Verified against pre-release branch EA-1.4-pre3 (Parts 1–4 of 5). Part 5 has not yet been released. To access these features now, go to Launcher → Settings → Pre-Release.
Hytale Update 4 is rolling out as a five-part pre-release series, with Parts 1 through 4 now live on the pre-release branch. Unlike the sweeping zone expansions of earlier updates, Update 4 focuses on social infrastructure, survival rebalancing, and creative tooling — the kind of changes that reshape how every session feels rather than what you’re exploring.
The headline feature is Proximity Voice Chat. But the change with the widest progression impact is the complete potion system overhaul, and the farming rework that decouples high-tier alchemy crops from your standard Farming Bench. This guide covers everything confirmed across Parts 1–4, with practical notes on what each change means for how you play. For the full zone breakdown of where to farm these new resources, see our Hytale all zones guide.
Update 4 at a Glance
Update 4 is releasing in five parts across February and March 2026. Here’s the full rollout so far [1][2][3][7]:
| Part | Released | Headline Feature |
|---|---|---|
| Part 1 | Feb 19, 2026 | Multi-instance support, Mod Management overhaul |
| Part 2 | Feb 26, 2026 | Emote Wheel, Revolve Tool, Wolf pack AI |
| Part 3 | Mar 5, 2026 | Proximity Voice Chat, Potion overhaul, Alchemy farming |
| Part 4 | Mar 12, 2026 | Spatial audio refinement, NPC behaviour, HUD icons |
| Part 5 | TBA | Not yet released |
All four released parts are on the pre-release branch. Stable release typically follows 1–2 weeks after the final part drops.
New Features
Proximity Voice Chat
Built-in spatial voice communication is now live [3]. Volume attenuates with distance, and the system applies environmental audio filters — cave reverb, underwater muffle, and open-field clarity. Your character’s mouth and body animate while you speak, so others can see who’s talking even without looking at a voice indicator.
It’s disabled by default. Enable it in Audio Settings, or use .voice (client-side) or /voice (server-side) commands. Part 4 added push-to-talk toggle and improved spatial audio blending, making it considerably less jarring on noisy servers. Server operators can configure the voice range limit.
Emote Wheel
Hold X to open the emote wheel [2]. Launch emotes include Chicken, Kill, Laugh, Punch, and Tongue — some loop continuously until you cancel. Avatar animations now track camera direction in both free and third-person modes. Modders can push custom emotes to their servers.
Multi-Instance Support and World Safety
You can now run multiple Hytale clients simultaneously on one machine — useful for mod testing without a second PC [1]. A new Backup Management interface lets you create and restore world backups directly from the launcher. Hosts can also assign fallback servers so disconnected players are redirected rather than dropped. One hard warning: do not open the same world in two instances at once, as this can corrupt the save file [6].
Mod Management Overhaul
The Mod UI moves from the main menu into World Settings [1]. You can now see each mod’s version number, icon, and a compatibility warning flag before loading a world. Protocol errors link directly to the Mod Management screen so you’re not guessing which mod caused the disconnect.
New Items and Content
Copper and Iron Sickles
Two new farming tools that swing continuously when you hold the use input [3]. Copper Sickle is the early-game version; Iron Sickle has higher durability and faster swing. Clearing a full crop row now takes one held action instead of individual clicks per plant.
Crystal Fertilizer and Alchemy Farming
This is the most significant farming change in Update 4. High-tier crops — Blood Leaf, Azure Kelp, and Storm crops — now require Crystal Fertilizer as a growing input and are crafted at the Alchemy Bench rather than the Farming Bench [5]. These plants also salvage into petals instead of dropping seed recipes, which means you can’t maintain a perpetual seed loop. Each replanting cycle costs Crystal Fertilizer. If your current setup relied on Farming Bench for these crops, that workflow no longer functions — see the Known Issues and Progression Impact sections below.
Temple Golem Gem Drops
Temple Golems now drop element-specific gems: Emeralds from Earth Golems, Rubies from Fire Golems, Sapphires from Water Golems, and Topazes from Air Golems [3]. These gems are crafting inputs, not just collectibles. Check our Hytale creatures guide for Golem spawn locations by zone.
Pink Crystal Shards
A new resource found underground in Zone 4 [6]. Crafting applications are still being confirmed by the community — the item database lists it as a valid crafting input but specific recipes are not yet publicly documented. Treat this as an EA caveat: mine them now, use them when the recipe list is confirmed.
