diff --git a/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs b/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs
index 369142cd90..ec371da2e8 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/render/mod.rs
@@ -18,6 +18,7 @@ pub use self::{
             create_mesh as create_pp_mesh, Locals as PostProcessLocals, PostProcessPipeline,
         },
         skybox::{create_mesh as create_skybox_mesh, Locals as SkyboxLocals, SkyboxPipeline},
+        sprite::{Instance as SpriteInstance, SpritePipeline},
         terrain::{Locals as TerrainLocals, TerrainPipeline},
         ui::{
             create_quad as create_ui_quad, create_tri as create_ui_tri, Locals as UiLocals,
diff --git a/voxygen/src/render/pipelines/mod.rs b/voxygen/src/render/pipelines/mod.rs
index 08713bfc6b..14ac67169b 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/render/pipelines/mod.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/render/pipelines/mod.rs
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@ pub mod figure;
 pub mod fluid;
 pub mod postprocess;
 pub mod skybox;
+pub mod sprite;
 pub mod terrain;
 pub mod ui;
 
diff --git a/voxygen/src/render/pipelines/sprite.rs b/voxygen/src/render/pipelines/sprite.rs
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..ab2540dc9a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/voxygen/src/render/pipelines/sprite.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,69 @@
+use super::{
+    super::{Pipeline, TgtColorFmt, TgtDepthFmt},
+    Globals, Light,
+};
+use gfx::{
+    self,
+    // Macros
+    gfx_defines,
+    gfx_impl_struct_meta,
+    gfx_pipeline,
+    gfx_pipeline_inner,
+    gfx_vertex_struct_meta,
+};
+use vek::*;
+
+gfx_defines! {
+    vertex Vertex {
+        pos: [f32; 3] = "v_pos",
+        norm: [f32; 3] = "v_norm",
+        col: [f32; 3] = "v_col",
+    }
+
+    vertex Instance {
+        inst_pos: [f32; 3] = "inst_pos",
+        inst_col: [f32; 4] = "inst_col",
+    }
+
+    pipeline pipe {
+        vbuf: gfx::VertexBuffer<Vertex> = (),
+        ibuf: gfx::InstanceBuffer<Instance> = (),
+
+        globals: gfx::ConstantBuffer<Globals> = "u_globals",
+        lights: gfx::ConstantBuffer<Light> = "u_lights",
+
+        tgt_color: gfx::RenderTarget<TgtColorFmt> = "tgt_color",
+        tgt_depth: gfx::DepthTarget<TgtDepthFmt> = gfx::preset::depth::LESS_EQUAL_WRITE,
+    }
+}
+
+impl Vertex {
+    pub fn new(pos: Vec3<f32>, norm: Vec3<f32>, col: Rgb<f32>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            pos: pos.into_array(),
+            col: col.into_array(),
+            norm: norm.into_array(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Instance {
+    pub fn new(inst_pos: Vec3<f32>, col: Rgba<f32>) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            inst_pos: inst_pos.into_array(),
+            inst_col: col.into_array(),
+        }
+    }
+}
+
+impl Default for Instance {
+    fn default() -> Self {
+        Self::new(Vec3::zero(), Rgba::broadcast(1.0))
+    }
+}
+
+pub struct SpritePipeline;
+
+impl Pipeline for SpritePipeline {
+    type Vertex = Vertex;
+}
diff --git a/voxygen/src/render/renderer.rs b/voxygen/src/render/renderer.rs
index e862da5a29..0294364274 100644
--- a/voxygen/src/render/renderer.rs
+++ b/voxygen/src/render/renderer.rs
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@ use super::{
     gfx_backend,
     mesh::Mesh,
     model::{DynamicModel, Model},
-    pipelines::{figure, fluid, postprocess, skybox, terrain, ui, Globals, Light},
+    pipelines::{figure, fluid, postprocess, skybox, sprite, terrain, ui, Globals, Light},
     texture::Texture,
     Pipeline, RenderError,
 };
@@ -65,6 +65,7 @@ pub struct Renderer {
     figure_pipeline: GfxPipeline<figure::pipe::Init<'static>>,
     terrain_pipeline: GfxPipeline<terrain::pipe::Init<'static>>,
     fluid_pipeline: GfxPipeline<fluid::pipe::Init<'static>>,
+    sprite_pipeline: GfxPipeline<sprite::pipe::Init<'static>>,
     ui_pipeline: GfxPipeline<ui::pipe::Init<'static>>,
     postprocess_pipeline: GfxPipeline<postprocess::pipe::Init<'static>>,
 
@@ -86,6 +87,7 @@ impl Renderer {
             figure_pipeline,
             terrain_pipeline,
             fluid_pipeline,
+            sprite_pipeline,
             ui_pipeline,
             postprocess_pipeline,
         ) = create_pipelines(&mut factory, &mut shader_reload_indicator)?;
@@ -114,6 +116,7 @@ impl Renderer {
             figure_pipeline,
             terrain_pipeline,
             fluid_pipeline,
+            sprite_pipeline,
             ui_pipeline,
             postprocess_pipeline,
 
@@ -201,6 +204,7 @@ impl Renderer {
                     figure_pipeline,
                     terrain_pipeline,
                     fluid_pipeline,
+                    sprite_pipeline,
                     ui_pipeline,
                     postprocess_pipeline,
                 )) => {
@@ -208,6 +212,7 @@ impl Renderer {
                     self.figure_pipeline = figure_pipeline;
                     self.terrain_pipeline = terrain_pipeline;
                     self.fluid_pipeline = fluid_pipeline;
+                    self.sprite_pipeline = sprite_pipeline;
                     self.ui_pipeline = ui_pipeline;
                     self.postprocess_pipeline = postprocess_pipeline;
                 }
@@ -495,6 +500,7 @@ fn create_pipelines(
         GfxPipeline<figure::pipe::Init<'static>>,
         GfxPipeline<terrain::pipe::Init<'static>>,
         GfxPipeline<fluid::pipe::Init<'static>>,
+        GfxPipeline<sprite::pipe::Init<'static>>,
         GfxPipeline<ui::pipe::Init<'static>>,
         GfxPipeline<postprocess::pipe::Init<'static>>,
     ),
@@ -571,6 +577,18 @@ fn create_pipelines(
         gfx::state::CullFace::Nothing,
     )?;
 
+    // Construct a pipeline for rendering sprites
+    let sprite_pipeline = create_pipeline(
+        factory,
+        sprite::pipe::new(),
+        &assets::load_watched::<String>("voxygen.shaders.sprite-vert", shader_reload_indicator)
+            .unwrap(),
+        &assets::load_watched::<String>("voxygen.shaders.sprite-frag", shader_reload_indicator)
+            .unwrap(),
+        &include_ctx,
+        gfx::state::CullFace::Back,
+    )?;
+
     // Construct a pipeline for rendering UI elements
     let ui_pipeline = create_pipeline(
         factory,
@@ -606,6 +624,7 @@ fn create_pipelines(
         figure_pipeline,
         terrain_pipeline,
         fluid_pipeline,
+        sprite_pipeline,
         ui_pipeline,
         postprocess_pipeline,
     ))