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The new sandbox game arrives next month
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(Image credit: Hypixel Studios)
The Minecraft-inspired sandbox RPG fans have waited nearly a decade for, Hytale, is finally set to launch into early access this upcoming January, but it turns out that fans aren't the only folks eager to play – so are Mojang developers themselves.
Well, at least Jens 'Jeb' Bergensten, the lead designer of Minecraft and chief creative officer of Mojang Studios, is. He reveals as much in a new online post, responding to questions on how he feels about Hytale's resurrection after Riot sold it back to Hypixel Studios – and how the community might see it as a "competitor" of sorts to Minecraft. "I'm looking forward to Hytale because I want to play it," Bergensten replies.
As for how he – and likely other Mojang developers – feel about it, Bergensten writes, "There are many Minecraft-like games, so I doubt it will change much for us." He's not wrong. The genre is overflowing with great titles, and it's not as though any of them have ever taken away from the 14-year-old charm Minecraft still boasts today. Plus, Hytale actually sort of has its origins in the sandbox gem, if you take Hypixel into account.
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Thank you! I'm looking forward to Hytale because I want to play it. There are many Minecraft-like games, so I doubt it will change much for us. On the second question, I'll repeat my answer that I won't comment on future development plans.
— @jebox.bsky.social (@jebox.bsky.social.bsky.social) 2025-12-01T17:22:08.112Z
For anyone unaware, Hypixel is a popular Minecraft server that hosts minigames and all sorts of chaos. If you've watched Technoblade in the past or other big names in the community, you might know about it – and its creators, Simon Collins-Laflamme and Philippe Touchette, are two of the masterminds leading Hytale. It's not an official spin-off by any means of the server or Minecraft itself, but its roots are certainly evident.
Neither Bergensten nor other excited fans will have to wait too long now to dive into the magical world of Hytale, thankfully. Its early access date was set last week, marked for January 2026. Seeing as it's already December now, that doesn't leave much time until the Minecraft-inspired sandbox RPG title from Hypixel Studios arrives – and when it does, I have a feeling it'll make quite the impact on the genre.
Hytale's returning owner has hatched a genuinely ingenious marketing strategy: repeatedly telling everyone the game "isn't good," but like, only for now
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Anna KoselkeSocial Links NavigationStaff WriterAfter spending years with her head in various fantastical realms' clouds, Anna studied English Literature and then Medieval History at the University of Edinburgh, going on to specialize in narrative design and video game journalism as a writer. She has written for various publications since her postgraduate studies, including Dexerto, Fanbyte, GameSpot, IGN, PCGamesN, and more. When she's not frantically trying to form words into coherent sentences, she's probably daydreaming about becoming a fairy druid and befriending every animal or she's spending a thousand (more) hours traversing the Underdark in Baldur's Gate 3. If you spot her away from her PC, you'll always find Anna with a fantasy book, a handheld video game console of some sort, and a Tamagotchi or two on hand.
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Hytale's returning owner has hatched a genuinely ingenious marketing strategy: repeatedly telling everyone the game "isn't good," but like, only for now
Fresh from bringing his canceled Minecraft competitor back from the dead, Hytale boss shares new gameplay footage as "a taste of things to come" – but there's still "a lot of work" to be done
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Hytale is priced so "aggressively low" that its returning owner is "taking on a considerable personal risk," but "charging more didn't feel right" because "I don't think the game is good yet"
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