Hytale, a Minecraft-esque game that was cancelled, has been saved and will release in early access soon. If you’re a fan of Minecraft, you’ve likely heard of a pretty ambitious indie game known as Hytale. The game certainly seems inspired by the Mojang-developed title, but is very much doing its own thing as well. Hytale puts players in a procedurally-generated world with fantasy elements and more or less gives you the freedom to do as you please. However, Minecraft is more about being creative and mining, there is combat but it’s not as much of the focus. However, Hytale has the depth of an RPG, allowing for more nuanced combat and mechanics.
The game has been in development since 2015 and has developed a feverish and hungry fanbase, one that allowed the game to evolve into something quite big. Developer Hypixel Studios was eventually acquired by Riot Games, the team behind League of Legends and Valorant, which everyone saw as a huge accomplishment. This meant it would get extra resources, a real marketing push, and a lot of support. Unfortunately, though, things went south. Earlier this year, Riot cancelled Hytale, much to the shock of fans. Many assumed that would be the end of this game’s story, but there’s been a twist.
Hytale Is Saved and Fans Can Play It Soon
Hypixel founder Simon Collins-Laflamme announced that the team has repurchased 100% of Hytale and the studio back from Riot Games, as the gaming giant wanted what was best for players. The team then secured 10 years of funding, rehired 30 developers who know the game well, and are now preparing to bring the game into early access. Hytale‘s early access release date will be announced in the coming days along with pricing, but this will be a way for players to provide feedback on the game and make it better.
Huge thanks to Riot for working with me to make this happen. They wanted what’s best for players, and that’s for us to eventually play the game.
This game has always been close to my heart, and I’m excited to bring it back home.
Real talk: Hytale isn’t some polished AAA release…
— Simon (@Simon_Hypixel) November 17, 2025
The team noted in a lengthy blog post that it expects to stay in early access for a few years and has no intention of rushing to a 1.0 release. They want to take their time, make sure they navigate the rough parts of the game with the community, and make the best game possible. It’s a bit surreal to see Hytale finally releasing this many years later. Ultimately, it’s been a crazy ride, but it seems like Hytale will live on and be something built in partnership with the community. For now, this will exist on PC, but the developers note that “other platforms” will follow “much later”.
