The journey of Hytale, the Minecraft-like MMO, has been one of ups and downs since its inception in 2015. Initially supported by Riot Games as an angel investor, the project eventually fell under Riot’s ownership with their acquisition of Hypixel Studios. However, in June 2025, the game faced cancellation, leading to the disbandment of Hypixel Studios. In a surprising turn of events, the original creator, Simon Collins-Laflamme, announced the repurchase of the game’s rights from Riot, reigniting the development process.
A New Beginning for Hytale
Just recently, Collins-Laflamme confirmed through a blog post that Hytale would enter early access on January 13, 2026. The original founders have taken significant steps to breathe new life into the project, reverting to a four-year-old legacy build and committing long-term funding. Within this resurgence, the team has expanded to 50 members, including the rehiring of over 40 former and new team members.
Challenges and Commitments
Collins-Laflamme is candid about the current state of the game, advising potential players to have realistic expectations of early access. This is true early access, meaning it’s still very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while, but you have my and the team’s commitment to make Hytale the game we’ve always wanted it to be. Despite the challenges, the team’s dedication to returning to the original vision remains strong.
Embracing Legacy and Innovation
The revival process involved merging over 300 GitHub branches into a single working branch, a task described as a significant engineering effort. The team emphasizes that Hytale and Hypixel Studios are independent once again, focusing on the original vision from the 2018 trailer. Though some aspects of the game may initially feel outdated, the momentum is strong, and the team is diligently working to achieve their ultimate dream.