The last 15 years have seen a definite resurgence in tabletop gaming. As non-virtual games have become more popular and advanced, the desire for customized thematic components and better storage has increased as well.
Enter 3D printing, which offers gamers the ability to design and fabricate almost anything they desire to make their games both stand out and meet their needs. Whether you’re looking to create your own customized content for tabletop gaming or simply wish to find something great and purchase it, there are a number of excellent sources for material.
Naturally, there are major players like Thingiverse and Shapeways, but there are also up-and-coming sites with the potential to provide just the stuff you’re looking for. The key is to try different sources and search methods – including browsing and searching for specific keywords – until you hit upon what your table needs. To help you out, we’ve compiled a list of the best online sources for models.
In perusing these sites, you may come across something you like but can’t print yourself. In that case, check out Craftcloud. You can get help turning an idea into a print, and you’ll have access to a wide range of materials and finishes.
And now, let’s go searching!
Considerations
Before we dive into our list, let’s take a quick look at what factors we considered in making our selections. There are a variety of things you can search for when looking for tabletop gaming pieces. Here is what we thought were the most important criteria:
- Price: Many of the sites offer free models in addition to paid options. Additionally, there are some that offer subscription possibilities, so you can pay monthly for more designs or to unlock a particular collection. We considered websites with low (free to $10) and moderate ($10 to $50) pricing options.
- Variety: Each site offers a unique selection of different models for gaming, with collections generally ranging in the triple digits.
- Quality: Most of the models on these sites don’t just look good, they’re also ready to be printed with minimal issues. Low-quality designs might require some work, while high-quality ones will be ready for slicing.
Now that we know what to look for, let’s jump into where to search.
Gaming-Specific
These sites are dedicated specifically to tabletop gaming, so you’re likely to have an easier time finding relevant models for your gaming needs.
Printable Scenery
Printable Scenery is an online shop specifically dedicated to tabletop gaming. The site is a treasure trove for those interested in wargaming and 3D printing. In addition to STL files, the site features many helpful videos and blog tutorials.
While nearly none of the models are free, many of the figurine and scenery files are relatively affordable, with prices starting at less than $2 and ranging up to $70. Printable Scenery offers detailed information about each model and can direct you to third-party printing services if you don’t have a 3D printer on hand at home.
Straightforward and easy to navigate, the site is a fantastic pick for 3D printing and gaming needs. Since Printable Scenery is dedicated to tabletop games, simply click on the various categories and subcategories to peruse the selection. The categories include Fantasy, Future, Historic, among others. Alternatively, you can use the search bar to look for something specific.
TabletopStor3D
TabletopStor3D sells both STL files and finished prints for organizing your tabletop game pieces. While it doesn’t carry actual pieces, it’s a fantastic resource for keeping your gaming stuff organized. The downloads are reasonably priced and offer a great way to store many elements of popular board games such as dice, tokens, and cards. If you can’t print anything at the moment, you can simply buy the printed accessories.
This site makes it easy to find tabletop gaming stuff: Simply click on “3D Models” to browse their STL offerings. Free and paid files are available, with prices starting at around $3.
3Demon
Based in Prague, 3Demon specializes in 3D printable files for tabletop games and beyond, offering everything from anime to fantasy digital 3D models. Harry Potter, Star Wars, and Marvel fans will all find something to match their interests on this website.
In the Models Library, you can filter the results by category to easily find files for tabletop games. Each file comes with printing instructions, although specific settings will vary with your printer. Free and paid files are available, with prices ranging from $3 to $25.
If you think a model is missing from 3Demon’s selection, you also have the option to submit it on the Pre-order page. If three or more people like the model, 3Demon will make the model and you will receive a discount on the purchase price.
Hero Forge
Hero Forge is a strictly paid site that allows you to design your own miniature figures, then have them printed and shipped to you.
Alternatively, you can download the file for your own use. If you’re looking for just the right character piece to upgrade or customize a game, this is the place to go. You don’t need any design experience, as it’s set up with a very simple interface to create a figure.
