You can’t sit still in Hytale before something else changes! Hytale’s founder promised constant improvements, and Update 2 brings new gameplay mechanics, dozens of fixes, and so much more in its January patch notes.
Hytale’s popularity remains strong in its early weeks. This is being helped by the game’s frequent updates and patch notes. Initial changes included adding Dinosaurs, for example. Hytale Update 2 is another fairly hefty proposition, and there’s much to look forward to and discuss.
Hytale Update 2 Release Date
Hytale founder Simon Collins-Laflamme has said Update 2 is arriving “this weekend,” which means it’ll drop between January 23 and January 25.
To add to this, he’s already confirmed that “Update 3 is already in the works,” and the grind never stops!”
Biggest Changes In Hytale Update 2
Pickaxe progression and Mining have been reworked, and new Magic is being added to Hytale, along with a host of cosmetic and customization changes. There are also tons of gameplay fixes, balance tweaks, and overall QOL improvements across visual and audio.
It’s a fairly meaty update that targets all aspects of Hytale. Obviously, the standout aspects of Update 2 are the physical gameplay flourishes. New magic will sharpen up and broaden the action, making it even more fun.
Collins-Laflamme recently revealed he wasn’t happy with the state of the game’s Mining, which is why it’s not a surprise to see how it’s been changed in Update 2: “Pickaxe progression reworked: mining speed now scales with pickaxe quality.”
All Hytale Update 2 Patch Notes
Here’s a look at every single change outlined for Update 2, and there’s always the chance something sneaks under the radar, gets left out, or might not make the final cut by the time the full update launches.
Cosmetics & Customization
New mask face accessories (available for all editions)
- Armor slot visibility toggle (host-enforced for PvP/immersion)
- New mouth variants: Vampire, Cute, Orc (all editions)
- Berserker haircut tiling fixed
- Updated haircuts, cape animations, petals & cloth visuals
Gameplay & Balance
- New magic! Necromancy grimoire! Drops from Skeleton Praetorian, lets you raise up to 5 skeletal minions from bone piles (5-min duration or until summoner dies)
- Adamantite now requires a Thorium or Cobalt pickaxe
- Pickaxe progression reworked: mining speed now scales with pickaxe quality
- Faster rail karts (still not great, but faster!)
- Tower exploit fixed (NPCs can now throw rocks at players)
- Buffed polar bears and multiple skeleton types
- All crops can now place produce in the world
- Missing decorative light blocks added to furniture bench
- Adjusted hide drops (Light → Medium for some NPCs like cows)
- Added permission for world map teleporting
- Magma Rhino Toad attack updates (…maybe accidental buff)
World Generation
- WorldGen V2 prepared for public documentation (modder support)
- New Default_Flat & Default_Void templates using WorldGen V2
- Hub Portal now spawns with V2 flat worldgen (clear weather, limited fog, new worlds only)
- Major ore placement refactor in all zones – More ores, especially in Devastated Lands underground – Requires new chunks in existing worlds
- Zone 1 dungeon environment fixes + new environment fixes (you might hear new soundtracks)
Farming
- Eternal crops no longer break from weapon damage
- Increased tilled soil lifetime
- Fixed soil decay under fully grown crops
UI / UX
- Improved editor block tooltips
- Clothing color tooltips added
- Better hotbar active-slot contrast (diamond indicator, helpful in Howling Sands)
- Memory categories sorted alphabetically
- Scripted Brush QoL improvements
- Inventory interaction updates (e.g. new keybind to pull all items from chests)
- Optional FPS counter overlay
- Player markers added to compass
- Ophidiophobia accessibility mode
Audio
- Added basic Rex sounds + additional audio fixes
Bug Fixes, Tech & Stability
- Server self-updater
- Shadow improvements
- Pick block works when hotbar is full
- Asset editor documentation fixed
- Mantling fixes
- Keybind persistence fixed
- Improved weather transitions (still not perfect, but smoother)
- Teleporter offset fixed
- Rail karts now consume & place correctly
- Bed respawn in unloaded chunks fixed
- Food particle tint updates
- Major server stability, validation, ECS, localization & timeout improvements
Thanks to @Simon_Hypixel for the patch notes.
Are you excited about the prospect of Hytale’s Update 2? What are you hoping and praying to see from Update 3? Comment your feedback through the Insider Gaming Discord Server.
You should check out the 8 best games to play if you like Hytale, and the Hytale & Minecraft user-made Crossplay Mod in development.
