diff --git a/docs/content/3.api/5.commands/init.md b/docs/content/3.api/5.commands/init.md
index d228887fdcb..2c1cc4115dc 100644
--- a/docs/content/3.api/5.commands/init.md
+++ b/docs/content/3.api/5.commands/init.md
@@ -4,13 +4,19 @@
 npx nuxi init|create [--verbose|-v] [--template,-t] [dir]
 ```
 
-The `init` command initializes a fresh Nuxt project.
+The `init` command initializes a fresh Nuxt project using [unjs/giget](https://github.com/unjs/giget).
+
+## Options
 
 Option        | Default          | Description
 -------------------------|-----------------|------------------
-`--template, -t` | `nuxt/starter#v3` | Specify a Git repository to use as a template.
+`--template, -t` | `v3` | Specify template name or git repository to use as a template. Format is `gh:org/name` to use a custom github template.
 `--force`      | `false` | Force clone to any existing directory.
 `--offline`   | `false` | Do not attempt to download from github and only use local cache.
-`--prefer-offline` | `false` | Try local cache first. (might be outdated)
-`--shell` | `false` | (experimental) Open shell in cloned directory.
-`dir` | `nuxt-app` | Name of the install directory.
+`--prefer-offline` | `false` | Try local cache first to download templates.
+`--shell` | `false` | Open shell in cloned directory (experimental).
+
+## Environment variables
+
+- `NUXI_INIT_REGISTRY`: Set to a custom template registry. ([learn more](https://github.com/unjs/giget#custom-registry)).
+  - Default registry is loaded from [nuxt/starter/templates](https://github.com/nuxt/starter/tree/templates/templates)
diff --git a/packages/nuxi/package.json b/packages/nuxi/package.json
index 2e87b4712ca..d47852f9a44 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/package.json
+++ b/packages/nuxi/package.json
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@
     "destr": "^1.1.1",
     "execa": "^6.1.0",
     "flat": "^5.0.2",
-    "giget": "^0.0.4",
+    "giget": "^0.1.5",
     "jiti": "^1.15.0",
     "listhen": "^0.2.15",
     "mlly": "^0.5.14",
@@ -44,7 +44,6 @@
     "pkg-types": "^0.3.5",
     "scule": "^0.3.2",
     "semver": "^7.3.7",
-    "superb": "^4.0.0",
     "unbuild": "latest"
   },
   "optionalDependencies": {
diff --git a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/init.ts b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/init.ts
index 4006180e570..acc6a98e89d 100644
--- a/packages/nuxi/src/commands/init.ts
+++ b/packages/nuxi/src/commands/init.ts
@@ -1,27 +1,11 @@
-import { downloadRepo, startShell } from 'giget'
-import { relative, resolve } from 'pathe'
-import superb from 'superb'
+import { downloadTemplate, startShell } from 'giget'
+import { relative } from 'pathe'
 import consola from 'consola'
 import { defineNuxtCommand } from './index'
 
 const rpath = (p: string) => relative(process.cwd(), p)
 
-const resolveTemplate = (template: string | boolean) => {
-  if (typeof template === 'boolean') {
-    consola.error('Please specify a template!')
-    process.exit(1)
-  }
-
-  if (!template) {
-    template = 'v3'
-  }
-
-  if (template.includes('/')) {
-    return template
-  }
-
-  return `nuxt/starter#${template}`
-}
+const DEFAULT_REGISTRY = 'https://raw.githubusercontent.com/nuxt/starter/templates/templates'
 
 export default defineNuxtCommand({
   meta: {
@@ -31,32 +15,31 @@ export default defineNuxtCommand({
   },
   async invoke (args) {
     // Clone template
-    const src = resolveTemplate(args.template || args.t)
-    const dstDir = resolve(process.cwd(), args._[0] || 'nuxt-app')
-    if (args.verbose || args.v) {
-      process.env.DEBUG = process.env.DEBUG || 'true'
-    }
-    await downloadRepo(src, dstDir, {
+    const template = args.template || args.t || 'v3'
+
