Data insight
Magic & arcane dominate VFX — but water, weather and sci-fi are wide open
Where the VFX shelf is crowded, and where it isn't.
What VFX packs are actually about
VFX listings by the effect they depict (from listing titles; a pack can span more than one)
as of May 2026
| Sub-theme | VFX listings |
|---|---|
| Magic & arcane | 561 |
| Niagara (named) | 535 |
| Explosions & impacts | 355 |
| Water & liquid | 305 |
| Fire & flames | 294 |
| Energy & beams | 265 |
| Projectiles & trails | 200 |
| Smoke & fog | 185 |
| Weather & environment | 156 |
| Electric & lightning | 148 |
| Portals & teleport | 108 |
| Slash & melee | 107 |
| Ice & frost | 96 |
| Sci-fi & hologram | 93 |
Mining what VFX packs are actually about shows the shelf concentrated in a few staples — fire, magic, smoke, explosions — and sparse elsewhere.
Compete on polish in the crowded niches, or claim a thinner one — convincing water and fluids, weather systems, sci-fi and holograms — where a strong pack faces far less company.
About this number
From the MythicLemon Marketplace Index, recomputed for this reporting period. Catalogue coverage is complete through May 2026. Methodology →