diff --git a/include/reign.h b/include/reign.h
index eaba6c2..a5cb8ed 100644
--- a/include/reign.h
+++ b/include/reign.h
@@ -17,7 +17,6 @@
 #ifndef SYSTEM4_REIGN_H
 #define SYSTEM4_REIGN_H
 
-#define RE_MAX_INSTANCES 32
 #define RE_NR_BACK_CGS 16
 
 #include <cglm/types.h>
@@ -66,7 +65,8 @@ struct RE_back_cg {
 struct RE_plugin {
 	struct draw_plugin plugin;
 	int sprite;
-	struct RE_instance *instances[RE_MAX_INSTANCES];
+	int nr_instances;
+	struct RE_instance **instances;
 	struct archive *aar;
 	struct RE_renderer *renderer;
 	struct RE_camera camera;
diff --git a/src/3d/debug.c b/src/3d/debug.c
index 3de2782..8cb14dc 100644
--- a/src/3d/debug.c
+++ b/src/3d/debug.c
@@ -120,7 +120,7 @@ void RE_debug_print(struct sact_sprite *sp, int indent)
 	indent_printf(indent, "camera = {x=%f, y=%f, z=%f, pitch=%f, roll=%f, yaw=%f},\n",
 	              SPREAD_VEC3(p->camera.pos), p->camera.pitch, p->camera.roll, p->camera.yaw);
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < RE_MAX_INSTANCES; i++)
+	for (int i = 0; i < p->nr_instances; i++)
 		print_instance(p->instances[i], i, indent);
 
 	for (int i = 0; i < RE_NR_BACK_CGS; i++)
diff --git a/src/3d/reign.c b/src/3d/reign.c
index 7fe93ae..92fe549 100644
--- a/src/3d/reign.c
+++ b/src/3d/reign.c
@@ -173,6 +173,8 @@ struct RE_plugin *RE_plugin_new(void)
 	plugin->plugin.name = "ReignEngine";
 	plugin->plugin.update = RE_render;
 	plugin->plugin.debug_print = RE_debug_print;
+	plugin->nr_instances = 16;
+	plugin->instances = xcalloc(plugin->nr_instances, sizeof(struct RE_instance *));
 	plugin->aar = aar;
 	for (int i = 0; i < RE_NR_BACK_CGS; i++)
 		RE_back_cg_init(&plugin->back_cg[i]);
@@ -181,10 +183,11 @@ struct RE_plugin *RE_plugin_new(void)
 
 void RE_plugin_free(struct RE_plugin *plugin)
 {
-	for (int i = 0; i < RE_MAX_INSTANCES; i++) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < plugin->nr_instances; i++) {
 		if (plugin->instances[i])
 			free_instance(plugin->instances[i]);
 	}
+	free(plugin->instances);
 	archive_free(plugin->aar);
 	if (plugin->renderer)
 		RE_renderer_free(plugin->renderer);
@@ -222,7 +225,7 @@ bool RE_build_model(struct RE_plugin *plugin, int elapsed_ms)
 	if (!plugin)
 		return false;
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < RE_MAX_INSTANCES; i++) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < plugin->nr_instances; i++) {
 		if (plugin->instances[i])
 			animate(plugin->instances[i], elapsed_ms);
 	}
@@ -241,14 +244,17 @@ int RE_create_instance(struct RE_plugin *plugin)
 {
 	if (!plugin)
 		return -1;
-	for (int i = 0; i < RE_MAX_INSTANCES; i++) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < plugin->nr_instances; i++) {
 		if (!plugin->instances[i]) {
 			plugin->instances[i] = create_instance(plugin);
 			return i;
 		}
 	}
-	WARNING("too many instances");
-	return -1;
+	int old_size = plugin->nr_instances;
+	plugin->nr_instances *= 2;
+	plugin->instances = xrealloc_array(plugin->instances, old_size, plugin->nr_instances, sizeof(struct RE_instance *));
+	plugin->instances[old_size] = create_instance(plugin);
+	return old_size;
 }
 
 bool RE_release_instance(struct RE_plugin *plugin, int instance)
diff --git a/src/3d/renderer.c b/src/3d/renderer.c
index 937eb1b..ae7d479 100644
--- a/src/3d/renderer.c
+++ b/src/3d/renderer.c
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ static void setup_lights(struct RE_plugin *plugin)
 	struct RE_renderer *r = plugin->renderer;
 	glUniform3fv(r->view_pos, 1, plugin->camera.pos);
 	int light_index = 0;
-	for (int i = 0; i < RE_MAX_INSTANCES; i++) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < plugin->nr_instances; i++) {
 		struct RE_instance *inst = plugin->instances[i];
 		if (!inst)
 			continue;
@@ -397,7 +397,7 @@ void RE_render(struct sact_sprite *sp)
 
 	setup_lights(plugin);
 
-	for (int i = 0; i < RE_MAX_INSTANCES; i++) {
+	for (int i = 0; i < plugin->nr_instances; i++) {
 		struct RE_instance *inst = plugin->instances[i];
 		if (!inst || !inst->draw)
 			continue;
diff --git a/src/hll/ReignEngine.c b/src/hll/ReignEngine.c
index 1938ac8..711724e 100644
--- a/src/hll/ReignEngine.c
+++ b/src/hll/ReignEngine.c
@@ -40,7 +40,7 @@ static struct RE_instance *get_instance(unsigned plugin, unsigned instance)
 	struct RE_plugin *rp = get_plugin(plugin);
 	if (!rp)
 		return NULL;
-	return instance < RE_MAX_INSTANCES ? rp->instances[instance] : NULL;
+	return instance < (unsigned)rp->nr_instances ? rp->instances[instance] : NULL;
 }
 
 static struct motion *get_motion(unsigned plugin, unsigned instance)