Scientists and Archivists Worry Epic Games’ Control of the 3D Model Market Will ‘Destroy’ Cultural Heritage.

Over time, the vast world of the Internet has gradually become a repository of knowledge, information and content of any kind - and in any format. The need has therefore arisen to collect these resources in special sections, true digital archives. When it comes to 3D models, the subject of today's reference article, SketchFab.com has fulfilled this role since its inception, hosting vast digitised collections and portfolios from many museums and universities.

The content on SketchFab's site has always been completely free and open access, making the platform a valuable resource for education and research. However, this could change very soon, seriously impacting the advancement of education, following the acquisition of the archive by Epic Games.

The news has been likened to the burning of the Library of Alexandria, and although the vice president of Epic Games has stated that the company ‘has no intention of burning any libraries’, the general response does not seem to be particularly confident.