Hypixel Studios CEO Simon Collins-Laflamme has confirmed that the studio’s legal team is moving against a copycat title currently listed on the Nintendo eShop. The game in question, titled “Hytale: Sandbox RPG,” appeared on the digital storefront on April 10 under the developer name RoVi Ninen. Despite the identical branding and the use of assets that closely mirror official key art, the project has no affiliation with the genuine Hytale currently in development for PC.
The timing of this “clone” release follows a complicated period for the Hytale IP. Originally born from the massive Hypixel Minecraft server, the project was acquired by Riot Games in 2020. However, after Riot eventually shuttered the studio and canceled the project, Collins-Laflamme successfully repurchased the rights and the studio. Under this revived independence, the official Hytale entered early access in January 2026, quickly becoming a standout success in the indie space.
This is not the first time RoVi Ninen has faced scrutiny for derivative software. The developer was previously called out by Panik Arcade for releasing “Coin Pit,” a title that appeared to mimic the successful indie game CloverPit. That instance led to public warnings across iOS and Nintendo platforms, suggesting a recurring pattern of utilizing established indie brands to capture unsuspecting buyers. While the official Hytale retails for $19.99 on PC, this eShop imitation is listed at a discounted $4.99, likely hoping to capitalize on the lack of an official console port.
As of this writing, the imitation title remains available for purchase, though history suggests Nintendo will likely remove the listing once the legal challenge is processed. Hypixel Studios continues to focus on its fourth major early access update, which recently introduced several core system overhauls. For now, players are reminded that the only legitimate way to play Hytale is on Windows, macOS, and Linux, as no console versions have been announced by the actual developers.
