When Did Hytale Come Out? The Full History of Hytale's Release
Hytale came out January 13, 2026. Learn the full story of Hytale's release date, the delays, the cancellation, and how Simon bought it back from Riot.
Hytale came out on January 13, 2026. After years of delays and a dramatic cancellation, the game finally launched in Early Access. If you’re wondering “when is Hytale coming out?” - it’s already here and playable right now.
But how did we get here? Most games have boring origin stories. Hytale’s reads like a Hollywood script.
A Minecraft server on the brink of collapse. A secret project built in desperation. A trailer that broke the internet. A $25 million buyback from one of gaming’s biggest companies. And somehow, against all odds, a launch that actually happened.
This is the story of Hytale.
The Crisis That Started Everything (2014)
In 2014, the Hypixel Minecraft server was one of the biggest in the world. Millions of players. A thriving community. A successful business.
Then Mojang changed their EULA.
The new rules restricted how servers could monetize, and for Hypixel, the impact was devastating - an 85% drop in revenue almost overnight. The server that had taken years to build was suddenly fighting for survival.
Most teams would have panicked. Simon Collins-Laflamme (known as “Hypixel” to the community) had a different idea: what if we just build our own game?
Building in Secret (2015-2018)
Starting in 2015, a small team from Hypixel began working on something new. No announcements. No hype. Just a group of developers who knew Minecraft inside-out, trying to build the game they wished existed.
They called it Hytale.
The vision was ambitious: take everything players loved about block-based sandbox games, but add real adventure. Handcrafted dungeons. Deep combat. Powerful modding tools. A living world called Orbis with actual lore and characters.
For three years, they worked in near-total secrecy. The Hypixel server kept running, but behind the scenes, something much bigger was taking shape.
The Trailer That Broke the Internet (December 2018)
On December 13, 2018, Hypixel Studios dropped the Hytale announcement trailer.
What happened next was unprecedented.
10 million views in the first week. The gaming internet lost its collective mind. Here was a game that looked like Minecraft but better - gorgeous visuals, fluid combat, incredible building tools, and a cinematic world that felt alive.
Within a month, the trailer had 31 million views. For context, Red Dead Redemption 2’s announcement trailer took over two years to hit 17 million.
By the time the dust settled, the Hytale trailer would accumulate over 61 million views, making it one of the most-watched game trailers in YouTube history.
The hype was real. Maybe too real.
The Riot Acquisition (April 2020)
With millions watching and 2.5 million beta sign-ups, Hytale had become one of the most anticipated games in the industry. That kind of attention attracts big players.
On April 16, 2020, Riot Games - the studio behind League of Legends - acquired Hypixel Studios.
The deal made sense on paper. Riot had resources: money, expertise, infrastructure. Hypixel Studios had the vision and a passionate community. Together, they could make something incredible.
Simon Collins-Laflamme stepped back from day-to-day leadership, citing a desire to focus on “family, health, and friends.” Aaron “Noxy” Donaghey took over as the new CEO.
The community was cautiously optimistic. Riot money plus Hypixel creativity? This could be huge.
The Long Wait (2020-2025)
Then came the delays.
In 2021, the team announced expanded ambitions: full cross-platform support including mobile. To pull it off, they needed to completely rewrite the game engine. The estimated release pushed from 2021 to 2023.
2023 came and went. No Hytale.
In 2024, another engine migration was announced. The scope kept growing. The release kept sliding. Community excitement slowly turned to frustration, then skepticism.
The trailer that once represented infinite possibility started feeling like a reminder of broken promises.
The Cancellation (June 2025)
On June 23, 2025, Aaron Donaghey posted an announcement that shocked the gaming world:
Hytale was cancelled. Hypixel Studios was shutting down.
After more than 10 years of development, it was over. Donaghey cited the project’s “overly ambitious nature” - the technical scope had grown so complex that even with Riot’s resources, the team couldn’t see a path to release.
The community was devastated. All those years of waiting, all that potential, gone.
But the story wasn’t over.
”I Am Down to Put $25 Million” (June 2025)
Three days after the cancellation, Simon Collins-Laflamme broke his silence.
In a post that would change everything, Simon announced he was in talks to buy Hytale back from Riot Games. Not with investor money. Not with a publisher deal. With his own funds.
“I am even down to put 25 million USD by myself to finish Hytale,” he wrote.
The community held its breath.
Hytale Is Saved (November 2025)
On November 17, 2025, Simon made it official:
He had reacquired Hytale from Riot Games.
The terms were remarkable:
- 100% ownership - no investors, no publishers, no corporate oversight
- 10-year personal funding commitment from Simon himself
- Return to the original vision and engine from the 2018 trailer
- Modding support at launch
Even more incredibly, over 30 former Hytale developers chose to come back. These weren’t new hires learning the codebase - they were the people who built it, returning to finish what they started.
The Launch (January 2026)
On January 13, 2026, Hytale finally entered Early Access.
The numbers spoke for themselves: 420,000 concurrent Twitch viewers made it the most-watched game on the platform. Pre-orders had already covered two full years of development costs before launch day.
After 11 years, countless setbacks, a corporate acquisition, a cancellation, and an unprecedented buyback - Hytale was real. Players were actually playing it.
The reviews were positive. The community was thrilled. And Simon Collins-Laflamme, the guy who’d built a Minecraft server in 2013, had somehow pulled off one of gaming’s greatest comeback stories.
What It Means
Hytale’s story isn’t just about one game. It’s about what happens when creators fight for their vision.
When Mojang’s EULA changes threatened to kill Hypixel, Simon didn’t give up - he built something new. When Riot’s cancellation seemed to end everything, he bought it back with his own money. When 30+ developers could have moved on to other jobs, they chose to return.
The game you can play today exists because people refused to let it die.
That’s pretty cool.
FAQ
When did Hytale come out?
Hytale launched on January 13, 2026 in Early Access. The game is available now and actively being updated.
Is Hytale free to play?
No, Hytale is a paid game. You can purchase it through the official Hytale website.
Is Hytale still owned by Riot Games?
No. Simon Collins-Laflamme (the original creator) bought Hytale back from Riot Games in November 2025. Hypixel Studios now operates independently with 100% ownership.
Can I play Hytale multiplayer right now?
Yes! Hytale multiplayer servers are live and active. You can browse Hytale servers and join one right now.
Want to be part of Hytale’s next chapter? Browse servers and find your community.