Key Takeaways
1. Simon Collins-Laflamme has reassured fans that Hytale is still in development and not fully polished, despite his commitment to the project.
2. After Riot Games canceled Hytale in June 2025, Collins-Laflamme successfully reacquired the game and studio, re-hiring 30 former developers.
3. The game is currently using a mixed development build, lacking many game progression mechanics, as the team focuses on establishing a long-term gameplay loop.
4. The Early Access pricing for Hytale is set at $20 for the base edition, with additional premium editions priced at $30 and $50, emphasizing community engagement over profits.
5. Collins-Laflamme acknowledges the challenges ahead and encourages fans to understand the situation, promising his dedication to creating a great game regardless of the time it takes.
Simon Collins-Laflamme, the founder of Hytale and Hypixel Studios, has adjusted fan expectations concerning the early access of the highly anticipated RPG inspired by Minecraft. He emphasized that the game is still not fully polished, even though he has personally committed time and resources to bring it back from a standstill.
Hytale’s Journey
The development of Hytale started in 2015 by the team behind Minecraft’s Hypixel servers. After gaining a lot of attention, Riot Games fully acquired the studio in 2020. However, by June 23, 2025, after more than ten years of work, Riot decided to cancel the project and shut down Hypixel Studios.
Following the cancellation, Collins-Laflamme revealed that he was in talks with Riot to buy back Hytale. Reports suggest that he paid ten times more than the estimated market value to regain control of the studio and the game.
Recent Updates
On November 17, Collins-Laflamme shared via X that he had successfully reacquired Hytale, and the original website was back online. The website featured a blog post declaring, “HYTALE IS SAVED,” confirming that he has re-hired 30 former developers and aims to bring back even more.
Nevertheless, in a comprehensive post on X dated November 22, he stated, “When I say Hytale is not good enough, I genuinely mean it. It’s not some reverse psychology trick!” He explained that the studio is moving away from its cross-platform engine to a “Frankensteined” combination of a four-year-old build and over 300 prototype branches compiled over just a few weeks.
Game Progression and Pricing
Collins-Laflamme further elaborated that this new build has “barely any game progression mechanics configured.” However, Hypixel Studios is focused on creating a long-term gameplay loop to ensure that the early access launch remains enjoyable for players.
The pricing for Hytale’s Early Access has also been announced: the base edition is set at $20, which Collins-Laflamme considers “aggressively low,” aiming to prioritize community engagement over profits. Premium editions, which include cosmetic add-ons, are available for $30 and $50.
In subsequent updates, Collins-Laflamme acknowledged, “I’m not going to recoup what I put into this game for a long time.” He anticipates that many early access players might label Hytale as “doomed,” but he encouraged longtime fans to grasp the current situation, stating:
“I hope that people who share the game will explain the situation we are in and how we got here. The one thing I can promise is that the game is owned by someone who cares and understands the situation, and I will do my best to empower my team to make a great game, however long it takes.”
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