Quixel

Quixel
Sergey Galyonkin from Berlin, Germany · CC BY-SA 2.0 · source
Name	Quixel
Type	Subsidiary
Founded	2011
Founder	Teddy Bergsman
Headquarters	Stockholm, Sweden
Key people	Anton Hasselrot
Parent	Epic Games
Products	Megascans, Bridge, Mixer, Mixer (discontinued), Quixel Suite

Quixel is a software company and digital content studio known for its high-resolution asset library and texturing tools used in film, game, and visualization production. It produces the Megascans library and complementary tools that integrate with major engines and software, serving studios, artists, and educational institutions. Quixel evolved from a small Swedish startup into an industry-standard supplier after acquisition by a major interactive entertainment company.

Overview

Quixel provides physically based surface assets and tools designed to accelerate content creation for visual effects, game development, architectural visualization, and virtual production. Its Megascans library contains scanned materials, 3D assets, and atlases used in pipelines alongside products from companies such as Epic Games, Sony Pictures, Walt Disney Studios, Industrial Light & Magic, Framestore, DNEG, Wētā FX, Unity Technologies, Autodesk, Foundry, SideFX, Blender Foundation, NVIDIA, AMD, Intel Corporation, Apple Inc., Microsoft, Google, Amazon (company), Netflix, Warner Bros., Paramount Pictures, Universal Pictures, Lionsgate, Ubisoft, Electronic Arts, Rocksteady Studios, CD Projekt RED, Bungie, Riot Games, Square Enix, Bandai Namco Entertainment, Capcom, Konami, Tencent, NetEase, ZeniMax Media, Bethesda Softworks, Crytek, Valve Corporation, Epic Games Store, Epic Games Publishing, Oculus VR, HTC Corporation.

History and Acquisition

Founded in Stockholm in 2011 by Teddy Bergsman, the company initially focused on photogrammetry and texture workflows for artists collaborating with studios like Walt Disney Studios and Industrial Light & Magic. Early collaborations and licensing deals connected the company to productions at Warner Bros., Universal Pictures, and independent visual effects houses such as Framestore and DNEG. As its Megascans library grew, partnerships extended to engine and tool vendors including Unity Technologies, Autodesk, Foundry, and SideFX. The company attracted attention from technology investors and strategic partners, culminating in acquisition by Epic Games in 2019, bringing it into closer alignment with Unreal Engine and projects at Epic Games Store, Fortnite (video game), and virtual production initiatives with studios like Lucasfilm and Marvel Studios.

Products and Services

Quixel's flagship offering, Megascans, is a curated library of high-fidelity scans covering surfaces, decals, foliage, and consumables used by studios such as Wētā FX, ILM, and DNEG. Bridge is an asset management and export tool that interfaces with third-party software including Unreal Engine, Unity, Blender, Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Substance (software), Substance Designer, Substance Painter, Modo (software), Cinema 4D, Houdini, ZBrush, Photoshop, Mari, Nuke (software), DaVinci Resolve, Avid Technology, and Pro Tools. Quixel Mixer, a tool for material authoring and layering, complements content from companies like Adobe Systems and integrates with texture formats used by NVIDIA and AMD. Enterprise services include bespoke scanning projects for clients such as Netflix, Apple Inc., Amazon (company), and automotive brands working with studios like Industrial Light & Magic and Framestore.

Technology and Workflow

Quixel's workflow centers on photogrammetry and high-resolution scanning pipelines producing displacement, normal, albedo, roughness, and ambient occlusion maps compatible with rendering engines such as Unreal Engine, Unity Technologies, V-Ray, Arnold (renderer), RenderMan, OctaneRender, Redshift, Cycles (render engine), and Radeon ProRender. The Bridge application automates LOD generation, UV handling, and material setup for host applications including Autodesk Maya, Autodesk 3ds Max, Blender Foundation, and SideFX Houdini. Quixel assets are optimized for real-time ray tracing APIs developed by NVIDIA and standards influenced by Khronos Group initiatives. Integration toolchains often involve pipelines established at studios such as Framestore, DNEG, Wētā FX, ILM, and game developers like CD Projekt RED and Ubisoft.

Industry Use and Notable Projects

Megascans and Quixel tools have been used in high-profile film and game projects produced or distributed by Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, Warner Bros., Netflix, Electronic Arts, Ubisoft, CD Projekt RED, Rockstar Games, Riot Games, Bungie, Square Enix, Capcom, and Sony Interactive Entertainment. Virtual production stages employing Unreal Engine and Quixel assets supported titles and productions associated with The Mandalorian (TV series), Avatar (film), Ready Player One (film), and blockbuster releases from Warner Bros. Pictures. Architectural visualization firms and automotive studios use Megascans alongside tools from Autodesk, Chaos Group, and Bentley Systems for projects showcased at events like Game Developers Conference, SIGGRAPH, NAB Show, and CEATEC. Quixel content has been displayed in demos and showcases by NVIDIA, AMD, Intel Corporation, Microsoft, and Apple Inc..

Community and Learning Resources

Quixel supports artist education through tutorials, livestreams, and partnerships with institutions such as Gnomon School of Visual Effects, Savannah College of Art and Design, RMIT University, University of Southern California, Royal Institute of Technology (KTH), Vancouver Film School, Bournemouth University, Full Sail University, Coursera, Udemy, Pluralsight, LinkedIn Learning, and community platforms like ArtStation, Polycount, CGSociety, DeviantArt, YouTube, Twitch, Discord (software), and Reddit. Certification and workshop programs are often run in collaboration with software vendors including Epic Games, Autodesk, Foundry, Adobe Systems, and SideFX. Community showcases and challenges appear at conferences including SIGGRAPH, GDC, and FMX and are referenced by publications such as CGW (Computer Graphics World), 3D World, EDGE (magazine), Wired (magazine), and The Verge.

Category:Computer graphics companies