Hytale
Hypixel Studios
Adventure for both creation and play blending the freedom of a sandbox with the momentum of an RPG to explore a procedurally generated world full of dungeons, secrets, and a variety of creatures, then shape it block by block. Stumble upon random events, hidden dens, or sudden challenges that turn a simple trip into a memorable story. Explore, battle, build and create!
Hytale is the new survival crafting adventure game created by some former Minecraft modders that recently entered Early Access. This comes over 10 years since development first began. Originally, Hypixel Studios had support and funding from Riot Games in 2015, and in 2020, Riot Games purchased the studio. In 2025, however, the game was cancelled in June by Riot Games due to its perceived ambition. And then, in November 2025, the founder announced that they had reacquired the IP for Hytale and were still developing the game. After over 10 years of struggle, Hytale is finally playable.
Despite being in Early Access, Hytale is still a very enjoyable game and feels great. There’s still work to be done, but the game feels like a modernised, more mature and expanded version of Minecraft. Hytale is a high fantasy RPG in an open world focused on adventure and creativity. The story is currently limited, which is expected in Early Access. It accommodates different playstyles like craftsperson, adventurer, and settler, with plans to add content for unique experiences based on the chosen character type.
The world is split into different zones and is full of places to explore, including towering ruins and strange landmarks that offer some insight into the history of the world. Random events and sudden challenges can appear at any moment, making every excursion feel different and memorable. The world is also full of creatures with unique wildlife for each zone, including large power monsters and some that stand guard over the most powerful gear in the game. A lot of Hytale currently has literal “Under Construction” signs in places where the content isn’t ready for release yet, including inside dungeons. It’s disappointing, but it’s clear the development team is working hard on the game, and we can expect more content to be released soon.
Pros
Great character customisation
Fun enemy variety
Huge amount to explore
Player-made and run servers
Built in tools for creators
Single player, co-op and multiplayer options
Very dedicated development team
Cons
Very Early Access
Limited content
No story
Being an adventure and crafting-focused game, it’s no surprise that the core gameplay loop of Hytale is exploring the world, collecting resources, and using them to craft different types of items such as tools, construction materials, and decorations. There isn’t a guided story or linear path to the game, which leaves players to collect different things, kill enemies, explore, and build different structures.
While the gameplay is very similar to Minecraft (and so are the enemies), it does do a few things differently. Crafting in Hytale requires various workbenches, and placing them all inside the house could be tricky due to the size, which encourages players to keep building and expanding their home. Placing a chest next to them means the workbench will see the contents of the chest and show what can be constructed from those items, which is a very nice touch.
Many of the enemies definitely feel familiar with skeletons, spiders, zombies, golems, and even a place called the Void, which is home to the Void Dragon. The comparisons to Minecraft are obvious, but Hytale does still contain a few unique enemies as well, such as goblins, giant frogs, and Outlanders. More will be added with later updates. Combat does play a big role in the game, and while it’s possible to avoid a lot of it and focus on crafting, it’s still a good idea to build some combat skills and craft stronger weapons or armour.
As expected from a crafting game, collecting resources and farming are both very important. The game systems feel more complex than Minecraft already. Farming also comes with an expanded range for animal farming, with the ability to craft animal caretaking buildings and farming aids such as watering cans. Tree saplings and new crop seeds come from spending “Essence of Life,” which is gained by harvesting mature crops. It’s a must more realistic or mature system that feels more rewarding to grow.
It already has a character creator with customisation options and the ability to express yourself in different ways. While Hytale can be played as a single player, it’s built around player-run servers for co-op and multiplayer gameplay with the ability to survive together, build something new, and create create minigame focused servers. The server code will be shared-source for everyone to use, and official servers are not currently available.
Hytale is absolutely an Early Access game. There’s a lot missing from the game at this point, but it’s obvious there’s a lot of promise here. Considering how little there was to Minecraft when it first released in 2009, Hytale already has a lot more to offer players. We highly suggest renting your own server to play solo or with friends and our sponsors Nitrado are the official server provides for Hytale, trusted by game studios worldwide, excellent pricing and superior support we highly recommend you check out their server services!
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