Over 10 years ago, the team behind the popular Minecraft multiplayer server known as "Hypixel" decided to embark on creating their own Minecraft-style game called Hytale, but after multiple years of delays, the game was officially cancelled in June 2025. Then, miraculously, the game's original co-founder purchased the IP from Riot Games, re-hired a bunch of developers, and planned Hytale's early access launch for January 13th of 2026.
That launch obviously happened yesterday, and it seems to have been a ridiculous success — it's been suggested that Hytale had a concurrent player count of almost 3 million at one point, and it was also the most-watched game on Twitch (for a period), with 420,000 people tuning into streams of it.
Hytale is a PC-only game as things stand, but it's been suggested that an Xbox release is planned. In the official Hytale FAQ, the team mentions that a console version will arrive "at a later stage", but not until after early access.
"The early access of Hytale will only be on PC (MAC and Linux still TBD). We are planning for a console release at a later stage, but this requires a lot of work on backend systems to make this a reality, so its not something we want to invest resources into right now. For now, we would like to focus on making a good game first."
It hasn't been confirmed how long early access will last, but it sounds like they want to put a lot of effort into enhancing the experience, so we wouldn't be surprised if Hytale doesn't get a native Xbox console release until at least 2027 or 2028. In the meantime, the only official Xbox device you can play it on is the ROG Xbox Ally handheld.
That's probably music to Xbox's ears right now, of course, as Hytale is surely considered a competitor to Minecraft!
We'll be back in the future when Hytale (hopefully) gets announced for Xbox with a release date, but for now, you can check out more details on the game along with some early access screenshots below:
Set out on an adventure built for both creation and play. Hytale blends the freedom of a sandbox with the momentum of an RPG: explore a procedurally generated world full of dungeons, secrets, and a variety of creatures, then shape it block by block. Our Early Access release focuses on polished core systems - exploration, responsive combat, and robust building - alongside creator‑first tools for making your own content, crafting minigames, and running community servers. Jump in, make your mark, and help us grow this world together!