This week in Hytale: an emote wheel with mod support makes the game more social than ever, the complete dinosaur fauna of the underground jungles has been revealed, and the $100K Modding Contest is pulling the community in. Here's everything you need to know! 🦎🎉
😄 THE EMOTE SYSTEM IS HERE - And It's Better Than Expected!
Update 4 Part 2 brings the long-awaited Emote System - and the developers really thought this one through:
The Emote Wheel
How it works:
- Hold down X key → radial menu opens
- Key fully rebindable in settings
- Move mouse/stick → select emote → release key → emote plays!
The special touches:
- Looping emotes run endlessly until you cancel them
- Your avatar automatically turns toward the camera in Free-Cam and Third-Person
- Smooth, naturally-feeling animations
The 5 Default Emotes
Five emotes are included from the start:
| Emote | Description |
|---|---|
| 🐔 Chicken | The iconic chicken dance |
| ⚔️ Kill | Dramatic victory pose |
| 😂 Laugh | Joyful laughing animation |
| 👊 Punch | Threatening punch gesture |
| 😛 Tongue | Cheeky tongue-out |
"Many more are on the way" - Hypixel Studios
🔌 Mod Support from Day 1!
This is the really clever part: Custom emotes as mods are possible immediately!
Modders simply drop their animation (.blockyanim) and an icon (.png) into the right folders - and the custom emote appears in-game. Server operators can fully customize the available emote set for their server.
CurseForge is already filling up with first custom emote mods. This is going to explode. 🚀
🦎 ALL DINOSAURS REVEALED - Meet Hytale's Prehistoric Creatures!
The underground jungles of Zone 4 are home to Hytale's dinosaurs - and this week we have the complete overview:
The 5 Dino Species:
🦖 Cave Rex - King of the Darkness
The absolute apex predator of the underground world. If you encounter a Cave Rex, you either have good luck - or you don't. It's the most powerful creature you'll encounter in Zone 4. Respect is mandatory!
🦕 Cave Raptor - Pack Hunters
Small, fast, dangerous - and they always come in groups! Cave Raptors coordinate their attacks, flank you, and give you no rest. Individually no threat, in packs? Deadly.
🦅 Pterodactyl - Attack from Above
The only flying dinosaurs in Zone 4 attack from the air and make every open area dangerous. Always keep an eye on the sky!
🐢 Trilladon - The Robust Herbivore
Peaceful as long as you leave it alone. The Trilladon is the gentle giant of the underground jungles - a sturdy herbivore that's well-suited for taming!
🐦 Archaeopteryx - Small but Fierce
The smallest and most agile creatures in Zone 4. Quick mini-flyers that are hard to hit - but also not the biggest threat around.
Rideable via the Taming System!
Thanks to the taming system introduced in Update 3, certain dinosaurs are already tameable and rideable. Imagine riding a Trilladon through the underground jungles! 🤩
🏆 $100K MODDING CONTEST - Submissions Are Flowing!
The "New Worlds" contest has been running since March 3rd and the community is active:
Status: Running | Deadline: April 28, 2026
Reminder: The Categories
- 🌍 WorldGen V2 - New biomes & worlds (1st place: $10,000)
- 🤖 NPCs - Creatures & bosses (1st place: $10,000)
- 🎮 Experiences - New game modes (1st place: $10,000)
Still 6 weeks until the deadline - now is the time to jump in! Hypixel Studios is actively scouting talent. 👀
💭 My Thoughts This Week
The emote system might seem "small" at first glance - but I see something more important in it: Hypixel Studios is building a social platform, not just a game.
Emotes with mod support from day 1, server-customizable, intuitive radial menu - these are decisions that show the team is thinking long-term. In a year, roleplay servers will be running hundreds of custom emotes completely created by the community.
And the dinosaur reveal shows: Zone 4 is not an empty dungeon. It's a living ecosystem. Cave Rex vs. Cave Raptor vs. Pterodactyl - these are real food chains, real encounters.
I'm increasingly convinced: Hytale won't be the next Minecraft. It will be something of its own. 🌟
🤔 Your Thoughts!
- 😄 Which is your favorite emote so far? Chicken or Kill?
- 🦎 Which dino do you most want to tame? Cave Rex would be insane...
- 🔌 Have you tried any custom emote mods on CurseForge yet?
- 💰 Are you working on the $100K contest? Which category?
Comment below! 👇