Hypixel Inc., the company behind the massively popularMinecraftserver of the same name, announced in late 2018 that it was working onHytale, its first-ever standalone video game.Hytalewas described as a voxel-based sandbox game with procedurally-generated worlds that players could freely explore and build in. It was, in every sense, intended to be a direct competitor toMinecraft. Unlike Mojang’s blockbuster title, however,Hytalehad a distinctly fantasy-inspired setting, and it was said to feature RPG mechanics in its combat. Hypixel Inc. claimed that the game would be filled with unique biomes, dungeons, and mobs, as well as minigames akin to the ones in the HypixelMinecraftserver.
Hytaleimmediately caught the attention of manyMinecraftfans, with the announcement trailer for the game receiving over 31 million views on YouTube. After it blew up in popularity, Riot Games, the Tencent-backed company behindLeague of Legends, expressed great interest inHytaleanddecided to acquire Hypixel Studios, the subsidiary of Hypixel Inc. that was working on the game, in April 2020.Riot and Hypixel Studios were originally eyeing a 2021 launch forHytale, but after it was hit by delay after delay, the companies decided to scrap the game entirely. WithHytalescrapped,Minecraft’s spot on the throne will likely go uncontested for a long time to come.
Now that Hytale is Out of the Picture, A Major Competitor to Minecraft Likely Won’t be Released Anytime Soon
Hytale Has Been Canceled After Being in Development for 10 Years
Earlier this week, Hypixel Studios announced thatHytalehad officially been canceled. As a result of this decision, the company confirmed that it would be shut down in the coming months, as well. Despite being in development for approximately a decade, Hypixel Studios said that it hadn’t made enough progress onHytaleand couldn’t bring the game “to life in a way that truly delivered on its promise.“Hytale, it seemed, was far too ambitious for its own good, and the developers of the title weren’t able to create a cohesive vision for it in the end.
The abrupt cancellation ofHytaleis frankly surprising in more ways than one. Hypixel Studios released an extensive development update on the game only a few months ago, and it even had plans to release a beta for it in the near future. On top of all this, the company’s acquisition by Riot Games had seemingly provided a massive safety net forboth it andHytale. With all the backing it had received from Riot, Hypixel Studios could’ve realized its plans forHytalewithout having to compromise them due to budgetary restraints. In spite of all these advantages, though, the company still wasn’t able to bring its game out of development hell.
Unlike Other Minecraft Clones, Hytale Could Have Given Minecraft Some Serious Competition
Out of all the upcoming sandbox games out there,Hytalereally felt like the only title that could have legitimately competed withMinecraft. Although it’s highly unlikely that it would have ever come close toselling as well as Mojang’s hit sandbox title did,Hytalelooked like the most comprehensive alternative toMinecraftout there. It was supposed to contain pretty much everything thatMinecraftoffered, including extensive mod support and multiplayer servers, in addition to a plethora of other features. Now that it’s been canceled, however, the chances of a serious contender toMinecraftever being made have become very slim.
While there areplenty ofMinecraftclonesout there, most of them haven’t gained enough popularity to make a significant impact on the sandbox genre. Many of these titles have been designed for mobile platforms first and foremost, and they usually don’t have the same depth asMinecraftin most regards. There’s been a notable lack of AAAMinecraftcompetitors in the industry, as well; so far, the majority ofMinecraftclones have been created by independent developers with relatively limited budgets. As a blockbuster project that was being funded by a massive company like Riot Games,Hytalehad the best chance at breaking into the mainstream and stealing some ofMinecraft’s spotlight. Unfortunately, though, no upcoming sandbox game will probably be able to achieve this goal anytime soon.
