Hytale already has a feature Minecraft has fumbled for 17 years (for gamers like me)

For years I thought the concept of one Minecraft-like was unnecessary. Minecraft is the best selling game ever made if Tetrisseparate versions are out of the question, after all, with the Mojang game available on virtually every platform imaginable. Through years of updates, it has become an incredibly deep game where players can do almost anything, spawning some memorable spin-offs and the hugely successful Minecraft film. The main game has a cheap price tag attached despite being so replayable too, so again, I've never seen the need for a game that Hytale. But after watching many streams of the early access version of Hytalei have to eat crow, because it has managed to bring in the one thing i always felt was missing from Minecraft: furniture.

Furniture in Hytale goes beyond just the beds Minecraft has (although even its beds are an upgrade, as there are many patterns available as opposed to just changing sheet colors). Below are just some of the many pieces of furniture that players can decorate with Hytale:

Wardrobes
chests
Functional chairs, benches, stools and sofas
Functional tables
Functional bookshelves
Lots of decorations

To be clear, I'm aware that not everyone thinks work furniture is a glaring omission Minecraft. Some players share the same opinion as Mojang about the mechanic, feeling that the studio is better off spending its time elsewhere than adding items that smart players can design themselves. But for me and other fans – like Hytale developer Hypixel Studios, who ran the most popular Minecraft server ever — the refusal to add furniture has always been a missed opportunity.

Why is Minecraft so against the idea of furniture?

The main argument against furniture is that it wouldn't fit Minecraft vibe that feels modded as opposed to fitting in well with the game's natural blocky aesthetic. Per Mojang, it just wouldn't fit the simplicity of its world, as that was actually the number one request addressed on an old feedback page from 2020. Still, the fear of furniture being more detailed than anything currently in the game has never really stuck with me. Functional beds exist, and they have for ages. Modding is encouraged, and most popular mods add furniture that works, so there is clearly a desire for such a mechanic. For players who don't use mods, relying on the old signs and gimmicks quickly becomes tiresome, as players are left with tables that take up too much space and look ugly, or thinner tables that hold nothing. Not to mention the horrendous stairs we have to sit on.

If players can lie down in beds, why is it such a weird idea to have them sit down in chairs? Players shouldn't have to jump through hoops and create invisible minicarts to sit in, because that's boring and unintuitive even though so much of the crafting and building in the game works smoothly. All the absurd creations players come up with with redstone do not fit the supposedly simple world of Minecraftwhich while they may be incredible, feel far more out of place than anything resembling a couch. Minecraft lost its simplicity years ago, with players being able to fly around the map with Elytra, explore sea temples and so on. But while other craft-heavy games modernize when it comes to furniture – think Valheim, SHEETand now Hytale — Minecraft refuses to follow.

When Mojang outright said that furniture wasn't being considered five years ago, and the countless furniture-less updates that have been released in the time since that statement was made, I've accepted the idea that it won't happen. That doesn't make it any less frustrating, though. I'd love to be able to sit down at a dinner table or rest on a couch to look around and appreciate the decor I've designed, with the old “crouch to create the illusion of sitting” strategy hardly immersive. It would be cool to have a variety of tables to use that use all the stone and wood types available, especially if I could cover them in an assortment of decorations to make my Minecraft a home feels inhabited. Using the exact same trap doors and back stairs as literally everyone else who makes furniture isn't creative as so many like to argue, because it doesn't make me feel any smarter to just copy an unnecessarily complex build style. Simply put, the current approach to furniture is just restrictive, boring and ugly.

There is a bright future for furniture in Hytale

After wanting this feature for so long and Mojang refusing to budge, I'm willing to switch to Hytale little because of that. It may seem strange to finally see the appeal of the game because of its furniture as opposed to its superior combat, RPG progression or Hytales dinosaur mobs, but it's honestly made such a drastic difference to me that I can't help but rush over it a bit. Sure, there's a long way to go – more craftable items like the fantastic wooden bookcases would be desirable as opposed to having to haul loads of furniture from all corners of the world – but what's out there is already better than Minecrafttotal lack of furniture. As an early game, surely more and more furniture will be added to the world of Hytalewhile the ability to place everything from weapons and armor to potions and books will allow for much more detailed builds.

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

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

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