Update – June 27: Simon Collins-Laflamme, the original founder of Hypixel Studios, has expressed unwavering confidence in the potential of Hytale, stating he would personally invest million to see the project completed. This declaration, made in a recent tweet, carries a tone of both seriousness and jest, as he hinted at the possibility of a buy-back from Riot Games. “No Kickstarter, just raw passion, high pressure, and high risk-taking,” he remarked, outlining a vision that includes reducing the game’s scope, focusing on a legacy engine for a PC-only release, and even open-sourcing certain components. His aim is to expedite the development process and bring players into the fold as soon as possible, with a small team of veterans from the Hytale legacy engine already on board.
Reflections on Development
Collins-Laflamme reminisced about his time leading Hytale from 2016 to 2019, asserting that the game was merely two years away from a PC release during that period. He shared that he possesses videos, screenshots, and old client builds that support his claims. His comments came in response to a post by former principal engineer Kevin Carstens, who criticized the project for succumbing to “feature creep,” suggesting that attempts to enhance already advanced systems led to stagnation.
While Collins-Laflamme admits he is not fully aware of the developments over the past few years, he maintains that the team he led was exceptionally focused and productive. “The momentum was insane,” he recalled, noting that new gameplay elements were introduced weekly, propelling the game toward its release. He emphasized that the team did not need to achieve a “perfect state” before launching, a sentiment echoed by many former developers who have recently shared their experiences.
In a broader context, the disappointment surrounding Hytale’s abrupt cancellation resonates with the community, which feels that the studio could have released an early version of the game and iterated from there. The narrative emerging from former developers indicates that an obsession with perfection may have hindered progress, resulting in a bloated production cycle that ultimately led to the game’s demise.
Another former developer, Sphax, who contributed during the early development stages, highlighted some of the innovative features that were in the works, such as blocks capable of streaming video in-game and real-time block painting. He reflected on how the project’s ambition grew unchecked, leading to a more complex story mode that may have contributed to its downfall.
Carstens succinctly summarized the situation, stating that the team could have successfully launched a version of Hytale featuring Hypixel-style minigames and a modding suite, even without a fully developed story or campaign. He attributed the project’s struggles to internal mismanagement and unrealistic ambitions.
In a heartfelt response to a fan lamenting the game’s cancellation, Collins-Laflamme emphasized the uniqueness of Hytale, asserting that its artistic and engineering achievements set it apart from other titles. “Everyone loses by not getting Hytale,” he stated, reflecting on the collective disappointment felt by fans and developers alike. He expressed a deep yearning for the game to have been realized, lamenting that no other game has captured the same immersive experience that Hytale promised.
As the conversation continues, former developers urge fans to direct their frustration towards the internal challenges at Hypixel Studios rather than placing blame on Riot Games, underscoring that the issues stemmed from within the organization itself.
Ex Hytale devs say the game looked “maximum 2 years away” from release in 2019 and “systems that were already far ahead of Minecraft” were changed under “unrealistic ambitions”
Update – June 27: Simon Collins-Laflamme, the original founder of Hypixel Studios, has expressed unwavering confidence in the potential of Hytale, stating he would personally invest million to see the project completed. This declaration, made in a recent tweet, carries a tone of both seriousness and jest, as he hinted at the possibility of a buy-back from Riot Games. “No Kickstarter, just raw passion, high pressure, and high risk-taking,” he remarked, outlining a vision that includes reducing the game’s scope, focusing on a legacy engine for a PC-only release, and even open-sourcing certain components. His aim is to expedite the development process and bring players into the fold as soon as possible, with a small team of veterans from the Hytale legacy engine already on board.
Reflections on Development
Collins-Laflamme reminisced about his time leading Hytale from 2016 to 2019, asserting that the game was merely two years away from a PC release during that period. He shared that he possesses videos, screenshots, and old client builds that support his claims. His comments came in response to a post by former principal engineer Kevin Carstens, who criticized the project for succumbing to “feature creep,” suggesting that attempts to enhance already advanced systems led to stagnation.
While Collins-Laflamme admits he is not fully aware of the developments over the past few years, he maintains that the team he led was exceptionally focused and productive. “The momentum was insane,” he recalled, noting that new gameplay elements were introduced weekly, propelling the game toward its release. He emphasized that the team did not need to achieve a “perfect state” before launching, a sentiment echoed by many former developers who have recently shared their experiences.
In a broader context, the disappointment surrounding Hytale’s abrupt cancellation resonates with the community, which feels that the studio could have released an early version of the game and iterated from there. The narrative emerging from former developers indicates that an obsession with perfection may have hindered progress, resulting in a bloated production cycle that ultimately led to the game’s demise.
Another former developer, Sphax, who contributed during the early development stages, highlighted some of the innovative features that were in the works, such as blocks capable of streaming video in-game and real-time block painting. He reflected on how the project’s ambition grew unchecked, leading to a more complex story mode that may have contributed to its downfall.
Carstens succinctly summarized the situation, stating that the team could have successfully launched a version of Hytale featuring Hypixel-style minigames and a modding suite, even without a fully developed story or campaign. He attributed the project’s struggles to internal mismanagement and unrealistic ambitions.
In a heartfelt response to a fan lamenting the game’s cancellation, Collins-Laflamme emphasized the uniqueness of Hytale, asserting that its artistic and engineering achievements set it apart from other titles. “Everyone loses by not getting Hytale,” he stated, reflecting on the collective disappointment felt by fans and developers alike. He expressed a deep yearning for the game to have been realized, lamenting that no other game has captured the same immersive experience that Hytale promised.
As the conversation continues, former developers urge fans to direct their frustration towards the internal challenges at Hypixel Studios rather than placing blame on Riot Games, underscoring that the issues stemmed from within the organization itself.