SmiteWorks acquires Eldritch Foundry to integrate 3D miniatures into Fantasy Grounds

SmiteWorks USA, LLC has acquired the core assets, software, and brand of character-creation platform Eldritch Foundry to accelerate 3D virtual tabletop development within Fantasy Grounds. Announced on 1 October 2026 from Melbourne, Florida, the transaction transfers Eldritch Foundry’s browser-based modular character builder, digital asset catalogue, websites, and intellectual property directly into the Fantasy Grounds ecosystem.

The transaction operates strictly as an asset purchase. SmiteWorks acquired the operational tools and proprietary libraries rather than purchasing the legal corporate entity, Eldritch Foundry Inc. Founder Matan Gilat and his design team will continue as external consultants rather than permanent staff, supporting technical integration and format conversion under SmiteWorks management.

The Eldritch Foundry asset purchase and executive statements

The purchase shifts Eldritch Foundry from an independent custom-miniature generator aimed primarily at home 3D printing to an in-house asset pipeline for digital play. SmiteWorks previously removed software licence fees for Fantasy Grounds, which formerly cost up to $149 for the Ultimate tier, making the core tabletop client free to download. Bringing Eldritch Foundry’s modular character assets into that free client establishes an immediate path toward full 3D tabletop sessions.

SmiteWorks three-phase technical integration roadmap

Current functionality permits players to export 2D portraits, top-down tokens, and 2.5D standees from Eldritch Foundry directly into active Fantasy Grounds campaigns. An early development preview demonstrated fully textured 3D character models standing on circular tactical bases inside a 3D map environment. SmiteWorks plans to develop this capability across three distinct stages:

• Phase One: Full-colour assets and GLB import. Default colour schemes will be introduced across Eldritch Foundry’s library. The team will finalise prototype 3D object rendering inside Fantasy Grounds, output low-polygon single-pose models, and permit manual imports using standard GLB files.
• Phase Two: Rigging, pose switching, and animation loops. An expanded virtual tabletop file format will store multiple equipment combinations, alternate poses, and skeletal rigging. Fantasy Grounds will support manual imports for this extended format, letting game masters switch equipment presets and run basic idle and attack animations.
• Phase Three: Direct API software connection. Direct application programming interface links will bridge the browser-based Eldritch Foundry builder with local Fantasy Grounds software. This replaces manual file exports, letting players push customised figures straight to their campaign sheets.

Desktop system requirements and subscription overlap

While 3D tabletop environments offer clear visual rewards, rendering rigged meshes inside a desktop client brings mechanical hurdles. Traditional 2D and 2.5D maps use negligible system memory and run smoothly on budget laptops and older desktops. Displaying dynamic lighting, multi-part 3D character rigs, and custom textures on complex battlemaps requires considerably more graphics hardware capability.

The transaction also creates an unusual commercial structure. Fantasy Grounds operates on a free base application funded by rulebook modules and adventure add-ons. Eldritch Foundry, by contrast, relies on recurring monthly subscriptions and individual digital download tokens. SmiteWorks confirmed that existing prepaid subscriptions and lifetime entitlements will continue to work, but has not yet announced how ongoing asset generation will be priced for existing Fantasy Grounds users.

Players can test current cross-compatibility using character portrait exports through Fantasy Grounds and Eldritch Foundry.