The cancelled Minecraft rival Hytale might be coming back from the dead. Recent activity on Hytale.com has sparked intense speculation within the gaming community that Simon Collins-Laflamme, the game’s original co-founder, may have successfully acquired the rights from Riot Games and is preparing to relaunch the project he helped create.
Hytale was officially cancelled in June 2025 after a decade of development, with Hypixel Studios shutting down and laying off approximately 150 employees. The ambitious sandbox RPG, which once generated massive hype with its announcement trailer racking up over 60 million YouTube views, couldn’t overcome technical challenges and an ever-expanding scope despite significant investment from Riot Games. But Simon Collins-Laflamme publicly stated his intention to buy back the game and finish it with $25 million of his own money.
What the Website Changes Reveal
Observers tracking Hytale.com noticed significant changes to the website’s hosting infrastructure in recent months. In September 2025, the site briefly displayed a basic “fresh install” landing page, the kind that appears when someone sets up web hosting software before configuring actual content. This sparked immediate speculation that ownership was transferring from Riot to Simon.
Community members with web hosting experience recognized the page as a default Apache or similar web server installation screen. One Reddit user explained that this appears when all original files are deleted and replaced with a clean installation, suggesting someone new was taking control of the domain and preparing to rebuild the website from scratch.
Cloudflare Configuration Changes
Additional technical changes included Cloudflare error pages themed with Hytale branding appearing when users tried to access the site. These temporary errors indicated backend work was happening, possibly related to transferring hosting services or changing DNS configurations. Such disruptions are common when website ownership changes hands or when major infrastructure updates occur.
The fact that someone took the time to create custom Cloudflare error pages with Hytale theming suggests whoever controls the domain cares about maintaining brand identity during the transition. This detail argues against the site simply falling into neglect or being abandoned by Riot after the cancellation.
Simon’s Ambitious Revival Plan
Simon Collins-Laflamme left Hypixel Studios shortly after Riot Games acquired the company in 2020. He disagreed with the direction development was taking under corporate ownership, believing the project was being over-engineered and losing sight of its original vision. Five years later, watching the game get cancelled proved his concerns were justified.
In statements following the cancellation announcement, Simon outlined a realistic plan to revive Hytale. His approach involves significant compromises compared to the ambitious scope that doomed the original project. He proposes launching in Early Access for PC only, cutting non-essential features, building modding tools from day one, and relying on community-driven content creation to expand the game post-launch.
The 25 Million Dollar Investment
Simon publicly committed to investing $25 million of his own money to complete Hytale, demonstrating serious financial backing beyond just talk. This investment would cover acquiring the intellectual property rights from Riot, hiring a lean development team, and funding production through an Early Access launch. The amount represents a fraction of what Riot spent during development, but Simon argues a smaller, more focused team can accomplish more than the bloated structure that existed previously.
His proposal specifically avoids the mistakes that plagued development under Riot. Instead of building a revolutionary new engine and creating every system from scratch, Simon suggests using existing technology and proven solutions. Rather than aiming for a perfect launch with all features complete, he advocates releasing a functional core experience and iterating based on player feedback.
What Went Wrong at Hypixel
Understanding why Hytale failed under Riot provides context for why Simon believes he can succeed. According to former developers and CEO Aaron Donaghey’s cancellation statement, the project suffered from scope creep, technical overcomplexity, and misaligned priorities between management and development staff.
Upper management reportedly cared more about building a games creation and monetization platform than delivering a compelling survival adventure experience. This led to resources being diverted toward systems that didn’t directly improve core gameplay. Meanwhile, on-the-ground developers wanted to create the perfect Minecraft successor but lacked clear direction, resulting in conflicting priorities and wasted effort.
The Engine Reboot Disaster
Perhaps the most damaging decision was the complete engine reboot undertaken partway through development. The team migrated from their original technology to a new C++ engine, essentially starting from scratch on fundamental systems. While the new engine offered theoretical advantages, the migration consumed years of development time and left the game in pre-beta state as of mid-2024.
By June 2025, Riot concluded that even with additional years and investment, the path to completing Hytale remained unclear. The company faced mounting pressure from its own financial struggles, having laid off hundreds of employees across multiple studios. Continuing to fund an uncertain project with no clear end date became untenable, leading to the cancellation decision.
Community Response and Support
The Hytale community has rallied behind Simon’s revival efforts. Over 1,500 fans signed a petition on Change.org asking Riot to either release a playable build or transfer rights to someone who would finish the game. Discord servers dedicated to Hytale remain active, with creators like KweebecCorner and Hytale News continuing to cover developments and keep hope alive.
Even notable figures outside the immediate Hytale community have expressed interest. Eric “ConcernedApe” Barone, creator of the massively successful indie game Stardew Valley, stated he would consider backing Simon if a clear plan emerged. Such endorsements from respected industry veterans lend credibility to the revival effort and suggest the project has genuine potential if properly managed.
What Fans Can Realistically Expect
Simon has been transparent about what a revived Hytale would and wouldn’t include at launch. Many features showcased in early trailers and concept art would be cut to prioritize a functional core game. The elaborate RPG storylines, multiple biomes, complex creature behaviors, and cinematic tools might not make it into initial releases.
