Hytale Deploys Inaugural Update With New Npcs, Environmental Effects, And Gameplay Adjustments

The first Hytale update has arrived, delivering a combination of new content and a wide array of fixes and quality-of-life adjustments. Hypixel Studios announced its commitment to a rapid patching schedule to address issues and enhance the game. The initial early access period has been met with significant interest.

The Hytale launch day saw the game quickly climb to the top of Twitch viewership, drawing over 420,000 viewers across thousands of streams. This immediate reaction demonstrates the long-building anticipation for the title, which was first announced in 2018. The original reveal trailer has since surpassed 62 million views, translating that sustained attention directly into a successful launch.

"Welcome to the first Hytale update! Today, we are releasing new content alongside a range of fixes and quality-of-life improvements. We are committed to maintaining a rapid patching cadence to address issues and improve the game as quickly as possible." — The Hytale team

This update populates the underground jungle biome with new dinosaurs and other NPCs, which currently feature placeholder behaviors. To encounter these new inhabitants, players will need to generate new, unexplored areas of their world. The Devastated Lands sewers now feature proper atmospheric effects and creature spawns, and volcanic environmental effects have been added beneath volcanoes. A small but notable environmental fix includes the removal of an invisible filler block from a bench in the Forgotten Temple. The community has also begun creating its own lore, drawing from gaming history. A new mysterious figure, nicknamed ‘Hyrobrine,’ has emerged as a spiritual successor to Minecraft’s legendary Herobrine. Players are sharing images of this character, including a recreation of the original screenshot that sparked the Herobrine myth.

Numerous adjustments have been made to NPCs and creatures. All NPCs now have knockback resistance, and fire-themed characters are correctly immune to fire damage, although the visual effect of them being on fire may still temporarily appear. Skeletons will no longer drown, and Kweebecs are now immune to damage from cacti and brambles. In a small but welcome change, livestock should no longer be found climbing on top of the chicken coop. Wildlife behavior has also been tweaked; cautious predators like the Fox will not attack unless provoked first.

Crafting and item accessibility have seen several improvements. The base Backpack and its upgrades are now easier to locate, as the initial backpack no longer requires a Tier 2 Workbench to craft. The time it takes to transform hides into leather has been reduced to fewer than 10 seconds. The update includes many other changes detailed on the game’s official website.

Looking forward, the studio is providing substantial support for modding and other creative tools to help foster a strong community, similar to the one that has supported Minecraft for years. With funding secured for the next two years of development, the game's future appears promising after a long journey to release.