Hytale is Saved: Riot Games Sells Sandbox Game Back to Original Founder

Hytale's development began in early 2015 by Hypixel Studios, a team based on the popular Minecraft multiplayer server, Hypixel.

Initially, the studio was self-funded from server revenue, demonstrating its immense potential and strong community support early on.

However, as time passed and the project's ambitions grew, Hypixel Studios received financial backing from Riot Games.

Ultimately, Riot Games acquired Hypixel Studios in full in April 2020.

This acquisition was expected to provide Riot Games with experience in developing and publishing player-focused games, as well as providing long-term funding and expanded development capabilities.

The excitement for Hytale was palpable from the release of its announcement trailer in December 2018.

The trailer garnered over 31 million views in just one month.

Since then, fans have been eagerly awaiting further development.

After years of extensive development, vision changes, and team expansion, shocking news came from Riot Games.

On June 23, 2025, they announced the cancellation of Hytale's development and the closure of Hypixel Studios.

This decision came after over a decade of development efforts, citing the game's overly ambitious nature and the difficulty of realizing the original vision.

Riot Games stated that while the Hytale team had created a wealth of incredible content under their leadership, continuing development in its current form no longer made sense.

This cancellation naturally sparked a strong backlash from the player community who had long anticipated the game's release.

This massive and disappointed community reaction prompted Simon Collins-Laflamme, the original founder of Hytale, to take action.

He declared his intention to buy back the game from Riot Games, a move that ultimately came to fruition and ushered in a new era for the game's future.

On November 17, 2025, Collins-Laflamme confirmed the successful reacquisition of the intellectual property rights to Hytale.

Riot Games supported the move, stating that the sale would give the community "the best opportunity to experience a revised version of the game."

Riot Games CEO Dylan Jadeja emphasized their commitment to players, hoping the transition would be positive.

Collins-Laflamme wasn't alone in this rescue effort; Philippe Touchette, another Hypixel co-founder, also funded the project and helped arrange the financing for the acquisition.

Hypixel Studios now operates as a fully independent, self-funded studio, with a 10-year commitment of private funding, ensuring development stability.

Following the acquisition, more than 30 previously laid-off hytale developers have been rehired, with more expected to join.

The revived team plans to "return to hytale's original vision," which has been a point of contention for years.

One crucial decision was to abandon the "Cross-platform Engine" developed over the past three years and return to the earlier "Legacy Engine," which is considered better suited for game development.

Collins-Laflamme admits that Hytale in its current state is "messy," "awkward," and "a lot of work to be done."

However, their plan is to release it "as soon as possible," likely in early access.

The early access version will include Exploration Mode, Creative Mode, and Modding, with features like minigames and Adventure Mode to be added later.

The game will initially be released for Windows, with macOS and Linux support coming later.

The early access period is expected to last "at least a few years," with promises of frequent updates, transparent patch notes, and community involvement in development, all in the interest of shaping Hytale into something truly special.