Five months after shutting down the studio working on Hytale, Riot Games has transferred the project back to its original co-founder, Simon Collins-Laflamme. This marks a new chapter for the game, with development resuming under an independent team.
Return to Original Vision
Collins-Laflamme, who originally co-created Hytale, has rehired over 30 developers with deep knowledge of the game. More hires are anticipated as he brings back the original vision for the game. Despite its challenges, Collins-Laflamme is committed to personally funding the game’s development for the next decade. The team's first target is to launch an early access version to engage the community actively.
History and Future Plans
Hytale was initially revealed in 2018, and the game was seen as promising until delays affected its release. Hypixel Studios, the original developer, was acquired by Riot Games in 2020. After the acquisition, plans for an early access launch were dropped, and the project was eventually halted. However, with Collins-Laflamme reacquiring the rights, there is renewed hope for fans of the game. Even though the game is currently 'messy' and 'janky', according to Collins-Laflamme, he aims to work closely with the gaming community to refine it.
Hypixel co-founder Noxy, who served as CEO under Riot, expressed gratitude that Hytale will live on but stated he will not be rejoining the team. Despite previous setbacks, the new development phase begins with optimism and a direct focus on community involvement.
