For nearly a decade, the voxel-based RPG Hytale was the industry’s greatest “what if.” Born from the creators of the world-famous Hypixel Minecraft server, the project promised a revolution in sandbox gaming. However, its journey to our screens was a tumultuous saga of corporate takeovers, high-stakes cancellations, and a last-minute resurrection that has now culminated in the most successful early access launch of 2026.

From Acquisition to the Brink

The Hytale story reached a fever pitch in April 2020, when Riot Games acquired Hypixel Studios. Backed by the “unlimited” resources of the League of Legends creator, fans expected a rapid release. Instead, the project entered a period of shifting scopes and engine reboots that lasted five years.

The industry was stunned in June 2025 when Riot Games officially cancelled Hytale and announced the closure of Hypixel Studios. Citing an “overly ambitious scope” that had become unmanageable, it seemed the game and its record breaking 60 million view trailer was destined to become digital archaeology.

The Great Resurrection

The “death” of Hytale lasted only five months. In November 2025, original co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme staged a daring buyback, re-acquiring the intellectual property rights from Riot to take the studio independent once more. In a move now dubbed “The Eight-Week Miracle,” the revived team pivoted away from the complex new engine and reverted to a stable, four year old legacy build.

By focusing on a “fun over perfection” philosophy, the team polished the core Exploration and Creative modes at a lightning pace, setting an Early Access date that many thought was impossible.

A Historic Success

When Hytale finally entered Early Access on January 13, 2026, the pent-up demand was staggering. Sidestepping traditional storefronts like Steam to use a dedicated launcher, the game achieved:

• 1 Million+ copies sold within the first 24 hours.
• 2.8 Million peak concurrent players on launch day.
• Twitch dominance, peaking at over 420,000 viewers and surpassing Minecraft in its first week.

With a standard edition price of approximately $24, the pre-purchase revenue has already secured the next two years of development costs. While the build remains “rough” and unfinished, the community has embraced the transparency. By returning to its modding roots and delivering a playable if unpolished adventure, Hytale hasn’t just survived; it has proven that the spirit of indie innovation can triumph over corporate stagnation.