Gaming has always been about connecting with friends and having fun together. For those who were looking to jump into Hytale soon, things are about to get a whole lot easier and completely free.
Content creator and Minecraft streamer Tubbo announced on Jan. 15, 2026, that he has partnered with Play Hosting to launch what’s being called the industry’s first free server hosting service for Hytale, the voxel sandbox MMO developed by Hypixel Studios.
Before this deal happened, players wanting to run Hytale servers either had to rely on peer-to-peer connections, which can be unstable and frustrating, or pay for dedicated hosting.
Now, Play Hosting is removing that barrier completely by offering free server hosting at no cost. This fundamentally changes accessibility for casual players and smaller communities who couldn’t justify paying for server rentals.
The best thing about a dedicated server, even a free one, is stability. Peer-to-peer connections depend on one player’s device hosting the game, which means there could be lag spikes, disconnections, and even performance issues. With Play Hosting’s free servers, players get a proper, stable environment to enjoy Hytale with their friends without those headaches.
If you’re not familiar, Tubbo is one of the bigger names in the gaming content creation space, particularly known for his involvement in the Minecraft community and various collabs. With a massive following across streaming platforms, his endorsement and involvement in this partnership carry real weight in gaming circles.
According to Tubbo’s announcement, the entire initiative was funded through his promotional code, “TUBBO.” It’s a clever way to tie the service directly to his involvement while also incentivizing the community to get behind the project. Fans using his code essentially helped make this free service possible, creating a neat community-driven funding model.
How many players can join the free servers?
One question that immediately popped up in the community was about server capacity. Community Lead of Moonfrost, Murdoch, asked: “How many people can we have on a server?”
“Around 5 per server right now, but that is really pushing it ahahah gonna be working on optimisation.”
It’s a practical concern, as knowing the player limits helps determine whether you’re running a small friend group server or something larger.
What’s particularly interesting here is how this move democratizes Hytale server access. The game is still in development, building toward its full launch, and having free server hosting available now lets the community grow organically without financial gatekeeping.
Players can spin up servers for their friend groups, guilds, or communities without worrying about monthly hosting fees. For Hytale as a game, this partnership represents a vote of confidence from major community figures. Tubbo’s involvement signals that there’s genuine excitement around the title beyond just the development team’s efforts.
