In 2013, a pair of Minecraft players created a multiplayer server called Hypixel. By 2016, the server had reached over 10 million unique players, and work had begun on a standalone title named Hytale. A tumultuous development cycle followed, with the studio being purchased by Riot Games, then dropped, only for the server's original creator, Simon Collins-Laflamme, to buy everything back.
The game, which is an evolution of Minecraft with a slightly different, smoother art style, has been an overwhelming success, reaching 2.8 million players on its early access launch day.
As the song goes, though, "it's the circle of life, and it moves us all", and that's the motto one Hytale player is living by, as they're currently creating a mod that makes the Minecraft-inspired title look more like Minecraft.
While Hytale's initial popularity is undeniable, there have been some complaints suggesting that, in its current state, the game is little more than a fancy Minecraft texture pack.
It's been in development for roughly 10 years now, but the twists and turns of development have left the game far from finished — hence the early access launch. But as some players settle into their new Hytale life,...
