Sandbox RPG Hytale Finally Set for Early Access Launch on January 13, 2026

After a Turbulent Journey, Sandbox RPG Hytale Finally Set for Early Access Launch on January 13, 2026

The sandbox role-playing game Hytale, developed by the original team behind the renowned Minecraft server Hypixel, has officially announced that it will launch its Early Access version on PC on January 13, 2026. The news was confirmed by Simon Collins-Laflamme, current studio lead and one of the project’s founders, who recently repurchased the game’s rights from Riot Games, reviving the once-cancelled project.

Since its initial reveal in 2018, Hytale has been regarded as a strong competitor to Minecraft. The game blends freeform building, adventure exploration, and narrative progression, while supporting player-created mods and servers, earning high anticipation from the community. However, its development journey has been marked by twists and turns: Hypixel Studio was acquired by Riot Games in 2020, and the project was shelved in June of this year. It was not until this month, when Simon Collins-Laflamme led the repurchase of the studio and its rights, that the project truly returned to independent development.

In the announcement, Simon Collins-Laflamme candidly stated, “The current version is far from polished.” He emphasized that this release represents a genuine “Early Access” version, which may include unoptimized content, various bugs, and incomplete systems. As such, the developers explicitly advised that “if you cannot accept an incomplete gaming experience, please refrain from purchasing at this stage.”

The base price for the Early Access version is set at $19.99, with higher-tier supporter options that include in-game cosmetic items also available. The development team highlighted that the focus of this phase is to engage mod creators and server operators early, leveraging community feedback and collaboration to gradually refine the game and ultimately realize the vision first outlined in 2018.

The developers have committed to continuous updates throughout the Early Access period, with more development plans and content updates to be shared in the future. Whether Hytale can carve out its own path in the highly competitive sandbox genre remains to be seen—and will be worth watching closely in the long run.