Love 3D printing? Love Hasbro properties? Then the partnership between Hasbro and Shapeways should have you incredibly excited.
The toy manufacturer and the 3D printing company Shapeways have come together to create SuperFanArt.com, a place where artists can share their 3D models and sell them directly to fans. Noteable contributors to the site with models already available for purchase are Brian Harris, Brandon Lee Johnson, Melinda Rose, Paul Philbin, and Shapeways owner Christophe Vidal.
SuperFanArt.com has already launched with multiple My Little Pony models available for purchase. The models very in material and price tag, with $25 being the low end all the way to $99.
Hasbro’s chief marketing officer John Frascotti said this about the announcement:
Many fans of our brands have remarkable creative talents and SuperFanArt empowers these artists to create unique expressions of Hasbro brands. By partnering with Shapeways, we are able to provide artists with an unprecedented opportunity and also provide brand enthusiasts with access to unique, one-of-a-kind creations.
With Hasbro being a leader in the sale of licensed merchandise with huge brands under their umbrella it will be interesting to see which properties the company tries to capitalize on with this venture. If SuperFanArt ends up being profitable for all of those involved it will be interesting to see if any other companies open up to the idea of the 3D printing market. What I would love to see is the site simply sell the 3D designs and let fans print them out on their own printer.
If you are traveling to SDCC this week, stop by SuperFanArt’s booth (#3213) to talk with them about their new venture!