The developers of the sandbox hit Hytale have put a bounty on bugs. If you find serious security vulnerabilities in the game, you can earn up to $25,000.
The sandbox game Hytale is currently on everyone’s lips. Since the Minecraft doppelganger launched into early access on January 13, the game has not only become the most-watched content on Twitch, but has also attracted 2.8 million players, according to initial figures.
A real success story, considering that Hytale almost disappeared forever six months earlier. For those who have no idea what this is all about, we’ll briefly summarize what Hytale actually is.
The fantasy game was created by a team led by Canadian Simon “Hypixel” Collins-Laflamme, who originally ran a Minecraft server of the same name, and has been in development since 2015. Hypixel Studios was supported by League publisher Riot, which bought the game in 2020. However, after several missed deadlines, Riot discontinued development in mid-2025.
Studio founder Collins-Laflamme then bought back the project with the aim of completing development on his own, and Hytale has been available in early access since early January 2026.
Big thanks to all the security researchers working with us on Hytale.
Keeping our community and players safe is a top priority for us. We’ve already paid out bounties and are working on reported issues as they come in.
Our program offers payouts of over $25k+ depending on…
— DevSlashNull (@DevSlashNulled) January 13, 2026
Hunt for security vulnerabilities
The game is far from finished, as the developers are well aware. In order to close critical security gaps as quickly as possible, the Hytale devs have now launched a bounty program for bug finding.
Anyone who helps the team uncover serious security leaks will be rewarded. nbsp;On Twitter, one of the developers writes: “Our program offers payouts of over $25,000, depending on the severity of the bugs found.”
What exactly are they looking for?
This is not about funny glitches where trees float or textures flicker. The studio is specifically looking for “auth and client/server exploits.”
In other words, security vulnerabilities that hackers could use to steal accounts, manipulate servers, or disrupt game operations. One developer emphasized that the first bounties have already been paid and that the reported issues are being actively worked on. In individual cases, the reward for particularly critical findings could even exceed $25,000.
However, if you want to get rich quick, you have to follow a few rules. The exact details can be found on the official Hytale website:
- Minimum age: You must be at least 18 years old to receive a payout.
- Own account: All tests must be carried out with a legally purchased copy of the game and your own account.
- No damage: You must not interfere with other players or crash servers during testing.
The developers had already warned before the launch that the start could be “bumpy.” After all, the team only had about two months to prepare the game and infrastructure for early access after buying back the rights from Riot Games. With the help of the community—and a hefty sum of money as an incentive—Hytale should now become secure and stable as quickly as possible.
