Hytale is saved.
Fans who feared that Hytale would never launch now have reason for hope, as the sandbox RPG has returned to development. On 18 November, Hypixel co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme announced on the official Hytale website that it has re-acquired Hytale, giving the long-delayed game a new path forward.
“We are thrilled to announce that we have acquired Hytale from Riot Games,” he wrote, adding that it “didn't make sense for [Riot] to continue developing [Hytale] in its existing form,” but that the company “ultimately wanted what's best for players,” which was to “play a revised version of the game.”
He also thanked Riot Games in the process, saying that “Transactions like this are rare in the games industry.”
It also seems like things are moving along well, as Collins-Laflamme shared that the team have rehired more than 30 developers “who know this game inside and out,” with more to follow.
“Together, we are going back to the original vision for Hytale. We are fully independent and personally committed to funding Hytale for the next 10 years.”
The game’s turbulent history
Hytale was first revealed in 2018 and quickly attracted a devoted following, thanks to its ambitious sandbox design and viral reveal trailer. Interest in the game remained strong over the years, even as development slowed.
Riot Games then cancelled the game in June this year, with Hypixel Studios co-founder Aaron “Noxy” Donaghey saying that despite years of reworks, including a full engine reboot, the game “wasn’t as far along as it needed to be.” With the cancellation, the studio began winding down, and Hytale’s future appeared uncertain.
However, fans rallied to keep hope alive. Among the most visible demonstrations was a massive “#SaveHytale” artwork displayed on WPlace above Riot’s Santa Monica office, as a community-led message calling for the game’s return.
Hytale will be released, rough edges and all
In a post on X, Collins-Laflamme shared his honest thoughts about the game:
“Hytale isn’t some polished AAA release waiting in the wings,” he said. “It’s messy. It’s janky. And there’s a lot of work to be done. My plan? Get it out to you as soon as possible. No more waiting. You’ll get to play it, rough edges and all.”
He added that the goal is to shape the game “together” with players once early access opens. An exact date will be announced in the coming days.
Early access and development priorities
Collins-Laflamme has emphasised that Hytale’s roadmap will evolve as the team learns more about the game’s needs and how players respond. “It’s already changing: what we have today is different from what we had a few weeks ago, as we have been exploring the game,” he said. The team plans to remain agile and flexible, aiming to avoid promises they cannot keep.
“We’re choosing to focus on making a great game first, rather than a perfect engine. We know the risk of releasing an unfinished product. First impressions matter, and it’s hard to change minds. But this is a risk we must take. We need your help creating content, reporting bugs, giving feedback, and building this with us,” Collins-Laflamme added.
Collins-Laflamme noted that the cross-platform engine, which Riot had been developing, is significantly behind in gameplay and would take an estimated two years to reach early access. By contrast, the legacy engine, which Hypixel is now using, is playable and already includes years of assets, systems, items, creatures, and worldbuilding, albeit unpolished. Plans to eventually make it cross-platform are in place, but the team is in no rush.
The current early access build features over 100 NPCs and thousands of items and blocks, though many remain unconfigured. Players should expect rough edges, unbalanced loot, and bugs. The team encourages community involvement, inviting fans to report issues, create custom servers, and develop their own minigames.
Hypixel stressed that its small, dedicated team is designed for efficiency, allowing rapid iteration without the bureaucracy that can slow larger studios. Progress toward early access is accelerating, and detailed patch notes will be released in the coming days to outline improvements and changes.
Modding and player creativity remain central
Hypixel reiterated that modding will be a core pillar of early access. The team plans to ship extensive creative tools, dedicated server support, and eventually server source code access when licensing permits. The hope is that modders and server creators will help define Hytale’s future just as much as the developers themselves.
Minigames and Adventure Mode will not be included at the start of early access. These features will return later once the game’s foundational systems are stable.
More details, including pricing, the early access date, updated gameplay footage, and a full breakdown of upcoming changes, will be shared by the Hytale team in the coming days.
