Hytale Is Officially Canceled as Hypixel Studios Disbands
After years of anticipation and speculation, Hytale, the highly ambitious sandbox-RPG inspired by Minecraft, has been officially canceled. Alongside this announcement, Hypixel Studios, the team behind the game, is being disbanded. The news was formally shared via a heartfelt post on the official Hytale website, where Director Aaron Donaghey opened up about the difficult decision to shut down the project.
"Game development is brutally hard—especially when you’re trying to build something original that speaks to a creative, passionate community," Donaghey wrote. "Over time, as our vision evolved and the genre matured around us, the bar kept rising... It became clear we’d need a lot more time to get it to a place where it could support the ambitious vision for the game."
Despite undergoing a major engine reboot and exploring alternatives like scaling down the scope or shifting timelines, Hypixel ultimately concluded that any of those compromises would result in a product that failed to live up to the original promise and the community's expectations.
An End to a Dream—What Hytale Could Have Been
Originally revealed in 2018, Hytale was envisioned as a procedurally generated sandbox world filled with RPG-style dungeons, block-based building mechanics, and extensive modding tools—all set within a fantasy adventure context. It captured global attention with its promise of combining Minecraft’s freedom with deeper gameplay mechanics. Riot Games, the publisher behind League of Legends and Valorant, believed in the project enough to acquire Hypixel Studios in April 2020.
Sadly, even with Riot’s support, the project failed to hit critical milestones. Hypixel Studios expressed deep gratitude to Riot Games for their handling of the situation, especially for their generous severance packages and transition resources provided to the team.
“They supported us in going out into the world to see if there were investors or acquirers who could continue to help carry Hytale forward,” Hypixel shared. “And now, as we begin winding things down, they’re ensuring our team is supported... It’s not just thoughtful—it’s human.”
What’s Next?
While the dream of Hytale is no more, Hypixel did confirm that the original Hypixel Minecraft server will remain operational. The server, which started it all, remains a thriving community space for players and will not be impacted by the studio’s closure.
This cancellation marks a somber moment for fans who have been following Hytale for nearly a decade, holding out hope through multiple delays and silence. Despite never releasing, the game leaves behind a legacy of ambition, community excitement, and a reminder of the immense challenges of building something new in a genre dominated by one of the most iconic games of all time.
Were you excited for Hytale? How do you feel about this cancellation after so many years of anticipation? Share your thoughts below and let’s talk.