Character Customisation
Seven new hairstyles added in Part 3: Afro, Big Afro, Frizzy Buns, Long Dreadlocks, Puffy Twin Dreads, Dreads Fade, and Star Puffs [3]. Three existing hairstyles received visual polish. New HUD icons also landed in Part 4, improving at-a-glance readability.
Changes and Balance Adjustments
Potion System — Complete Overhaul
The instant-heal model is gone. All consumable potions now use a split instant-plus-delayed structure across five quality tiers [3][4]:
| Tier | Instant Heal | Delayed (5s) | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lesser | ~18% | ~12% | 30% |
| Small | ~25% | ~20% | 45% |
| Standard | ~33% | ~27% | 60% |
| Greater | ~42% | ~33% | 75% |
| Large | 35% | 55% | 90% |
The five-second delay is the intended mechanic, not a bug. Large Potions give slightly less instant burst than Greater Potions but significantly more total healing. The tactical implication: pop your Large Potion when health drops to around 50%, not at the panic threshold near death. The delayed wave needs those five seconds to land while you’re still alive to receive it. Going down to 10% health before drinking means the delayed portion heals a dead character.
Stamina and Energy Potions follow the same tier structure (30–90% across five tiers). Energy Potions generate their Signature Energy over 30 seconds rather than instantly. See our gear progression guide for how Potion tier unlocks connect to workbench progression.
Watering Can
Capacity increased from 20 to 50 uses [2][4]. Charging now waters a 3×3 area in a single action. For large plots, this cuts daily watering time significantly — a 9×9 plot goes from 81 individual clicks to 9 charged actions.
Tool Durability Consistency
Hatchets, pickaxes, and shovels now lose durability when used to clear wood blocks [1]. Previously, mismatched tool use on wood didn’t drain durability. Bring spare tools when demolishing mixed-material structures.
Bow Requires Ammunition
You can no longer draw a bow without arrows in your inventory [1]. This closes the gap where players would empty-click during a fight. Check your ammo count before entering combat.
Moose — 20% Speed Reduction
Moose movement speed decreased by 20% [1]. Solo hunting for leather in Zone 1 is more forgiving. This mainly matters for early-game players who were struggling to close the gap without a ranged weapon.
Wolf Pack AI Overhaul
Black and white wolves now coordinate attacks: flanking from multiple angles, attacking simultaneously, and retreating when injured [2]. Don’t let a single wolf walk you into an open area — that’s often the rest of the pack repositioning. Zone 1 forest areas near wolf spawns are noticeably more dangerous for players in starter gear.
Workbench Quality of Life
Several items now craft instantly: Workbench, Campfire, Crude Bedroll, Chest, and Torch [2][4]. Workbenches also continue processing crafting queues even when chunks unload, and they now use world game time rather than real-time — which means pausing the game no longer stalls your crafting queue.
Notable Bug Fixes
Selected fixes across Parts 1–3 [1][2][3]:
- Stacked slabs — no longer drop incorrect item counts on break
- Tamed Chickens — now recognised by player-owned Coops (previously ignored)
- Portal Fragment refunds — restored on portal deconstruction
- Lava damage — mobs and items now correctly take damage when in lava
- Nameless map marker crash — fixed (this was crashing entire sessions)
- T1 Furnace — transparency rendering issue resolved
- Cave networks in Zone 4 — generation corrected
- Wheat — no longer edible (was being used as an unintended food source)
- Ammo consumption in Creative Mode — bows no longer consume arrows in Creative
- Timeline editor crashes — resolved for content creators
- NPC pathfinding edge cases — multiple fixes; VisPath debug tool added for modders
Known Issues After Update 4
- Multi-instance world corruption: Opening the same world in two clients simultaneously can corrupt saves. Safe to run two different worlds, but not the same world in parallel [6].
- Mod compatibility on update day: Each pre-release part can temporarily break existing mods. Server operators should wait 24–48 hours after a new part drops before updating, to allow mod authors to push compatibility fixes.
- Server connection Error 101: Persistent for some players. Workaround: rejoin the server. Caused by UDP port blocking or JWT time sync issues [10].
- Invisible entities: Reported on some AMD and Steam Deck setups. The Artist’s Studio Furniture Set mod has been identified as a trigger — remove it as a first diagnostic step [10].
