It seems like forever since the announcement trailer for Haytale was posted on YouTube. Since then, Riot Games took over the project, worked on it for a few months, and shelved it indefinitely before selling it back to the original team, Hypixel Studios. Now, just a few months after re-acquiring their game, Hypixel Studios has announced the Hytale Early Access, and here’s everything you need to know about it.
Hytale Early Access Release Date & Countdown
According to a blog post shared on their website and their official Twitter/X profile, Hytale Early Access will go live at 10 AM EST on January 13, 2026. Players can pre-purchase the game via the Hytale Store to play the Early Access.
Follow the Early Access release countdown below and scroll down to see how to play.
How to Play Hytale Early Access
Hytale’s Early Access is for PC only. That means, only Windows, Mac, and Linux users will get to play Hytale on launch. Players on every other platform, including consoles (PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo Switch, Streamdeck) and mobile phones, will have to wait.
You also won’t see the game on Steam. It can only be played by purchasing the Early Access Editions from the Hytale Store.
Here’s a quick overview of all three Hytale Editions, their prices, and what you’ll get.
| Edition | Price* | What You Get |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Edition | $11.34 | Game Access Username Reservation Lock Exclusive Standard Cape Forest Guardian Set Voyager Set Savanna Scout Set Future Content |
| Supporter Edition | $19.86 | Game Access Username Reservation Lock Everything from Standard Exclusive Supporter Capes Featherbound Set Scavenger Set Arctic Scout Set Explorer Goggles Future Content |
| Cursebreaker Edition | $39.71 | Game Access Username Reservation Lock Everything from Standard Everything from Supporter Exclusive Cursebreaker Capes Hope of Gaia Set Void Hero Set Pop Star Set Voidbearer Set Future Content |
Once you purchase any edition, everything you get will permanently stay on your account during and after the early access period. You can also upgrade your editions later on if you want. Cursebreaker is the ultimate edition up for grabs right now.
There is also a Mix and Match option, which allows you to handpick certain features from each Hytale Edition and make your own bundle.
As you purchase any edition, you’ll be walked through the process of downloading the official Hytale Game Client that will help you download and install the game on your PC.
Before you decide to pre-purchase the Hytale Early Access, make sure you go through the system requirements listed below.
Hytale Minimum System Requirements
| Specification | Minimum Requirement |
|---|---|
| OS | 64-bit Windows 10 (version 1809) 64-bit Windows 11 Linux x64-architecture (Kernel 6.15) Apple Silicon with macOS Tahoe (26.0) |
| GPU |
Integrated: Intel UHD Graphics 620 OR AMD Radeon Vega 6 OR Apple M1 (any variant) Dedicated: NVIDIA GTX 900 Series OR AMD Radeon 400 Series OR Intel Arc A-Series |
| RAM |
Singleplayer [Dedicated GPU]: 8 GB Singleplayer [Integrated GPU]: 12 GB Multiplayer-only: 8 GB |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-7500 (or equivalent) AMD Ryzen 3 1200 (or equivalent) Apple M1 (any variant) |
| Storage | SATA SSD with 10 GB of free space |
| Network | 2 Mbit/s download for multiplayer (UDP/QUIC) |
All Hytale Gamemodes Available in Early Access
Hytale during Early Access will allow players to enjoy the following game modes/content:
- Exploration Mode: Traverse Orbis, explore different regions and biomes, talk to NPCs, gather materials, and have fun.
- Creative Mode: Made by builders for builders. Design and construct your own landscapes, buildings, biomes, and even entire worlds. The only limit is your imagination.
- Modding: Use Hytale’s in-built systems, create unique experiences within Hytale by altering anything and everything.
Adventure Mode and the Hytale Minigames won’t be available during Early Access. Players who want to play these modes might have to wait until the full release or at least a few patch updates.
Why is Hytale Not Available on Steam
As mentioned earlier, Hytale will not be available on Steam during Early Access. An Executive Director of Hytale, Patrick Derbic, addresses a question about their Steam policy in an FAQ Blog and said: “Steam is a great platform and marketing tool, but one that we might never need.”
He also said that “Steam currently doesn’t support some of our modding features…” which could be a main reason for Hytale not coming to Steam anytime soon. However, Patrick hasn’t completely shut the door in Steam’s face just yet. The Hypixel team is discussing things with Valve, and things might change in the future.
Hytale FAQ
The Hytale Early Access is expected to last at least a few years. As per Hypixel, the team is in no rush to put out a 1.0 version.
No, there are currently no plans to release Hytale for mobile. Early Access will definitely not be available on any mobile platform.
Yes, Hytale can be played solo. There is a Single-player mode as well as a Multiplayer mode. You can play the game solo in both Single-player and Multiplayer servers.
Hytale will be playable on Mac and Linux from the Early Access launch day. However, console gamers will have to wait indefinitely.
Hytale will not have crossplay support in Early Access. As the game releases for consoles and other platforms, crossplay will be added too.
Early Access will not have pets/animal taming as the features are not ready to roll out just yet. However, taming will be added with future updates.
Once the Hytale Early Access comes out, we'll be putting out more helpful guides about the game. So, make sure to check back our Guides section when Hytale releases.
