel and game mechanics down then you can hire an artist or get paid assets more to your liking.
5. Mixamo
Mixamo (https://www.mixamo.com/) by Adobe offers free 3D character models and animations. It’s perfect for Unity developers looking to integrate rigged characters and pre-made animations without extensive modeling or rigging experience. You will need to sign up for an Adobe account (the account is free). It’s pretty easy to get your animations working in Unity
6. Humble Bundle
Humble Bundle (https://www.humblebundle.com/) frequently offers game development asset bundles at affordable prices, including Unity tools, art packs, and audio libraries. Proceeds often go to charity, making it a win-win for developers and good causes.
7. GameDev Market
GameDev Market (https://www.gamedevmarket.net/) is a marketplace for indie developers, featuring affordable 2D and 3D art, music, and sound effects. The platform often has free assets available to download and supports many indie creators.
8. DaFont
You will need custom fonts for your game and DaFont (https://www.dafont.com/) is a great resource to find free or inexpensive fonts to make your UI really stand out.
9. Freesound
Freesound (https://freesound.org/) is a collaborative database of sound effects and audio clips released under Creative Commons licenses. It’s ideal for sourcing atmospheric sounds, voice clips, and more for your game.
10. Poly Haven
Poly Haven (https://polyhaven.com/) specializes in high-quality 3D models, HDRIs, and textures, all released under the Creative Commons Zero license. If your game needs realistic assets, this is an invaluable resource.
11. Fab
Fab (https://www.fab.com/) is the new kid on the block from the developers of the Unreal Marketplace. You can get free assets every 2 weeks. While most asset deals are aimed at Unreal with a little work you can easily get them up and running in your Unity project.
Bonus Tips
- Always check the licensing terms of the assets to ensure they fit your project’s needs and are legal to use.
- Consider mixing free assets with custom-made ones to create a unique visual identity for your game.
With these resources, you’ll be well-equipped to find the assets you need without breaking the bank. Let me know what you think.
Happy developing!
