Hytale might just be Minecraft 2 one day, but the road there could be a bumpy ride

After quite a bit of time spent in development limbo, the procedurally-generated survival game Hytale is finally due to release in early access tomorrow, and the hype is palpable.

After being reacquired by original creator Simon Collins-Laflamme, Hytale has gone back to the drawing board and rolled back the clock several years in its development. In November, Collins-Laflamme said Hypixel Studios had “revived the project” and was “returning to a four-year-old legacy build that had been abandoned.”

Image via Hypixel Studios

This means that the game is going to likely feel a bit glitchy and potentially problematic when Hytale goes live tomorrow, Jan. 12, at 9am CT. Still, I’m quite excited to try it out as soon as possible, as are gamers the world over who are buying in early to help the game’s development.

According to an announcement today from Collins-Laflamme, Hypixel has secured the next two years of development costs for the game through pre-purchases alone. So, that is to say, there’s a high amount of players who are ready to dive in on day one, and likely more who will come in over time if things go well (Collins-Laflamme said they’re expecting over one million players on day one).

And while the hype is high, it’s worth heeding some earlier words of Collins-Laflamme himself from an announcement in November: “The first impression will be rough, but the path ahead matters more,” he said.

“If you don’t feel comfortable pre-ordering, please don’t,” Collins-Laflamme said. “This is true early access, meaning it’s still very much unfinished and will be buggy for a while, but you have my and the team’s commitment to make Hytale the game we’ve always wanted it to be.”

This is not going to be Minecraft 2, as many have taken to calling it—at least not tomorrow. It may very well be the next big pixel-style survival game with varied biomes, crafting, farming, and more, but this is going to be a process that may be painful at times. Because of this, as the dev said, gamers should only buy in if they’re ready to be along for the ride of its making.

“Modding and creative tools are in a decent state; however, they’re not where we want them long term,” he said. “That being said, they’re ready for players who want to create content on day one. This is a good moment for modders, server owners, and creators to step in early! They will play a significant role in Hytale’s future.”

Image via Hypixel Studios

I’ve pre-ordered the basic edition of the game, myself, and Hypixel offers gamers the choice to upgrade to other editions later. Thinking about Hytale’s potential really excites me, so I’m already quite hyped for tomorrow, regardless of the game’s current state.

Early access launch for Hytale will be an interesting morning for those who bought in, and Hypixel especially, but it’s just the start of what could be a very exciting journey over the next several years.

Are you buying in to Hytale early access, or are you waiting to see more? Let us know in the comments and be ready for the game’s launch tomorrow morning.

Destructoid is supported by our audience. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn a small affiliate commission. Learn more about our Affiliate Policy