What a tumultuous journey it has been for Hytale this year. The abrupt decision by Riot Games to halt the project left many fans wondering if they would ever experience this ambitious sandbox game, which originated from a highly popular Minecraft server several years ago, aiming to carve out its own niche in the gaming landscape. However, the original founder of Hypixel Studios, Simon Collins-Laflamme, has recently stepped in to breathe new life into the project and revive the studio he established. The current focus is on accelerating development and getting the game into players’ hands, fostering a collaborative building process with the community.
Anticipation Builds for Hytale’s Release
In a recent post on X, Collins-Laflamme announced that he would reveal the Hytale release date tomorrow. He cautioned fans to “reset expectations” regarding a swift launch, hinting at the complexities involved in the process. Initially, I had my doubts about whether Hytale could truly offer something innovative, given its striking resemblance to Minecraft. A casual observer watching the latest showcase might easily mistake it for Mojang’s iconic title. However, Collins-Laflamme assures us that Hytale will delve deeper into fantasy, adventure, and RPG elements, alongside a more dynamic base-building experience reminiscent of Terraria and Valheim. Furthermore, the game will emphasize modding, encouraging user-generated content and community-run servers by taking “0%” of their earnings for the first two years post-launch.
Under Riot’s management, Hytale’s development progressed at a sluggish pace. With Hypixel now revitalized and under Collins-Laflamme’s leadership, a more rapid development cycle is anticipated. Although he candidly admitted that Hytale is “not good enough” at this stage, the studio is eager to release the game in early access as soon as possible, and at an “aggressively low” price point. Initially, there was hope that players could get their hands on the game by the end of 2025, but that timeline has shifted.
“Let me break it to you and reset expectations,” Collins-Laflamme stated. “The acquisition took just long enough to prevent us from doing a release before the Holidays. That’s why it took us so long to announce the date; we tried to push as hard as we could, but legally there is just too much to do, and we would be cutting too close to Christmas.”
In the same post on X, he confirmed that the Hytale release date will be revealed tomorrow, November 28 at 7am PST / 10am EST / 3pm GMT / 4pm CEST. This story will be updated with the official date following the announcement.
While the news of a post-Holiday release may be disheartening for some, it seems likely that the launch date will not extend too far into 2026, given Hypixel’s determination to deliver the game promptly. It’s important to remember that this will be an early access launch—indeed, a very early access launch, despite the lengthy development period. With renewed vigor at Hypixel and the support of the community, there is hope that Hytale will quickly evolve into the formidable rival to Minecraft that it aspires to be.
