Hytale Launches Early Access After Turbulent Development

The highly-anticipated adventure game Hytale is launching in early access on January 13th, concluding a development cycle that has spanned a decade. The game, often compared to Minecraft, has navigated a complex path to release.

Developer Hypixel Studios was acquired by Riot Games in 2020, only to be shut down by Riot in June 2025. The team subsequently went independent a few months later. To ensure stability moving forward, Hypixel has secured funding for the next two years of development through pre-purchase sales.

This financial security aims to reassure players who have been wary of ambitious games shutting down shortly after release, such as MultiVersus and Concord. Hypixel co-founder Simon Co confirmed the funding milestone, signaling a more stable future for the project.

The road to release for Hytale has been exceptionally long and turbulent. Originally announced as a Minecraft-like adventure game, the project has been in development for a full decade. This extended timeline reflects the ambitious scope of the title and the significant changes in its production pipeline.

Throughout this period, the development team at Hypixel Studios faced major corporate shifts. The studio was initially brought into the Riot Games ecosystem in 2020, a move that promised significant resources and support. However, the trajectory changed drastically in mid-2025.

In a surprising turn of events, Riot Games shut down Hypixel Studios in June 2025. This closure placed the future of Hytale in jeopardy. However, the development team did not disband. A few months after the shutdown, the studio went independent to continue work on the game.

This transition from a major publisher subsidiary to an independent entity was a high-stakes maneuver. The team had to restructure operations and secure new funding avenues to keep the project alive. The decision to launch in early access is directly tied to this independence, serving as the primary method to fund ongoing development.

With the January 13th early access launch, Hypixel Studios is prioritizing long-term stability. The studio has explicitly addressed concerns regarding the game's longevity, particularly in light of recent industry trends where high-profile games have been abruptly canceled.

To combat these fears, the studio has secured its immediate financial future. According to Simon Co, the Hypixel co-founder, the studio has secured development costs for the next two years. He stated:

"We have officially secured the next two years of development costs through pre-purchases."

This statement serves as a direct promise to the player base that the game will receive updates for years to come. It positions Hytale as a sustainable live-service title, distinct from competitors that failed to maintain support.

As Hytale enters early access, it carries the weight of a decade of expectations. The game represents a significant investment of time and resources, surviving a shutdown by one of the largest publishers in the industry to re-emerge as an independent project.

The launch on January 13th marks the beginning of a new era for the title. With funding secured for the immediate future, the focus shifts entirely to player reception and the execution of the promised years of updates. The survival of the project through the Riot Games shutdown demonstrates the team's commitment to delivering the final product.