Minecraft-like RPG Hytale's second big update adding necromancy is already out as devs work on "several updates in parallel"

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Minecraft-like RPG Hytale's second big update adding necromancy is already out as devs work on "several updates in parallel" News By Kaan Serin published 24 January 2026

"We will put Update 3 into pre-release next week"

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Hytale's only been in early access for 11 days or so, but the dev team have been pumping out patches and updates like there's no tomorrow with no plans to slow down. Just today, the Hytale team released its second update since launch, this time adding necromancy and lots of customization options.

The Hytale patch notes lists a whole bunch of new avatar customization options, such as masks, hairstyles, and a toggle to let players change whether their helmet or headpiece is visible.

There's a bunch of smaller changes to basically every other part of the game too: polar bears have been buffed and missing dinosaur sounds have been added back in, for instance, but you should check out the full patch notes to get into the nitty gritty details.

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Necromancy is definitely the update's headlining feature, though. A new item called the grimoire will now sometimes drop from a large Praetorian Skeleton and will allow folks to "raise skeletal minions from nearby bone piles."

Hytale lead and original founder Simon Collins-Laflamme says necromancy is "not related to the future magic system we will be working on in a future update" and the undead minions you do summon might be a "bit janky," over on social media. Though he also wants you to excuse the jank because, well, it's just a bit of experimental fun. "That's how Hytale was born, just a bunch of devs having a great time!"

Collins-Laflamme also explains that "production is ramping up as we work on several updates in parallel, and we will put Update 3 into pre-release next week. We will give a bit more time in pre-release to let modders and servers adapt this time around. This one should be a bit smaller, as we are trying to offset the pre-release and release schedule to be more predictable. We will share more details next week!" Again, the team's not hitting the brakes anytime soon.

Minecraft creative lead plays Hytale and concludes "I'd rather just play Minecraft," and Hytale's lead says "he is probably right to feel this way"

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Contact me with news and offers from other Future brandsReceive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsorsBy submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over. CATEGORIES PC Gaming Platforms Kaan SerinFreelance contributor

Kaan freelances for various websites including Rock Paper Shotgun, Eurogamer, and this one, Gamesradar. He particularly enjoys writing about spooky indies, throwback RPGs, and anything that's vaguely silly. Also has an English Literature and Film Studies degree that he'll soon forget.

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