The digital world is an exciting place, especially when it comes to video games. Video game makers are using new technology to create entire worlds, complete with races, cultures, costumes, and characters. Video game players have fallen in love with these worlds and characters, but for the most part, the television screen or computer monitor has proved a barrier that could not be crossed. This is changing thanks to a technology known as 3D printing.

Today’s 3D printing roundup will take a look at several companies that offer a way for video gamers to bring a little piece of their virtual realities into the real world.

FigurePrints gives Minecraft players a chance to put their own architectural wonders right on the table. Source: FigurePrints.com

FigurePrints brings your characters to life

FigurePrints LLC is a company that specializes in producing miniature figures of characters from the popular computer game, World of Warcraft. These figures represent the a player’s avatar character from the game, right down to clothing, weapons, and a custom pose. The result is a bright, colorful statue made from 3D-printed material. Players can also order a bust of their character, if they choose.

A new FigurePrints offering comes from another game, Minecraft. Minecraft is a game about building things: homes, statues, farms, just to name a few. This new service allows players to select a chunk of the Minecraft world, along with everything they’ve built, and print it out as a decorative sculpture.

The result is a slice of the Minecraft world that players can display, on their very own desk top, as an impressive work of art.

Cubify Ghostbusters figurines can put your face on a supernatural hero. Source: Cubify.com

Cubify puts you in the game

Printing a character from a game is one side of the coin, the other is turning yourself into a character. Cubify (3D Systems, Inc.) does this by using a photograph to put a customer’s face on a 3D printed statue from a number of licensed properties like Ghostbusters, Star Trek and the NBA (for any fan who wants a miniature of themselves wearing their favorite team’s jersey). Cubify also offer statues themed around horror monsters and real life events.

Cubify figurines benefit from using pre-rendered designs that match the license exactly, while the themed figures offer a wide variety of options to match a customer’s interest.

Besides figures, Cubify also features a whole library of 3D-printed toys, games and other items.

Gambody provides a marketplace for artists who make 3D models for print — this is especially interesting to gamers. Source: Gambody.com

Buy and sell your own designs with Gambody

Anyone with the right software can create a model for 3D printing. Gambody helps these creators find each other, and offers a market for their creative designs. The company’s goal is to create a community of 3D-printing artists. Many of these artists create models based on video games and gaming props.

Although Gambody doesn’t sell or ship finished models, it does offer a wide range of 3D printer plans for figures and models from popular video games. Because these plans come from the community, they may not be entirely accurate or endorsed by the game company. It helps to look around.

Amazon joins the 3D printing market

It was only a matter of time before a giant waded into the 3D printing pool, and they don’t get much bigger than Amazon.com, Inc.

The electronic retail giant offers a number of figures, statues, toys, and decorations from a stable of licensed games. The roster includes Smite, Primal Carnage, World of Tanks and Infinity Blade. It’s very likely more game companies will add their own works to the lineup in the future, so this is one to watch.

Amazon’s figures are created directly from the game models for accuracy, and can be customized by pose and base. They are high-quality and very colorful. To help customers create their figure, Amazon uses a design app from its partner, Sandboxr Inc.

Image credit: Courtesy of FigurePrints LLC