Hytale enters early access on January 13, 2026 as a Windows PC release, with a simultaneous global unlock tied to a single countdown. That unlock is set for 7am Pacific Time.
Hytale early access release date and global unlock time
Hytale’s early access launch is scheduled for Tuesday, January 13, 2026. The game uses a unified release time worldwide: 7:00 am Pacific Standard Time (PST).
That single unlock moment converts to other major time zones as follows:
| Region | Local time | Local date |
|---|---|---|
| US West (PST) | 7:00am | Tue, Jan 13 |
| US East (EST) | 10:00am | Tue, Jan 13 |
| UK (GMT) | 3:00pm | Tue, Jan 13 |
| Central Europe (CET) | 4:00pm | Tue, Jan 13 |
| Brazil (BRT) | 12:00pm | Tue, Jan 13 |
| Japan (JST) | 12:00am | Wed, Jan 14 |
| China (CST) | 11:00pm | Tue, Jan 13 |
| Australia (AEST/AEDT, Sydney) | 2:00am | Wed, Jan 14 |
| New Zealand (NZDT, Wellington) | 4:00am | Wed, Jan 14 |
These times are simultaneous. If your city is not listed, you can match against one of the zones above or use a timezone converter with 7am PST on January 13 as the reference.
Where you can play Hytale at launch
Early access focuses on a single platform: Windows PC. The game does not launch on Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG, or consoles. Instead, it runs through a dedicated Hytale Launcher.
Mac and Linux support is planned for later, but there is no same-day early access client for those operating systems.
How to download the Hytale Launcher
The launcher is already available ahead of the unlock, which is important given the expected player load.
Step 1: Go to the official Hytale download page at https://hytale.com/download from a Windows PC.
Step 2: Select the Windows download option to grab the installer, then run it and follow the on-screen setup process to install the Hytale Launcher.
Step 3: Open the launcher and use the Sign In button to authenticate with your Hytale account in the browser, or create a new account if you do not have one yet.
Step 4: Once signed in, keep the launcher installed and ready; the play button will activate when early access goes live at the global unlock time.
How to pre-purchase Hytale for early access
Playing on day one requires a paid early access copy linked to your account. Pre-purchase is handled through the official Hytale Store rather than any third‑party storefront.
Step 1: Visit the Hytale Store at https://store.hytale.com in a browser.
Step 2: Choose one of the three editions on offer. All three include access to the game; the higher tiers add cosmetic outfits and capes.
- Standard Edition – lowest price, includes several cosmetic sets and a cape.
- Supporter Edition – includes Standard content plus extra cosmetic sets and additional capes.
- Cursebreaker Founder's Edition – includes everything from Standard and Supporter plus further exclusive sets and capes.
Step 3: Complete checkout while logged into the same Hytale account you plan to use in the launcher. The purchase is tied to that account for early access entitlement.
What to expect on launch day
Hytale’s early access build is described by its developers as unfinished and “true early access,” with an explicitly rough first impression and ongoing work planned over several years. The game is being revived from an older legacy build that required significant engineering effort to merge and stabilize, and some systems will feel behind that long‑term vision.
The team expects very high demand on January 13, with internal estimates of more than one million players trying to access early access on day one. That is why there is such a strong push to have players download the launcher and log in ahead of time, even though the actual game content will only be available once the countdown hits zero.
Given that scale, you should anticipate possible issues around the unlock window. Typical pressure points include signing in, downloading the game files, and connecting to servers during the first wave. Installing the launcher, creating your account, and completing any purchases before the unlock time reduces the number of steps you need to perform while traffic is at its peak.
If you have the launcher installed, your Hytale account set up, and an edition purchased and linked, you are ready. At 7am PST on January 13, the early access build will become playable worldwide through the Hytale Launcher.
