Riot Has Bought The Developer Behind A Minecraft-Like RPG

Riot Games has been in the news recently, with the massive success of the Valorant closed beta on streaming platforms like Twitch, and a new patch for League of Legends. Now, Riot has bought Hypixel Studios, a small developer working on Hytale, a Minecraft-like building game that focuses on a core RPG progression.

According to a statement, though it is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of Riot, Hypixel will continue to operate an independent studio, while establishing its first permanent office in Northern Ireland. The statement also notes that Riot Games was part of the group of angel investors that originally supported the formation of the studio to begin with. Hypixel will continue to work on Hytale full-time, with an aim for some sort of wide release in 2021. Per a FAQ that accompanies the announcement, it's not yet clear if Hytale will become a free-to-play game like League of Legends.

Hypixel isn't the first studio that Riot has acquired. Back in 2016, it bought Radiant Entertainment, the developers behind the robotic fighting game Rising Thunder, and the ambitious building game Stonehearth. Meanwhile, Riot's Valorant has become the most-anticipated FPS in years, with players watching streams for hours in the hopes of getting an elusive beta key.