It’s rare in the video game industry for a project officially declared dead to get a second chance. But that’s exactly what’s happening with Hytale—a game many had already written off. After a string of failures, changes in ownership, and a highly publicized cancellation, the development team is back at work, aiming to realize their long-held dream. Now, Hytale has a new release date, a refreshed team, and ambitious plans for the future.
A project once considered one of the most promising in the sandbox genre is back in the spotlight. Behind it stands not only a dedicated team but an entire community that never gave up hope of seeing the game come to life. How did Hytale survive so many setbacks, and what’s in store for players in the coming years?
From Hypixel to independence
Hytale’s story began back in 2015, when part of the team behind the popular Minecraft server Hypixel decided to create their own game with a distinct atmosphere and visual style. The project grew slowly but steadily, and in 2020, Hypixel Studios was acquired by the major company Riot Games. This seemed to mark a new era for Hytale: with access to resources, support, and a broad audience.
However, just a few years later, everything changed dramatically. In June 2025, Riot Games unexpectedly cut off funding, and attempts to find new investors were unsuccessful. As a result, Hypixel Studios announced the end of development, and it seemed the story of Hytale had reached its conclusion for good.
A second wind: buyout and relaunch
But in November of that same year, something no one expected happened. Hypixel Studios co-founders — Simon Collins-Laflamme and Philippe Touchette — bought back the rights to Hytale and announced the revival of the project. The team is now working completely independently, without publisher or outside investor support. Over 30 experienced professionals have returned to the project, with new members set to join soon.
The developers made it clear from the start: the road ahead will be tough, and quick results shouldn’t be expected. But now they have what matters most — the freedom to make their own decisions and build the game the way they’ve always wanted. The early access date is already set: January 13, 2026. The base version will cost around €19.99 or $19.99, with pre-orders opening on December 13 on Steam and other platforms.
Early Access Features and Technical Solutions
The team emphasizes: early access is not just a polished demo or a stealth launch. Players should expect a raw product, with unfinished systems, bugs, and missing content. To speed up the launch, developers decided to return to the old C#/Java engine that had been abandoned four years ago. This allowed them to focus on the PC version, although a console release is not yet possible.
This approach gives the team a chance to show the game to the community sooner and gather feedback. In the future, the team plans to improve technical aspects and expand to more platforms, but for now, the main goal is to create a stable and engaging foundation for further development.
The World of Orbis and Gameplay Features
Hytale is set in the world of Orbis, which is divided into procedurally generated zones featuring unique biomes, creatures, resources, and dungeons. Players can expect classic sandbox elements: resource gathering, building, automation, as well as RPG mechanics like quests, character progression, dynamic boss encounters, and world exploration with rewards.
At launch, two modes will be available: Exploration and Creative. Adventure mode and Mini-Games will be introduced later, once the core systems become more stable. This approach allows the game to gradually expand its features without overwhelming players from the start.
Creative potential and how Hytale differs from Minecraft
One of Hytale’s key features is its advanced creative system. Built-in tools for character modeling and animation, a scene editor, scripting, mini-game and map creation—all of this is available directly in the client, without the need for external programs. The building system supports flexible editing, flight, destructible environments, and is designed to be accessible even for beginners.
The game supports mods, server APIs, and easy publishing of user-generated content. Despite its visual resemblance to Minecraft, Hytale offers a more structured storyline, unique zones, a deeper combat system, and RPG elements. Technically, the project stands out with expressive animations, dynamic lighting, and a cinematic style—features that will be particularly appreciated by content creators and streamers.
Integrity and challenges of the new stage
The return of Hytale after its official cancellation is a rare event in the gaming industry. The project is once again in the hands of its creators, who aren’t afraid to openly discuss challenges and shortcomings. They are focusing on honest dialogue with the community and collaborative development, step by step realizing a vision imagined many years ago.
Players will have to deal with bugs, unfinished features, and temporary limitations, but this approach makes it possible to build the project together with the audience. Perhaps now Hytale has a real chance to reach its potential and earn its place among the best games in the genre.
In case you didn’t know, Hypixel Studios is the team behind one of the most popular Minecraft servers. In 2020, the studio was acquired by Riot Games, known for League of Legends, but after five years, support was discontinued. The founders of Hypixel bought back the rights to Hytale and are now developing the project independently, focusing on autonomy and close engagement with the player community.
