Riot Ends Hytale Development & Shuts Down Hypixel Studios

Hytale first made waves in 2018, but it had already been in the works for a few years. It was meant to be a mix of Minecraft-style building and RPG mechanics, with procedurally generated worlds, dungeons, and tons of modding options.

Riot Games bought Hypixel in 2020, adding some serious firepower behind the scenes. At one point, Hytale was targeting a 2021 release. That got pushed to 2023… then delayed again.

As time went on, the team kept aiming higher. The engine was rebuilt, features were expanded, and expectations kept climbing. But the game never caught up to its vision.

“We looked at cutting scope, changing timelines, trying different approaches—but nothing felt right,” Noxy said. “Anything less would’ve meant watering down what made Hytale exciting in the first place.”

Riot’s response

While Riot owns Hypixel Studios, Noxy made it clear they weren’t to blame. In fact, he thanked Riot for their support over the years, especially during the shutdown process. He said Riot is offering generous severance and helping staff find new jobs.

Hypixel Studios had more than 70 employees worldwide, but it’s not clear how many are being let go. The team also tried to find outside investors or buyers to keep Hytale alive, but that didn’t work out either.

Hytale alternative

If you liked the idea behind Hytale and were looking forward to its Minecraft-style RPG gameplay, I’d recommend checking out the Prominence modpack on CurseForge. I played it last year and thought it did a great job with features like talent points, unique biomes, and challenging boss fights. That said, it’s not without its flaws. Melee builds feel pretty underpowered; most bosses are clearly designed with ranged combat in mind. And the Fire Mage spec was definitely overpowered, thanks to two different fire-boosting mods included in the pack. Still, if you’re looking for a fun and well-rounded RPG experience in Minecraft, it’s worth a try.