Hypixel is asking users to download its launcher ahead of time to "reduce launch-day stress." Hytale has been on quite a development journey. After being acquired and subsequently shuttered by Riot Games, the original development team bought the Minecraft rival back and recommenced development in November 2025. On January 13, the title goes into early access, which the team acknowledges will be unpolished and full of bugs. Still, Hypixel--the developer behind one of the most popular Minecraft servers of all time--is expecting mammoth launch-day numbers, estimating "over 1 million" players. To that end, the studio is encouraging users to download the game's launcher ahead of time in order. Hypixel has already allowed mod creators early access to the game so they can research and develop the best Hytale mods for the early access release. Modders are adding new game modes, cosmetics, items, and quality-of-life improvements to the game, with more being added daily. When the game launches tomorrow, January 13, all of those mods will be available via Curseforge thanks to an agreement between the modding platform and Hypixel Studios. You can learn more about the game, including registrations and preorders, on the Hytale website. If you've already purchased Hytale, you can also download the launcher there. The Best Confirmed Hytale Mods So Far Hytale Dev Is Pricing The Game As "Aggressively Low As Possible" Canceled Minecraft Competitor Hytale Isn't Canceled After All