‘Hytale’ Materializes: Hypixel’s RPG Sandbox Survives Cancellation & Thrives In Early Access
by Andrew Berson
'Hytale' (Image: Riot Games)
Developed by Hypixel Studios, Hytale is an RPG sandbox game. After long delays, the survival-rafting RPG has hit early access. The hype proved real when Hytale launched, drawing in over 420,000 concurrent viewers.
In December 2018, the Hytale trailer was released and quickly gained popularity. On YouTube, the trailer went viral, garnering over 62 million views. Hype would soon die down following years of silence and uncertainty. Several gameplay issues need to be addressed, including many basic movement issues, and the cameras made the game unplayable.Riot Games, which has developed some of the most popular games to date, including “League of Legends” and “VALORANT,” bought Hypixel Studios outright in 2020. Five years later, in June 2025, Riot Games announced the end of Hytale development, sparking rumors that Hytale would never be released. Five months go by, and a tweet from Hypixel founder Simon Collins-Laflamme breaks the big news. “We did it. Hytale is saved. We have acquired Hytale from Riot Games.”
Hytale climbed Twitch’s charts, becoming the most-viewed game and drawing in thousands of smaller streamers and major creators. Since its early access launch, the RPG game has amassed over 7 million hours of Twitch viewership, with notable streamers like caseoh_ and xQc playing it. The game’s early reviews are impressive, leading some to dub it Minecraft 2, a significant compliment. Featuring a handful of weapon types, the game offers fluid movement and versatile combat.
Development costs won’t be an issue either. Hytale has already made enough money to cover two years of development costs, giving Hypixel Studios enormous financial breathing room.The future of Hytale is bright as Hypixel looks to prioritize server stability and updates, and to use community feedback to build the perfect atmosphere for the foreseeable future.
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