Hytale Early Access Release Date Revealed — The Sandbox Often Compared to Minecraft

Hypixel Studios has announced the exact early access release date for Hytale, the sandbox game that’s often compared to Minecraft. Interestingly, the game was first announced back in 2018, but development was put on hold this June. Recently, however, the project was revived.

Hytale is set to launch in early access on January 13, 2026. At first, the game will only be available on PC (Windows), with Linux and macOS versions possibly coming later. The standard edition will be priced at $19.99.

Previously, the developers warned that the early version of Hytale will have plenty of bugs and unfinished features, so players should be prepared for a long road ahead. According to preliminary information, the early access period is expected to last several years.

The team has reverted to a four-year-old version of the game that was previously abandoned and has committed to personally funding its development for years to come. The new strategy abandons the completely overhauled cross-platform engine in favor of the older build, requiring the merging of over 300 GitHub branches into a single working version—a major engineering feat completed in time for the early access launch.

Hytale and Hypixel Studios are independent once again, and the project is returning to the original vision shown in the 2018 trailer. Some aspects of the game may look dated, but the team promises rapid progress and aims to develop Hytale into the game fans have always dreamed of.

Modding and creative tools are already available for use. Since the project’s revival, more than 40 former team members have returned, bringing the total staff to 50. Players will be able to follow the development process in real time.

By the way, a detailed comparison between Hytale and Minecraft recently surfaced online.