Hytale early access release date set for January 2026 just weeks after it's reacquired by original founders, following 5 years and cancellation at Riot: "If you don’t feel comfortable pre-ordering, please don't"

Hytale warrior in leather armor runs from spiders in cave — (Image credit: Hypixel)

Minecraft-inspired survival crafting sandbox game Hytale will enter early access on January 13, 2026, developer Hypixel has announced.

This release date announcement comes just weeks after original Hypixel founder Simon Collins-Laflame, joined by other studio veterans, reacquired Hytale from Riot Games. The game spent five years in development under Riot, only to be canceled earlier this year, and that was after an already sizable development cycle pre-reveal.

"If you wish to pre-purchase the game, pre-orders open December 13, 2025," Hypixel says in a reply. "If you don’t feel comfortable pre-ordering, please don’t.

"This is true early access, meaning it’s still very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while, but you have the team's commitment to make Hytale the game we’ve always wanted it to be. More details are coming soon. Thank you, everyone, for your support. Hytale has been through a long journey, and soon, we will be home."

This echoes recent comments from Collins-Laflame, who said, "Real talk: Hytale isn't some polished AAA release waiting in the wings. It's messy. It's janky. And there's a lot of work to be done. My plan? Get it out to you as soon as possible. No more waiting. You’ll get to play it, rough edges and all. It won’t be perfect on day one. My hope is that together, we'll shape it into something truly special."