Key Facts
- ✓ Hytale was originally announced in December 2018.
- ✓ The game was acquired by Riot Games in 2020.
- ✓ Hytale was canceled in June 2025 before being revived.
- ✓ Early access launches on January 13, 2026.
- ✓ The game will not be available on Steam or Epic Games Store.
Quick Summary
The early access release for Hytale is confirmed for January 13, 2026, following a turbulent development history. The game, originally acquired by Riot Games in 2020, was canceled in June 2025 before being sold back to co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme in November.
Global release times have been announced for players worldwide. The game will be available exclusively via a dedicated launcher downloaded from the official website, bypassing major storefronts like Steam. Collins-Laflamme has advised players to download the launcher early to prepare for high traffic.
Hytale's Development History and Revival
Hytale was first announced in December 2018 with a trailer that garnered over 62 million views on YouTube. The project was acquired by Riot Games in 2020 but subsequently spent time in development hell before being officially canceled in June 2025.
In a surprising turn of events, the game was sold back to original co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme in November 2025. This transaction allowed the project to be revived, leading to the announcement of an early access release date on PC.
"over one million players on the early access release day"
— Simon Collins-Laflamme, Co-founder
Release Times and Download Instructions
The early access release is scheduled for January 13, 2026. Global release times are as follows:
- PST (San Francisco): 7am, January 13
- CST (Austin, Mexico City): 9am, January 13
- EST (New York): 10pm, January 13
- GMT (London): 3pm, January 13
- CET (Paris): 4pm, January 13
- JST (Tokyo): 11pm, January 13
- CST (Beijing): 11pm, January 13
- AEST (Sydney): 2am, January 14
- NZST (Wellington): 4am, January 14
Players are advised to download the launcher from the official website. The game will not be available on Steam or the Epic Games Store. Users must click download and select Download for Windows, then install the launcher to play.
Launch Expectations and Preparation
Simon Collins-Laflamme expects significant interest in the early access release, predicting "over one million players on the early access release day." To manage this influx, he advises players to download the launcher and log in prior to launch to "significantly reduce launch-day stress."
"significantly reduce launch-day stress"
— Simon Collins-Laflamme, Co-founder
