Hypixel Network,[3] simply known as Hypixel, is a Minecraft server that hosts minigames. It was released on April 13, 2013 by Simon "Hypixel" Collins-Laflamme and Philippe Touchette, and is managed and run by Hypixel Inc.[4] Hypixel is only available on the Java Edition of Minecraft,[5] but briefly had a Bedrock variant.[6][better source needed]
History
The Hypixel server was released in beta on April 13, 2013, by Simon Collins-Laflamme, and Philippe Touchette. The server is managed and run by Hypixel Inc.[4][7][8] The two originally created Minecraft adventure maps together[5] and uploaded trailers to their YouTube channel. The Hypixel server was created to play and further showcase these maps. Minigames were originally created for users to play on while waiting for other players,[8] but the minigames themselves gained popularity. Efforts from Hypixel were put towards new server content instead of the making of other Minecraft maps and games.[5][9][10]
Hypixel Inc., Hypixel's maintainer,[4] was registered as a Canadian corporation under the name "8414483 Canada Inc" on January 23, 2013. Its name was then modified to "Hypixel Inc." on February 2, 2015.[11]
In 2015, it was revealed that the server cost around $100,000 a month to maintain.[9]
On June 11, 2019, Hypixel released their most popular gamemode, Skyblock.[12]
As of April 2021, the server regularly reaches over 150,000 concurrent players, peaking at over 216,000 on April 16.[13] On December 21, 2016, Hypixel reached 10 million unique players in total,[14] and had reached 14.1 million unique players when Hytale was announced on December 13, 2018.[15] The server reached 18 million unique players in April 2020, according to a tweet by the server owner.[16] As of September 2015[update], Hypixel attracts 1.9 million players every month.[9]
Players of the server community banded together to write over 400,000 messages of condolences for the late content creator Technoblade, who passed away in the summer of 2022. The messages were then compiled into 21 books and delivered to the deceased's family.[17]
On August 1, 2024, TommyInnit hit 15 million subscribers on YouTube. As per agreement between Simon and Tom, Simon donated $50,000 to the Sarcoma Foundation of America and gave Tom the 'INNIT' rank on the server.[18]
Hypixel China
In May 2017, Hypixel partnered with NetEase, the publisher of Minecraft China, to release a version of Hypixel in China, sometimes known as "Chypixel".[19] This separate version of Minecraft and the Hypixel Minecraft server would be operated and translated by NetEase, as part of their partnership.[20]
On April 13, 2020, due to the expiration of their agreement, NetEase announced that the Chinese version of the server would be shutting down on June 30, 2020.[21]
Cyberattacks
Around April 2018, Hypixel began to use Cloudflare Spectrum as a DDoS protection after being the victim of multiple attacks hosted by Mirai, a malware, against the server.[22][23]
On 18 June 2021, Hypixel shut down for emergency maintenance, stating their host was under "large-scale DDoS attacks". Connection problems were reported by players before the server was shut down, and the Hypixel team had claimed to have "identified the issue with an upstream provider". The server subsequently remained closed for four days before fully reopening. In its statement, the Hypixel team re-iterated that they had "dealt with DDoS attacks for well over 8 years", and that "recent changes at [their] host caused a flaw in [their] setup".[24][25]
Gameplay
Hypixel has various multiplayer minigames created by modifying and repurposing the game mechanics of Minecraft.[9][26] Its players can purchase cosmetics and ranks that allow for certain in-game abilities.[9][vague]
^Based on historical data,[29] as opposed to a GWR record attempt event
^Guinness considers a game as a "live game, which Minecraft players could log in and play" and the count "excludes different modes for the same game and games that have been removed".[29] A full list is not provided.
^"Hypixel中国版服务器停止运营公告" [Announcement about the suspension of the Hypixel China Edition server]. mc.163.com (in Chinese). April 13, 2020. Archived from the original on April 21, 2020. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
