FBX is the engine and rig file.

When FBX is the right file

FBX is the better handoff for Unity, Unreal, and a DCC tool that already imports FBX. It carries more of the material story than OBJ, and it is the file a rig exports to.

It is not automatically better than GLB. If the next stop is a browser, GLB is the smaller decision. If the next stop is a slicer, neither file is the one to send.

Mesh FBX and rigged FBX

A mesh FBX is the static asset. Pro exports that. A rigged FBX is the same asset after auto-rig, with a skeleton and a preview of idle, walk, and run.

Do not rig a prop to get an FBX. The format is already available. Rig only when the character has to move, and expect that file from Studio.

Check it before the handoff

Open the file in the tool that will use it, not in a second converter. A cape, a tail, or a held prop can import with a bad weight even when the preview looked fine.

Fix that weight in the DCC tool. Regenerating the mesh will not repair a rig, and it throws away a silhouette you already approved.

Limits to check before delivery

FBX imports can require material reconstruction, axis conversion, or explicit rig mapping. Selecting FBX alone does not create a skeleton or collision mesh. Import behavior depends on engine version and project settings, not only the file extension.

• Unity Manual — importing a model
• Epic Games — FBX content pipeline

Handoff checklist

Check scale, pivot, orientation, and the material slots after import. For a static prop, confirm there is no unintended skeleton. For a rigged character, inspect clip playback and joint deformation in the receiving engine before delivery.