Instead, Simon envisions launching with Creative Mode and basic survival mechanics, plus robust modding tools that allow the community to create content. This approach mirrors how games like Garry’s Mod and Roblox succeeded by empowering creators rather than building everything in-house. Once revenue starts flowing and the player base grows, additional features could be developed based on community feedback and financial resources.
The Riot Games Question
The biggest unknown remains whether Riot Games will actually sell Hytale to Simon. As of November 2025, Riot hasn’t publicly responded to his offer or commented on the website activity. The company is notoriously secretive about business dealings and rarely acknowledges rumors or speculation.
From Riot’s perspective, several factors could influence the decision. The intellectual property has no value sitting unused after cancellation, so selling it for a reasonable price makes business sense. However, Riot might worry about reputational damage if a stripped-down version launches and fails, reflecting poorly on their original investment. There’s also the question of whether Simon’s $25 million offer meets Riot’s valuation of the IP after spending significantly more during development.
Timing and Negotiations
If the website activity genuinely indicates an acquisition is happening or has already happened, negotiations would have been ongoing for months. These deals involve complex legal agreements, asset transfers, intellectual property rights, and potentially obligations to former employees or contractors. The fact that changes are visible to the public suggests the process is well advanced, though final agreements might not be signed yet.
Simon has hinted on social media that an official announcement could come “within a couple weeks,” though he’s been vague about exactly what that announcement entails. It could be news about acquiring the rights, a release window for Early Access, or simply updates about his plans. The gaming community is watching closely for any official confirmation from either Simon or Riot.
Lessons From Similar Revivals
Gaming history includes examples of cancelled projects being revived by passionate developers, though success rates vary. Pathologic 2 resurrected a cult classic through crowdfunding. System Shock received a remake after decades in limbo. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic 2 was improved by community patches years after abandonment. These precedents show revival is possible with proper resources and realistic expectations.
However, cautionary tales also exist. Mighty No. 9, intended as a spiritual successor to Mega Man, raised millions on Kickstarter but delivered a disappointing product. Duke Nukem Forever spent 15 years in development hell before releasing to terrible reviews. The key difference between successes and failures often comes down to scope management and leadership, areas where Simon claims to have learned from Hypixel’s mistakes.
FAQs
What is Hytale and why was it cancelled?
Hytale was a sandbox RPG game combining Minecraft-style building with structured adventure gameplay and robust modding tools. It was cancelled in June 2025 after a decade of development due to technical complexity, scope creep, and an inability to deliver on its ambitious vision despite Riot Games’ significant investment and a complete engine reboot.
Who is Simon Collins-Laflamme?
Simon Collins-Laflamme is one of Hypixel Studios’ original co-founders who left shortly after Riot Games acquired the company in 2020. He disagreed with the development direction under corporate ownership and has now proposed buying back the intellectual property to complete the game with a more focused approach and $25 million of personal investment.
What does the Hytale website activity indicate?
In September and November 2025, Hytale.com showed signs of hosting infrastructure changes including fresh installation pages and Cloudflare configuration updates. These technical changes suggest someone is taking control of the domain and preparing to relaunch the website, fueling speculation that Simon successfully negotiated with Riot Games to acquire the rights.
How would Simon’s version of Hytale differ from the original?
Simon proposes launching in Early Access for PC only with many non-essential features cut. His plan focuses on core Creative and survival modes with robust modding tools from day one, allowing the community to create content rather than building everything in-house. This represents a significant scope reduction compared to Hypixel’s original ambitious vision.
How much did Simon offer to pay for Hytale?
Simon publicly committed to investing $25 million of his own money to acquire Hytale and complete development. This amount would cover purchasing the intellectual property rights from Riot, hiring a development team, and funding production through an Early Access launch.
Has Riot Games responded to Simon’s offer?
As of November 2025, Riot Games has not publicly commented on Simon’s acquisition offer or the website activity. The company typically maintains secrecy around business negotiations and rarely acknowledges rumors or speculation about intellectual property deals.
When will Hytale be released if Simon acquires it?
Simon has suggested that with focused development and reduced scope, an Early Access version could launch within two years of acquiring the rights. However, no official timeline exists, and everything depends on whether Riot agrees to sell the intellectual property and how quickly development can restart.
Will the Hypixel Minecraft server be affected?
No, the Hypixel Minecraft server remains operational and unaffected by Hytale’s cancellation or potential revival. The server operates as a separate entity from Hypixel Studios and continues to attract millions of players despite the game studio’s closure.
Conclusion
The mysterious activity on Hytale.com represents the most tangible evidence yet that Simon Collins-Laflamme’s revival efforts might actually succeed. While website changes alone don’t confirm anything definitive, the technical details suggest serious preparation is underway for a relaunch rather than simple abandonment or decay. Combined with Simon’s public commitment, community support, and the fact that Riot has little reason to hold onto a cancelled project’s intellectual property, conditions seem favorable for a deal. Whether Simon can actually deliver on his promises after acquiring the rights remains another question entirely. His plan to launch in Early Access with reduced scope is pragmatic, but it also means the Hytale that eventually reaches players will be significantly different from what was originally promised. For the thousands of fans who have waited over a decade for this game, any version of Hytale is better than none at all. The coming weeks should provide clarity as Simon hinted at announcements happening soon. Until official confirmation arrives from either Simon or Riot, the gaming community will continue analyzing every website change and social media hint for clues about one of gaming’s most infamous cancelled projects potentially rising from the ashes.