Riot Games closes Hypixel Studios and cancels Hytale
, by Thibaut
It's very bad news from Riot Games this week. The American company known for League of Legends has decided to close Hypixel Studios.
For the record, this team had been formed on the basis of the one behind the Minecraft server named Hypixel Network. Released in April 2013, it contained numerous mini-games and managed to gather 14.1 million unique players in five years. So much so, that a fully-fledged video game called Hytale was announced at the time. Riot Games financed the project before deciding to buy the studio in 2020.
The sandbox game was eagerly awaited at the time... but it never saw the light of day. On X, Hypixel CEO “Noxy” made official the studio's closure and the abandonment of the project.
"Today, I shared some incredibly tough news with the Hypixel Studios team: we’re ending development on Hytale and beginning the process of winding down Hypixel Studios over the next few months."
"This is not the outcome any of us - at Hypixel or at Riot - wanted. But after years of pushing forward, adapting, and exploring every possible path, it became clear we couldn’t bring Hytale to life in a way that truly delivered on its promise."
In addition, Noxy gave more details on the complexity of development following the reboot of the game's engine. The team needed more time to make meaningful progress.
"We looked at reducing scope, adjusting timelines, and finding new angles to keep moving forward. But each of those options would have meant compromising on what made Hytale special in the first place. It wouldn’t have been the game we set out to make. And it wouldn’t have been the game you deserve."
Note that this decision does not affect the Hypixel server on Minecraft.