Hytale is finally out now, after 10 years of development. If you’re looking for the game on Steam, you won’t find it there because developer Hypixel launched the game exclusively through its own app. But why is Hytale not on Steam, and could it ever be released there? Here’s what we know.
Why not Steam?
Executive producer Patrick Derbic said in a FAQ that Hypixel opted to release Hytale through its own launcher at first to allow the team to communicate more closely with its own fans and community. Derbic said bringing the game to Steam at launch might have brought a “flood of cold first impressions that could overcorrect the game’s direction.”
This isn’t to say that Hypixel wants to bury its head in the sand and avoid criticism, however. The studio said it does not shy away from “honest, negative criticism,” going on to say the developer itself has been “very critical” of the game it’s making. Releasing on Hytale’s own dedicated launcher was a purposeful decision the studio made to help ensure “the first steps of our journey to be influenced by informed players rather than large-scale first impressions from those unfamiliar with the game’s development background.”
Hytale could come to Steam later
Derbic went on to say that Steam is a “great platform and marketing tool,” but Hypixel “might never need” to put Hytale on it. Or it might. The decision hasn’t been made yet.
“This doesn’t mean Hytale will never be on Steam; right now, we don’t see the need for it, as we want to keep our launch closer to our community,” Derbic explained.
The developer added that Steam does not currently support all of Hytale’s modding features, adding that the developer aims to discuss this with Valve “to see what’s possible.”
Hytale is also not available on console, but in that case, Hypixel confirmed it will bring the game to console at some point in the future.
Steam is powerful
Steam is among the largest, most dominant, and ubiquitous online stores for digital PC games in the world, with millions upon millions of users logging in every day. It’s a powerful storefront for games big and small. Valve, which owns and operates Steam, takes a cut of game sales, and in bypassing Steam, Hypixel won’t have to pay those fees (though it may have other platform fees and costs to pay).
Steam has so many catalog games and new releases that discoverability has been cited as an issue for some, but it’s also a platform where smaller games can break through and find a massive audience.
Minecraft, the game that inspired Hytale, is also not available on Steam, while Riot’s League of Legends has its own dedicated launcher as well. Companies like EA and Ubisoft pulled games from Steam, citing business reasons, before relenting and returning.
Rivals to Steam like the DRM-free GOG and Fortnite developer Epic’s Epic Game Store have emerged, but none have come close to matching the size, scale, and importance of Steam.
