Video Game Figurines in 3D Print: From Elden Ring to Zelda

Official figures exist only for a fraction of game characters. The side boss you loved, the NPC from an indie game or your own avatar in a favourite armour set rarely gets a shelf release. 3D printing can fill that gap for your own collection. Here is how a game-inspired figure becomes a physical piece, what it looks like up close, and what to know before you order one.

From game to shelf: how it happens

A figurine starts as a 3D model. There are three ways to get one:

• Fan sculpts. Independent artists publish thousands of game-inspired figures on MyMiniFactory, Cults and Patreon. Quality ranges from rough to excellent. This is where most fan figures inspired by Elden Ring, Dark Souls, Zelda, Hollow Knight and Genshin come from. Most of these are unofficial fan art, which makes them suitable for a personal shelf only.
• Officially licensed files. Some studios and partner sculptors sell licensed printable figures; these are the safest choice when they exist. Models ripped from game files are not: the game's assets belong to the studio.
• Custom sculpting. A digital sculptor models an original figure from your description and references. This is the route for your own character, an original creature in a game's style, or a portrait of you in armour.

At Fantasy Lab 3D we check any model you send for printability, suggest a scale, and print it in the process that suits the design. If you have not searched for models before, start with the big libraries and search by character name.

Resin or filament?

The choice depends on size and detail.

	Resin (MSLA/SLA)	Filament (FDM)
Best size	5–25 cm	15–60 cm and beyond
Detail	Fine: faces, engraving, cloth folds	Good: shape and silhouette, softer small details
Surface	Smooth out of the printer	Visible layer lines unless sanded
Strength	Rigid, can be brittle on thin parts	Tougher, better for swords and staffs
Typical use	Collector figures, busts	Large statues, helmets, display props

A Malenia bust at 15 cm belongs in resin: the hair, the prosthetic arm, the helmet detail all need it. A 50 cm Link statue is an FDM job printed in sections, then sanded, primed and painted. For a deeper comparison, read FDM vs resin printing.

Scale and what fits on a shelf

Most collectors settle on one of these:

• 1/12 (about 15 cm): matches common action figure lines, fits a standard bookshelf.
• 1/10 (about 18 cm): the "premium statue" feel without needing a dedicated cabinet.
• 1/6 (about 30 cm): a centrepiece; usually printed in several parts and assembled.
• Busts: head and shoulders at 10–20 cm, great for characters with iconic helmets or faces.

We can scale any model up or down, but scaling changes the detail: a figure sculpted for 30 cm loses fine features at 8 cm, and a 5 cm mini scaled to 30 cm shows soft, blobby surfaces. We will tell you honestly if a model will not hold up at the size you want.

Painted, primed or raw

You can order a figure at three stages:

1. Raw print. Grey resin or a single filament colour. Cheapest, and ideal if you paint.
2. Prepared for painting. Supports removed, seams filled, sanded and primed. You get straight to the fun part.
3. Fully painted. Base colours, shading, highlights, weathering if the character calls for it, and a matte or satin varnish to protect the finish.

Painting is where a figurine becomes a collectible. The difference between a raw print and a finished one is dramatic; our post on post-processing: sanding, priming and painting shows the stages.

Popular requests, and what to know about each

• Elden Ring / Dark Souls. Ornate armour with lots of overhangs; resin handles it well. Weapons are thin and often printed separately and pinned.
• Zelda. Clean, stylised shapes that look great in filament at larger sizes and in resin at small ones. The Master Sword deserves a slightly thickened blade for durability.
• Hollow Knight, Cuphead, Stardew Valley. Simple silhouettes with strong colour blocking that reward a clean paint job.
• Warcraft and StarCraft. Big shoulders, big weapons, big fun; the oversized proportions print well in both resin and FDM.
• Your own character. Screenshots from character creation plus a few angle shots are enough for a custom sculpt.

A note on copyright

Game characters belong to their studios, and a fan sculpt does not change that. A single print for your own shelf is personal use; we do not mass-produce, sell or resell copyrighted characters. For commissions we work from original designs, models sold with a commercial licence, or your own file for personal use. The boundaries are explained in can I order a print of a copyrighted character? and our licensing guide.

The price depends on size, material and finish, so every figure is quoted individually. A raw resin figure takes a day or two including washing and curing; a painted 30 cm statue can take a week or more because paint needs drying time between stages. Delivery within Kazakhstan or abroad can be discussed when you order.

Ready to order?

Send a link to the model and its licence, your own file, or a description of the original figure you have in mind through the contact form. Fantasy Lab 3D will reply with a scale suggestion and a quote. You can also DM us on Instagram @fantasylab3d.almaty.