This site works just like a video game character configuration screen: Simply pick the race, head, body, clothing, base, and pose by navigating through the visual menu of options. Click to try each one and see the results. When you’re happy, pick the material and add it to your cart. Note that if you modify a downloaded design, you’ll have to pay for a new STL file.
In early 2020, Hero Forge launched a Kickstarter campaign for full-color models, and Hero Forge 2.0 was publicly released in September 2020. When you go to the site, the model designer is immediately presented to you. It’s $8 for a downloadable STL file, $20 to $30 for plastic models, and $45 for color plastic models; metal options are also available. Additionally, a sister site called Chibify allows you to make a Chibi character and have it printed. However, a downloadable STL file isn’t available at this time.
Gambody
Gambody is an online marketplace specifically offering detailed 3D models of miniatures. Most files have price listings ranging up to $50, but some are downloadable for free.
Having only miniatures makes Gambody slightly more manageable. The clear categories are also helpful. The only slight gripe is that even free models have to be “purchased” through the shopping cart before they are downloadable.
The entire site is for miniatures, so simply look for the specific models you need. This can be done via the search bar or menu, which opens up an expansive list of categories, split by theme.
Respositories & Marketplaces
Repositories and marketplaces are essentially archives of user-generated 3D printing files, which make them a great place to find files for tabletop games!
Thingiverse
Thingiverse is one of the most popular sites for free 3D models. It should come as no surprise, then, that you can also find items for tabletop gaming here in abundance.
The site has a lot of great ways to search and find what you’re looking for. It’s easy to navigate and has a friendly atmosphere. There are thousands of items available just in the Toys & Games section, so chances are you can find something to meet your needs.
You can navigate to the gaming section from the main page by clicking “Toys & Games” in the “All Things” drop-down menu. A new drop-down menu will appear, with finer categories including “Games” and “Toy & Game Accessories”. You can also take a look at the tabletop tag.
Shapeways
Shapeways is a professional 3D printing service that provides a variety of models that you can select and pay to have printed. Options for materials include various types of plastics, metals, and even sandstone.
If you don’t have a 3D printer or want high-quality stuff to really pimp out your games, this is the site to visit. Of course, you’ll have to pay and then wait a couple of weeks. Unfortunately, nothing on this site is free and you can’t download or modify designs.
It’s also relatively easy to upload your own designs and have them professionally printed. They even check your model and let you know if there are any issues with it before they start printing!
The final cost will depend on the material and the object’s size. Small pieces can run a few dollars each and the site has some tips on how to keep overall costs down.
To find the models, scroll to the bottom of the Shapeways homepage, click on “Marketplace” under the “Services” list. In the Marketplace, you’ll find all the categories on the left-hand side, including one labeled “Games”. Selecting that will open further subcategories to help you refine your search (pictured above).
You also have the option of typing search queries into the search bar at the top, which will give you results from the category you’re in.
Cults
Cults is a relatively new player in the 3D model-sourcing space and isn’t affiliated with any particular printer company. The layout is a little more modern than some older sites and almost feels like an art gallery.
The focus seems to be on designers, not just objects. A majority of the content is free or only a couple of dollars, but some of the higher quality and more complex models can be quite expensive. Be cautious, however, as there is some R- and X-rated content on this site. (It’s blurred, but not difficult to “see” once you click the agreement.)
The interface is simple and navigation is aided by large pictures. You can filter by price and files are easy to locate and download, though you have to do some digging around to find material for a specific game. One way to find tabletop stuff is to click on the “Game” category in the navigation area. Otherwise, try searching for the name of a specific game, “board game”, “tabletop game”, or similar.
MyMiniFactory
MyMiniFactory has been around since 2013, and one big advantage of using this site is the guarantee that all their files are printable. The site’s overall layout is clean and the images are large enough to see the objects well. There’s some corporate sponsorship for certain areas, but it doesn’t feel overdone or oppressive in any way.
The site is very easy to navigate. Finding the search refinement tools and using them is a little more challenging, but once you learn them, it’s fine. On the main page, hover over “Explore” and select either “Tabletop” or “Board Games”. You’ll also see “Toys & Games”, but it includes the “Board Games” category and is otherwise mostly just toys and optical illusions. From there, follow the sub-categories as you desire, though there aren’t that many to choose from.
