In a surprising and emotional announcement, Riot Games and Hypixel Studios have confirmed that Hytale, the long-awaited Minecraft-style game, is officially canceled. Development has ended, and Hypixel Studios will shut down in the coming months.
What Is Hytale?
Hytale has been in the works since 2015, with a trailer released back in 2018. After Riot acquired Hypixel Studios in 2020, many fans hoped the game would finally launch. A beta was originally planned for 2021, but it never arrived. Now, after nearly a decade of development challenges, the team says the project simply could not live up to its original vision.
“We explored every possible path,” said CEO Aaron “Noxy” Donaghey. “But it became clear we couldn’t bring Hytale to life in a way that truly delivered on its promise.”
The decision came after a big reboot and years of trying to adapt the game while staying true to their original vision. The team realized that moving forward would mean cutting what made Hytale special. Instead of releasing a compromised product, they chose to shut it down.
Despite the sad news, Noxy emphasized his gratitude to the developers, the community, and Riot Games, who are helping the team during this transition. He also confirmed that the popular Hypixel Minecraft server will not be affected, as it is operated separately.
“Even though we won’t be the ones to bring this game into the world, we still believe in what it stood for,” Noxy added.
A Look Back at Hytale’s Journey
Hypixel Studios was founded in 2018 by a group of developers who were already hosting a Minecraft server with minigames. The team, made up of over 40 developers, started the studio with a big goal: to create games that build communities and support both players and content creators.
Hytale was their first big project, built with that same community-driven spirit. In April 2020, the studio was acquired by Riot Games, but continued to run independently while using Riot’s tools, tech, and support to help improve the game.
While Hytale won’t see the light of day, its legacy as a passionate project lives on for many people. The studio’s sudden end marks the final page of a hopeful project, but not the end of the community that grew around it. And we never know, maybe someone will take over the project!
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