Hytale Early Access Release Date Announced: Coming January 2026

Hypixel Studios has finally announced the early access release date for their long-awaited sandbox game Hytale. The game will launch on Steam Early Access on January 13, 2026.

Pre-Orders Open December 13

Pre-orders for Hytale will open on December 13, 2025 for those who wish to secure the game ahead of launch. However, the studio has urged players not to rush into a purchase. In their announcement, Hypixel Studios emphasized this is “true early access,” stressing that the game remains very much unfinished and will contain bugs for some time.

The studio cautioned: “If you don’t feel comfortable pre-ordering, please don’t,” asking players to be patient. The team reaffirmed their commitment to making Hytale the game they’ve always envisioned it to be.

If you don’t feel comfortable pre-ordering, please don’t. This is true early access, meaning it’s still very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while, but you have the team’s commitment to make Hytale the game we’ve always wanted it to be.

After a Tumultuous Development Journey

Hytale’s development has been particularly turbulent. After its initial announcement in 2018, the game fell into years of silence. Earlier this year, publisher Riot Games announced the project’s cancellation. Following extensive negotiations by the Hypixel development team, the rights to Hytale were reclaimed from Riot Games, allowing development to resume.

In their statement, Hypixel Studios reflected: “Hytale has been through a long journey, and soon, we will be home.” The team confirmed that more details will be shared in the coming weeks.