Google Shutting Down Poly Puts Spotlight On Sketchfab

Google notified users of the Poly 3D object sharing service that the website is shutting down on June 20th, 2021.

Here’s the message:

Dear Poly users,

We’re sending this note to let you know that, on 30 June 2021, the Poly website will be shutting down. The ability to upload 3D models on poly.google.com will be shut down on 30 April 2021.What does this mean for you? Your assets will be available at poly.google.com until 30 June 2021. You can download your entire library at takeout.google.com/settings/takeout/custom/poly, or you can download individual assets by viewing each asset’s page. After 30 June, poly.google.com and associated APIs will no longer be accessible. You will not be able to upload new 3D models on poly.google.com after 30 April 2021.We want to thank you for joining us on this journey. We appreciate you trusting us to host your assets and provide a space where they can shine. The amazing work that our users have uploaded to Poly every day has surprised, humbled and delighted us, and we have you to thank.

The move by Google effectively raises the profile of Sketchfab, which was founded in 2012 by Alban Denoyel. Sketchfab was there before Google and is providing a very similar service. Now, the company is positioned to invite over any remaining Google Poly users while simultaneously benefitting from the new wave of iPhones and iPads capable of 3D content capture and sharing.

A thread on Twitter from Sketchfab’s CEO invited people to upload unlimited 3D models for free to his site, writing that “we don’t rely on advertising, and just became profitable, so we are here to stay.”