After you perform a search, on the left side, you can limit your search to specific categories or items containing specific tags. The search results are even grouped into “Premium” (must be purchased, with prices up to $20) and “Free”.
Pinshape
Pinshape was about to close down in 2016 but was acquired by Formlabs to provide an alternative to MakerBot’s Thingiverse. The tabletop section has some interesting items but is somewhat limited.
While the site looks nice and has clear images, the navigation is somewhat lacking. As alluded to, the “Toys + Games” section has a lot of non-relevant content in our opinion. There’s a filter, but it only helps narrow down by aspects like license type and price, not by keyword. That said, the ability to filter by printer is an interesting option.
On the main site, click the “Toys + Games” category. Just be aware that there’s a lot of game and non-game results mixed together, so you’ll probably need to resort to searching to find what you’re looking for. Most items are free, though some are paid with prices up to $30.
Printables
Printables is another player in the 3D model sourcing space, set up by the company Prusa Research. (These are the same folks behind the famed Prusa i3 MK3S 3D printer.) The site has grown rapidly since its launch, garnering a respectable number of files and users.
All files on the website are free and the site’s navigation is impressive, with a dazzling array of categories and subcategories to choose from. It’s clean and easy to use, with an intuitive layout and filtering scheme.
On the main site, click “3D Models” in the upper left-hand corner. From there, you’ll find an impressive list of categories, including “Tabletop Miniatures” and “Toys & Games”. Under these, you’ll find a variety of options, including board games and characters. All your other filter options, including print process-specific ones, can also be found in that sidebar.
Alternatively, you can use the search bar in the upper right-hand corner.
CGTrader
CGTrader is a popular online marketplace for 3D designs. While not confined to 3D printing files, there’s a category for 3D printing specifically. There’s a massive file selection with many high-quality files, though not the largest collection of free files (prices range up to around $100).
CGTrader wasn’t built for 3D printing only, so navigating to see only the 3D printing files can be tricky. The methods listed above should get you to the right spot. Otherwise, it’s fairly simple to use, though the lack of subcategories for the “Games & Toys” section is a slight drawback.
From the “3D Models” drop-down menu at the top left-hand corner, select “3D Print Ready”. This will narrow results down to 3D printing-specific models only. From there, scroll down until you find the “Games & Toys” tile and click on it.
Alternatively, you can use the search bar at the top of the page. The “3D Print” checkbox – under the “Attributes” drop-down menu above the search results – will filter for only 3D printing files.
Honorable Mention
While the following sites aren’t focused on board games specifically, they are still suitable resources for finding unique characters, pieces, props, and accessories from creators.
Kickstarter
Kickstarter can be a great way to find specialized tabletop game pieces to 3D print. It’s set up to crowdfund creative projects, including campaigns by creators of 3D printing files for board games and game pieces.
The site features a lot of niche gaming 3D models as well as many international Kickstarters – which can be helpful when it comes to currency exchange rates. We recommend searching for phrases such as “board game STL files“, “board game 3D print”, or “tabletop game 3D print files”. There’s a lot to discover, with prices ranging from $1 to $300 depending on the campaign.
Patreon
Patreon, a popular artist direct-support site, allows 3D printing and board game enthusiasts access to monthly subscriptions to add to their board game scenery, pieces, or other parts of their collection. Some popular Patreon creators include Titan-Forge Miniatures and RN Estudio.
Patreon is generally not very pricey for a monthly subscription (typically $5 to $25), so it can be a great way to regularly accumulate new gaming files to print. It has a very user-friendly layout, so it’s simple to navigate.
Etsy
Etsy is also not specifically for 3D printing, but it does provide a wealth of possibility based on what sellers are offering. While there are lots of options for customized tabletop gaming content, you’ll be judging the quality when you get the final product shipped to you.
Search Etsy with similar keywords to the other file repositories. For example, searching for “board game 3D print parts” or “tabletop game 3D print” brings up many interesting options. Note that most of the content is already printed for you rather than providing a file that you can print yourself. Prices vary, with many available for less than $10.