Hytale already has a Minecraft feature I've been looking for for 17 years (for gamers like me)

For years I thought the concept of a Minecraft– like it was unnecessary. Minecraft is the best selling game of all time if TetrisAfter all, standalone versions are considered because Mojang's game is available on practically every platform imaginable. Over the years of updates, it has become an incredibly deep game in which players can create practically anything, and spawned several memorable spin-offs and highly successful Minecraft film. There is a cheap price tag attached to the main game despite being so replayable, so again, I never saw the need for a game like Hytal. However, after witnessing many streams of the early access version HytalI must eat crow because it has managed to bring one thing that I have always felt was missing Minecraft: furniture.

Furniture in Hytal it goes beyond just beds Minecraft has (although even his beds are an improvement since there are many designs available as opposed to just changing leaf colors). Below are just a few of the many pieces of furniture that players can decorate with Hytal:

Wardrobes
Chests
Functional chairs, benches, stools and sofas
Functional tables
Functional bookshelves
Numerous decorations

To be clear, I'm aware that not everyone feels that office furniture is a glaring omission Minecraft. Some players share Mojang's opinion on the mechanics, feeling that the studio is better off spending its time elsewhere than adding items that smart players can design themselves. However, for me and other fans – like Hytal developer Hypixel Studios, who ran the most popular Minecraft server ever – refusing to add furniture was always a missed opportunity.

Why is Minecraft so against the idea of furniture?

The main argument against the furniture is that it wouldn't fit Minecraft atmosphere, a sense of customization as opposed to fitting well with the game's natural boxy aesthetic. According to Mojang, it just wouldn't suit the simplicity of his world, as it's actually a major requirement in the old feedback from 2020. Still, the fear of furniture being more detailed than anything currently in the game never got over me. Functional beds exist and have been doing so for ages. Modding is encouraged and most popular mods add furniture that works, so there is an obvious desire for such a mechanic. For players who don't use mods, the need to rely on old gimmicks with signposts and boards quickly gets tiresome, as players are left with tables that take up too much space and look ugly, or thinner tables that won't fit anything. Not to mention the horrible looking stairs we have to sit on.

If players can lie down in beds, why is it such a weird idea to have them sit on chairs? Players shouldn't have to jump through hoops and create invisible minecarts to sit in because it's tedious and unintuitive, even though so much of the crafting and building in the game works smoothly. All the absurd creations that players come up with using redstone do not fit into the supposedly simple world MinecraftWhile they can be incredible, they feel a lot more out of place than something like a sofa. Minecraft it lost its simplicity years ago and players could fly around the map using Elytra, explore sea temples and so on. While other crafting heavy games modernize when it comes to furniture – think Valheim, ARKand now Hytal — Minecraft refuses to follow.

Since Mojang openly said that furniture was not a consideration five years ago, and since the statement was made there have been countless updates without furniture, I accepted the idea that it wasn't going to happen. But that doesn't make it any less frustrating. I'd love to be able to sit at the dining table or relax on the sofa to look around and appreciate the interior I've designed with the old strategy of “crouching down and creating the illusion of sitting” barely absorbing. It would be wonderful to have a range of different looking tables using all the available stone and wood, especially if I could cover them with a range of decorations, Minecraft feel at home. Using the exact same trap doors and inverted stairs as literally everyone else who makes furniture is not creative, as many like to argue, because I don't think it's smarter to just copy an unnecessarily complex construction style. Simply put, the current approach to furniture is just restrictive, tedious and unsightly.

Furniture in Hytale has a bright future

After wanting this feature for so long and Mojang refusing to budge, I'm willing to move on Hytal a little because of it. It may seem strange to finally see the appeal of the game because of its furniture as opposed to excellent combat, RPG progression or Hytal's dinosaur crowds, but it honestly made such a drastic difference for me that I can't help but feel a little overwhelmed. Sure, we've got a long way to go – more craft items like amazing wooden bookshelves would be preferable to having to clean out a ton of furniture from around the world – but what's out there is already better than Minecraftcomplete lack of furniture. As an Early Access game, more and more pieces of furniture are sure to be added to the world Hytalwhile being able to place everything from weapons and armor to potions and books will allow for a much more detailed build.

Hytal is not currently available through Steam because its developers want to avoid unfair user review scores from players who don't know what early access means. An early access copy can be purchased from Hytale's website instead.

hytale-furniture-placed — Hytale items placed in the room

I will always love Minecraftbut after years of looking at ugly chairs made of stairs, I'm ready to experience the real thing in another cozy game. Moreover, now that Hytal exists (and will hopefully continue to thrive for years to come), it's less problematic Minecraft requires players to create their own furniture. Those who like to make their own decorative objects and do not care that they actually work, have Minecraft play while another block builder that caters to the needs of players like me is finally available. It's best to keep these games as different as possible, as this ensures there's a reason to play both. Personally, I can't wait to spend hours decorating a home full of placed objects and small details before I can finally sit back and admire all my hard work.