sandbox RPG Archives

AppWizard

January 14, 2026

Hytale surges to the most-watched game on Twitch, attracting over 420,000 viewers with its long-awaited launch

Hytale has officially entered early access after a decade of development challenges. The game's announcement trailer from 2018 has received 62 million views. On launch day, Hytale became the most-watched game on Twitch with over 420,000 viewers. Players are encountering challenges with wildlife, particularly bears. Hytale has secured funding for two years of early access development, and expectations are high for over one million players on launch day. There has been a significant spike in global search interest for Hytale on Google Trends. Initial technical issues have arisen, and the development team is working on a hotfix to address bugs and account verification delays due to high demand.

AppWizard

January 9, 2026

Everwind devs are testing their ambitious Minecraft-like RPG on Steam Deck as it “makes sense for everyone to be this available”

Everwind is set to launch in late 2026 as an alternative to Minecraft and alongside Hytale. Players will explore floating islands and navigate the skies in airships. The development team is testing the game on Valve’s Steam Deck and other handheld devices, with early builds showing promising performance. They aim to support both handhelds and desktops, emphasizing the importance of PC handhelds in gaming. The team is also testing on the MSI Claw. The Steam Deck is becoming a benchmark for performance standards in the industry, with developers recognizing the benefits of optimizing for it.

AppWizard

January 3, 2026

Hytale lead says “it’s a damn miracle we were able to salvage” the once-canceled Minecraft-like: “It should have taken years to fix, but within weeks, we got the game into a playable, fun state”

Hytale is undergoing significant transformation to become fully playable, as shared by co-director Simon Collins-Laflamme. Initially, the game was described as "barely playable" with all basic functionalities broken. The development team has made rapid progress, achieving in weeks what typically takes much longer. Following Riot Games' cancellation of Hytale in summer 2025, Collins-Laflamme reacquired the game and plans to release it in early access on January 13, 2026. The development strategy focuses on trusting the team and minimizing distractions. Hytale will feature unique crafting mechanics inspired by Terraria, while Collins-Laflamme acknowledges Minecraft as one of the greatest games.

AppWizard

December 1, 2025

Minecraft lead says “I’m looking forward to Hytale” personally, but tells curious fans “there are many Minecraft-like games, so I doubt it will change much for us”

Hytale, a Minecraft-inspired sandbox RPG, is set to enter early access in January 2026 after nearly a decade of anticipation. Jens 'Jeb' Bergensten, lead designer of Minecraft, has expressed his eagerness to play Hytale. The game is developed by Hypixel Studios, known for its popular Minecraft server, and is not an official extension of the Minecraft universe. Hypixel's marketing strategy has playfully suggested that the game "isn't good" for now, which has increased curiosity and anticipation among fans.

AppWizard

November 30, 2025

You Might Never Play Minecraft Again After January 13

Hytale, a sandbox RPG inspired by Minecraft, is set to enter early access on January 13. The project was initially canceled by Riot Games but was revived through an agreement allowing the original developers to reclaim it. The game will feature powerful creation tools, extensive modding capabilities, and adaptable scripting systems, enabling players to design their own worlds and narratives.

AppWizard

November 25, 2025

Hytale will feature a “meaningful tribute” to Minecraft legend Technoblade: “He was a big part of our journey”

Hytale, a sandbox RPG inspired by Minecraft, will include a tribute to Technoblade, a prominent figure in the gaming community who passed away in 2022. The game's lead developer, Collins-Laflamme, received permission from Technoblade's father to create a meaningful tribute and is inviting community suggestions. Technoblade, whose real name was Alexander, had aspirations to join the marketing team at Hypixel in 2015 but was too young at the time. Community responses have been positive, with ideas such as a Technoblade constellation and a unique sword. Additionally, Hytale's developers are setting the game's price at an "aggressively low" level, citing a commitment to quality.

AppWizard

November 22, 2025

Hytale honcho says early access will be $20 because ‘charging more didn’t feel right’: He doesn’t think the game is good yet, but ‘my team and I will push hard to make it good, then great’

Hytale, a sandbox RPG inspired by Minecraft, was previously canceled by Riot Games due to unmet expectations. Under Hypixel founder Simon Collins-Laflamme, the project is being revived with a commitment to accessibility and a competitive price point. Collins-Laflamme has repurchased the game and expanded the development team to 50 members, despite losing four years of development time. The team recently released 16 minutes of new footage, which, while described as "raw and broken," showed promising elements. Early access is expected to be available in the next few days, and special editions will also be offered to support the project.

AppWizard

November 20, 2025

10 years later, Hytale co-creator says he’s “locking down the release date ASAP” for the sandbox RPG, and the base cost won’t be much different to Minecraft itself

Simon Collins-Laflamme announced that the release details for Hytale will be finalized by the end of next week. He secured the rights to Hytale from Riot Games, reportedly offering "10x what the true market value" of the game was. Collins-Laflamme is committed to keeping the base price low while considering production costs and legal fees. The Hytale team has begun sharing new gameplay footage, but Collins-Laflamme noted that there is still "a lot of work" to be done before the official launch.

AppWizard

October 19, 2025

While we wait for Terraria’s next update, another sublime sandbox RPG just hit 1.0 after six years, and it’s under $10

Necesse has officially launched its 1.0 version after six years of early access development and is currently available at a 50% discount. The game features storytelling, lifestyle, and buildcrafting elements, drawing inspiration from Terraria, Rimworld, and Stardew Valley. It has a top-down perspective similar to Core Keeper and boasts a 95% positive rating on Steam. Players can engage in dungeon-crawling, develop settlements, and confront various foes. Combat styles include melee, ranged, magic, and summoning, with major boss battles and a Path of Exile-style endgame feature called 'incursions.' The game offers a perk tree for incursions and customizable difficulty settings. Necesse 1.0 is available on Steam for .49 / £6.49 until October 30.

AppWizard

October 17, 2025

The DayZ and Arma studio is publishing a Minecraft meets Skyrim sandbox RPG, and I lost track of time playing its Steam Next Demo so it’s doing something right

Everwind is an upcoming sandbox RPG developed by Enjoy Studio S.A., featuring cooperative gameplay focused on resource gathering, gear crafting, and exploration of islands via an upgradeable airship base. The game allows players to break and place blocks, craft tools, and engage in combat, starting with battles against skeletons. Players can upgrade their airship's size, speed, and altitude, enhancing gameplay. The demo has received nearly 1,000 very positive reviews on Steam. Bohemia Interactive, known for DayZ and Arma 3, is involved in the project.