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- Application for time to catch up: Minecraft's heir has become a phenomenon in Russia
Application for time to catch up: Minecraft's heir has become a phenomenon in Russia
"Like Minecraft, only better" is the definition most often used in relation to Hytale, and it very accurately reflects the essence of a fresh game. It was released on PC in early access on January 13, attracted almost 3 million players worldwide on the very first day and has already created a cult around itself. The game is available to Russian users without any regional restrictions, which immediately affected its distribution: videos and streams in Russian hit YouTube trends in a matter of days, collecting millions of views. Guides, reviews, and letsplays are actively distributed on the Runet, many of which are aimed at schoolchildren, the main target audience of the game. Izvestia tells how the creators of Hytale managed to overthrow the king who had been sitting on the throne for a few days.
The long road to release and conflict with a major publisher
Hytale's story began as an ambitious project by Hypixel Studios, a team that grew out of the most popular Minecraft server in the world. Already the first announcements of the game caused a stir: the developers promised to combine the classic "sandbox" with a full-fledged adventure RPG gameplay, focused on both single-player and cooperative play. The success of the Hypixel server with its myriad mini-games proved that the authors were serious.
In 2020, Hypixel Studios was acquired by Riot Games— the developer of League of Legends. At that time, the deal was perceived as a step towards guaranteed success, but after several years of concept revisions and postponements, Riot decided to close the project. This caused a sharp reaction in the gaming community: Hytale was considered a potential hit, and its freezing was an example of how a major publisher abandons an unconventional and risky product.
The turning point was the return of the rights to Hypixel Studios in November 2025, which resumed development and brought the project to release, focusing on the original vision of the game and the demands of the community. According to data for 2024, the game's budget exceeded $20 million, and it was able to recapture it in the very first hours after the start of sales.
What is Hytale in terms of gameplay
Unlike Minecraft, where the player actually comes up with their own goals, Hytale initially offers a more structured experience. It is based on a procedurally generated fantasy world divided into biomes and so—called adventure zones, each with its own enemies, resources, and story events.
For example, in one zone, the player can explore snow—covered territories, fighting aggressive creatures and defending NPC settlements, and in the other, descend into dungeons with traps, puzzles and bosses. However, quests are not limited to a simple "bring an item": tasks can include stealth missions, base defense, character escorts, or multi-player cooperative raids.
The combat system is also noticeably different from Minecraft. Players use different types of weapons, from swords and bows to magic staffs and artifacts, and opponents have unique patterns of behavior. Some enemies retreat when their health is low, while others use the environment or call for reinforcements, which adds tactical depth and makes the battles less monotonous.
Construction, fashion, and creative freedom
Hytale does not abandon the key element of the genre — construction. Players can still build bases, cities, and complex mechanisms out of blocks, but the tools have become noticeably more convenient. The system allows you to quickly copy and edit structures, use blanks, and combine manual construction with ready-made scenarios.
A special emphasis is placed on user-generated content. The built—in editor allows you to create your own game modes, from mini-RPGs to competitive arenas and story maps. Already in the first days after the release, custom modes with elements of survival, horror, and even tactical turn-based combat began to appear in the game, which is actively discussed in the Russian segment of gaming communities.
It is this combination — the "default" storyline adventure and the almost unlimited freedom for modifications — that makes Hytale especially attractive to streamers, bloggers, and a school audience focused on playing together with friends.
Without restrictions
Hytale is officially available in Russia without regional blockages, server restrictions, or functionality. In Russia, users can freely log into the game, use online modes, upload user content, and participate in international servers. This distinguishes Hytale favorably from a number of other major releases in recent years, which Russians have limited access to.
The lack of barriers and the rapid localization of the community played a key role in the popularity of the game among schoolchildren and teenagers. Many of them get to know Hytale through Russian-speaking bloggers, and then move on to independent play, involving friends and classmates. Fortunately, the co-founders of the studio, Simon Collins-Laflamme and Philippe Touchette, are not engaged in political campaigning and do not build obstacles for the Russian audience — and this is one of the important success factors of their debut project.
The entire Russian-language YouTube has been drowned in videos like "Hytale survival guide" or "stream cuts," with dozens and, in rare cases, hundreds of thousands of views. Hytale received a long pre-release campaign and a strong fan base formed before the release. Thanks to demo videos and test servers, where Russian streamers like Stint or Jesus were invited, the popularity of the game in Russia was already high when the official launch took place.
Another important factor was the availability of the game on popular platforms and the availability of partial Russian localization. This allowed the Russian audience to easily get involved in the game from the very first days, although in fact work on the finalizing of the Russian language in Hytale continues. Another important factor was the invitation of the authors to look for bugs and software glitches — they are ready to pay up to $ 25 thousand for them, and without regional restrictions. In other words, Russians are also included in the race for financial enrichment.
The potential of a new phenomenon
Analysts emphasize that the main issue now is audience retention in the long term. To do this, developers will have to regularly expand story zones, add new enemies, events, and modding tools.
Nevertheless, Hytale is already showing a rare path for the industry: a project closed by a major publisher was actually saved by its own team and managed to successfully enter the market. For a Russian player who has long been familiar with Minecraft, Hytale offers a more focused, intense and adventurous gaming experience — and this is what allows it to claim the status of a new flagship of the genre. Apparently, Hytale does not intend to slow down.
Переведено сервисом «Яндекс Переводчик»
