Hytale Launches in Early Access, Tops Twitch Charts

Hytale, the long-awaited sandbox adventure game from Hypixel Studios, launched in early access on January 13, 2026, drawing a massive influx of players and streamers on its debut day. Developed by the team behind the popular Minecraft server Hypixel, the title quickly climbed to the top of Twitch viewership charts, peaking at over 420,000 concurrent viewers and briefly becoming the platform's most-watched game category, second only to Just Chatting.

The game's surge in popularity reflects years of anticipation built around its promise of expansive worlds, crafting, and community-driven content. By midday on launch, Hytale had settled at around 260,000 viewers, still leading all video games and ranking third overall behind Just Chatting and a soccer league stream. Hypixel Studios co-founder Simon Collins-Laflamme predicted one million players on day one, a figure the studio has yet to confirm officially. Early reports indicate the game has already generated enough revenue to fund two additional years of development, underscoring its immediate commercial success.

Hytale's journey to release has been marked by dramatic twists. First announced in 2018 with a trailer that generated...