The sandbox RPG Hytale positioned itself perfectly in 2018 to become the next Minecraft. But in 2024, fans are still waiting in vain for a release, and updates from the developers are rare. A YouTuber sheds light on what happened to the “Minecraft killer.”
Which game is it about? Hytale is supposed to be a sandbox RPG in the style of Minecraft that does almost everything better than its predecessor while maintaining the blocky charm of the original. The game was announced on December 13, 2018, with a trailer that quickly garnered over 30 million views on YouTube. Currently, the video stands at 61 million views (as of December 2024).
On the 6th anniversary of the trailer release, the YouTuber Casual Curious explores the status of the alleged Minecraft killer.
Hytale wanted to be like Minecraft, but better in every way
This is the story behind Hytale: In 2018, Minecraft was in a difficult phase: hackers made the game unsafe, and content creators were looking for new content. Although Minecraft still attracted many players, the big hype seemed to be over.
Hytale aimed to do everything better: an adventure mode, RPG battles, strong integration of the modding community, as well as anti-cheat, all in appealing graphics. A release was planned for 2021, with 2.5 million players signing up for the planned beta.
Behind Hytale was Hypixel Studios, a developer studio of the people behind the eponymous Minecraft server, known primarily for its mini-games. We previously reported on the project.
In 2020, Riot acquired the company but allowed it to continue operating as an independent studio. At that time, Hytale was supposed to be nearly finished, but apparently, the Corona pandemic got in the way like with so many things. Therefore, the game was postponed to 2023.
However, in 2022, the developers announced that they wanted to completely redevelop the Hytale engine and switch from Java to C++. This postponed the release indefinitely. Since then, the game has gone quiet.
While there are still occasional small snippets in the form of screenshots or a clip here and there, major updates from the developers occur only twice a year: in summer and winter.
You can watch the entire video by Casual Curious here:
A victim of its own hype?
What is behind it? As the YouTuber shows, it seems that no one was as surprised by the hype around the game as the developers themselves. In a blog post from November 2019, the devs explained that the massive reaction “changed everything.”
Due to the hype, they were able to gain new partnerships, but at the same time, the team’s expectations of themselves and the game also increased. They only had one chance to make a good first impression. The developers apparently wanted to ensure that Hytale meets expectations upon release.
Casual Curious therefore suspects that the developers initially planned to release Hytale as an “Early Access” title and gradually add all the promised features. However, since millions of people were waiting for the game and expectations were enormous, that probably became impossible.
To make matters worse, Minecraft has once again flourished since 2019 and has received numerous updates and improvements during this time. What was supposed to set Hytale apart from the original now seems far less special in comparison.
At the same time, the demand for an alternative has also decreased. The Hypixel server itself is thriving as well. According to Casual Curious, several million US dollars are earned there annually through in-game currency. Thus, Hytale is no longer needed.
What is the current status? Most recently, the developers reported on December 17, 2024, in the Dev Blog on the official website. They report on the progress of the switch to the new engine and an internal playtest.
Game Director John Hendricks also gives a preview of the coming year. After the successful internal test, gameplay and content are to be brought into the new engine. In the first half of the year, they want to focus on competitive and creative elements.
In the second half of 2025, the focus will then be on the adventure mode and social aspects. Playtests are also planned for this period.
Ultimately, Hypixel, should a release ever occur, will face similar hurdles as other new games trying to compete against established genre rivals.
These challenges contributed to the recent failure of Sony’s major new hero shooter. You can read more about it here on MeinMMO: Why did Concord fail so badly on Steam and PS5 and cost Sony $250 million for a woke disaster?
