Leveraging France’s long and glorious tradition in video game development and publishing, Bordeaux-based FabZat was one of the first companies to introduce the possibility of 3D printing characters and objects from video games and mobile games. This is a sector that IMAO is growing well below its potential; however, the announcement that the company just secured $800,000 in a Series A funding round shows that the sector is moving in the right direction.
FabZat has been very active, particularly in the sector of in-app merchandising, recently finding new ways to promote its pioneering plugin called “Fab Zat shop” for iOS, Android, and Unity platforms. The Fab Zat shop plugin basically allows registered users to visit e-shops directly from within games and order 3D replicas, or 3D versions of 2D items, found in the game universe.
Custom characters and objects are also included in the options available. In the case of a 2D object, FabZat offers “smart” transformation algorithms that derive 3D models out of 2D, virtual items. Users can refine their models, choose scale/size and order a print from state of the art machines that can print using a 6 million color palette. Items can be paid using Visa, Mastercard, Apple Pay, Google Wallet or PayPal and are delivered to 200 places around the globe at a shipping cost of 3-7 euros.
The main benefits of affiliating with the FabZat services as a publisher are the fact that you gain better player commitment, enhance advertisement of your products, and raise the levels of engagement around your applications. The additional revenue that is generated is also a very important factor, as 70% of the profit goes to the publisher, while FabZat keeps the 30%.
There are no entry or recurring fees, and publishers can order sample items to evaluate the quality and marketing possibilities. This led over 70 publishers to have already affiliated with FabZat, and 12,000 objects already delivered to users around the globe. The benefits from the player’s side are obviously affection, pride, collective value, and game rewarding.
3D toys and figurines created by FabZat can have an NFC (Near Field Communication) chip integrated in them to allow for further interaction between the tangible item and the virtual application world. The company aspires to develop a DRM framework that will make it possible for users to print their in-game characters using their own printers at home in the next 5-10 years. By that time, perhaps other big game publishers will have finally understood the potential of having millions of pre-made 3D models that just beg to be made printable.