+    const t = await downloadTemplate(template, {
+      dir: args._[0] as string,
       force: args.force,
       offline: args.offline,
-      preferOffline: args['prefer-offline']
+      preferOffline: args['prefer-offline'],
+      registry: process.env.NUXI_INIT_REGISTRY || DEFAULT_REGISTRY
     })
 
     // Show next steps
-    const relativeDist = rpath(dstDir)
+    const relativeDist = rpath(t.dir)
     const nextSteps = [
-      relativeDist.length > 1 && `📁  \`cd ${relativeDist}\``,
-      '💿  Install dependencies with `npm install` or `yarn install` or `pnpm install --shamefully-hoist`',
-      '🚀  Start development server with `npm run dev` or `yarn dev` or `pnpm run dev`'
+      !args.shell && relativeDist.length > 1 && `\`cd ${relativeDist}\``,
+      'Install dependencies with `npm install` or `yarn install` or `pnpm install --shamefully-hoist`',
+      'Start development server with `npm run dev` or `yarn dev` or `pnpm run dev`'
     ].filter(Boolean)
 
-    consola.log(`\n ✨ Your ${superb.random()} Nuxt project is just created! Next steps:\n`)
+    consola.log(`✨ Nuxt project is created with \`${t.name}\` template. Next steps:`)
     for (const step of nextSteps) {
-      consola.log(` ${step}\n`)
+      consola.log(` › ${step}`)
     }
 
     if (args.shell) {
-      startShell(dstDir)
+      startShell(t.dir)
     }
   }
 })
diff --git a/yarn.lock b/yarn.lock
index e287565af0a..ee354740526 100644
--- a/yarn.lock
+++ b/yarn.lock
@@ -7442,9 +7442,9 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"giget@npm:^0.0.4":
-  version: 0.0.4
-  resolution: "giget@npm:0.0.4"
+"giget@npm:^0.1.5":
+  version: 0.1.5
+  resolution: "giget@npm:0.1.5"
   dependencies:
     colorette: ^2.0.19
     mri: ^1.2.0
@@ -7453,7 +7453,7 @@ __metadata:
     tar: ^6.1.11
   bin:
     giget: dist/cli.mjs
-  checksum: 6e6f86c125c477d47133ddc8768bcb5e4d91d9ada6f372174e2b56d1d854cefdc1e7b5e64884e618126dcc147cfc1448f661698cd6ddc6fce29703fa1a50dea9
+  checksum: 3f9e50f3bd4f9109c7cb511427449daa66c54f466a7e3169bd2475984b60b83e5e840dc35b71373ee137be22458ad1a31564fa2f99e9fc50ec760849d4d30e62
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
@@ -10151,7 +10151,7 @@ __metadata:
     execa: ^6.1.0
     flat: ^5.0.2
     fsevents: ~2.3.2
-    giget: ^0.0.4
+    giget: ^0.1.5
     jiti: ^1.15.0
     listhen: ^0.2.15
     mlly: ^0.5.14
@@ -10161,7 +10161,6 @@ __metadata:
     pkg-types: ^0.3.5
     scule: ^0.3.2
     semver: ^7.3.7
-    superb: ^4.0.0
     unbuild: latest
   dependenciesMeta:
     fsevents:
@@ -12621,15 +12620,6 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"superb@npm:^4.0.0":
-  version: 4.0.0
-  resolution: "superb@npm:4.0.0"
-  dependencies:
-    unique-random-array: ^2.0.0
-  checksum: b80b4d347954ac994863386f6f6ebe176b93ebe8a14258191c118d92ab78296095b8195ae23f4b21e83519ac7eec36cc553fc2672914dd5d3ee98418e93a6bdc
-  languageName: node
-  linkType: hard
-
 "supports-color@npm:^5.3.0":
   version: 5.5.0
   resolution: "supports-color@npm:5.5.0"
@@ -13267,22 +13257,6 @@ __metadata:
   languageName: node
   linkType: hard
 
-"unique-random-array@npm:^2.0.0":
-  version: 2.0.0
-  resolution: "unique-random-array@npm:2.0.0"
-  dependencies:
-    unique-random: ^2.1.0
-  checksum: c983e511fe6f45b9ee9b78d26a78e94ba798a4afaa2ca289948e694bc6ad75efca0dd1944e94a010ab56dd574daf4ebcf72727c6d581693610d3b0a8192ef2e5
-  languageName: node
-  linkType: hard
-
-"unique-random@npm:^2.1.0":
-  version: 2.1.0
-  resolution: "unique-random@npm:2.1.0"
-  checksum: 7bc33f364f288172a948c82c0bbb7393fd175f3a78932aa3a77f070d786d5e86db869dc72f7cb9e0a26e5d3142bfd5c3c9d134a68473a3b1f4e2300d84dbf39d
-  languageName: node
-  linkType: hard
-
 "unique-slug@npm:^3.0.0":
   version: 3.0.0
   resolution: "unique-slug@npm:3.0.0"