Progression Impact: What Should You Do Differently?
| Player Type | Biggest Change | Recommended Action |
|---|---|---|
| Early survival | Tool durability on wood clearing | Carry 1–2 spare hatchets before demolishing mixed builds |
| Mid/late survival | Potion overhaul — delayed healing | Pre-pop Large Potions at 50% HP, not at near-death; rebuild your potion stash with tiered variants |
| Farmer | Alchemy crop rework | If you grow Blood Leaf, Azure Kelp, or Storm crops — migrate your workflow to the Alchemy Bench now |
| Builder | Revolve Tool + instant crafting | Part 2 is the most builder-impactful update this EA cycle; Revolve Tool replaces manual rotation for domes and towers |
| Multiplayer | Proximity Voice Chat + wolf pack AI | Enable voice in Audio Settings before your next session; adjust overland routes to avoid wolf pack spawns |
The potion overhaul has the widest progression impact of any single change in Update 4. If you’ve been stockpiling Standard Potions for a boss run, those potions still work — but the 5-second delayed wave means your timing needs to change. A Standard Potion provides 33% instant plus 27% delayed rather than a flat 60%. In high-pressure boss fights, that gap matters. See our Hytale FAQ for more on how potion changes interact with the current boss roster.
For more on this, see update patch notes.
The alchemy farming rework is the second biggest disruption. If you relied on the Farming Bench for high-tier crop cycles, the bench no longer handles those recipes. You need a functional Alchemy Bench and a Crystal Fertilizer supply before you can replant. The seed loop is gone — budget for ongoing fertilizer costs in your resource planning.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Update 4 fully released?
No. Update 4 is a five-part rollout. Parts 1–4 are on the pre-release branch. Part 5 has not yet dropped. Enable pre-release in Launcher → Settings to access current content.
Did my existing potions change with the overhaul?
Yes. All consumable potions now apply the split instant/delayed healing model regardless of when they were crafted. If you had large stacks expecting flat instant heals, adjust your combat timing accordingly.
Did Update 4 add new zones?
No. Update 4 adds no new zones. For zone-by-zone resource locations and progression gates, see our complete zones guide.
Where do I find Crystal Fertilizer?
Crystal Fertilizer is crafted at the Alchemy Bench. The exact ingredient recipe is confirmed in-game but not yet fully documented across community sources — check the in-game Alchemy Bench recipe list directly.
Are Update 4 changes permanent or will they be patched again?
All changes are live in the pre-release branch and intended as permanent — Hypixel Studios describes this as the direction for the potion and farming systems going forward. Part 5 may include balance tweaks to numbers but not a reversal of the core mechanics.
Sources
- Hypixel Studios. “Hytale Update 4 (Part 1) Pre-Release: Patch Notes & New Features.” hytale.game, Feb 19, 2026. https://hytale.game/en/hytale-update-4-part-1-pre-release-patch-notes-new-features/
- The Spike GG. “Hytale Update 4 (Part 2) changes: Features, tools & more.” Feb 26, 2026. https://www.thespike.gg/hytale/beginner-guides/update-4-part-2
- Hypixel Studios. “Hytale Update 4 (Part 3): Proximity Voice Chat and Alchemical Overhaul!” hytale.game, Mar 5, 2026. https://hytale.game/en/hytale-update-4-part-3-proximity-voice-chat-and-alchemical-overhaul/
- BisectHosting. “Hytale Update 4 Pre Release: Patch Notes, Proximity Voice, & More.” https://www.bisecthosting.com/blog/hytale-update-4-pre-release-patch-notes-proximity-voice-more
- The Spike GG. “Hytale Update 4 (Part 3): What’s new?” Mar 5, 2026. https://www.thespike.gg/hytale/beginner-guides/update-4-part-3-details
- Hytale Wiki. “Hytale Patch Notes & Version History.” https://www.hytale-wiki.fun/en/wiki/changelog
- Hytale Alerts. “Update 4 Part 4 patch highlights.” X (formerly Twitter), Mar 12, 2026. https://x.com/HytaleAlerts/status/2032134899772072040
- The Spike GG. “Hytale Update 4: New features, changes, and patch notes.” https://www.thespike.gg/hytale/beginner-guides/hytale-update-4-details
- Godlike. “Hytale Update 4 Pre-Release: What’s New & Changed and What Really Matters.” https://godlike.host/hytale-update-4-pre-release-whats-new-changed-and-what-really-matters-blog/
- Game8. “All Bugs, Crashing Issues, and Known Errors.” https://game8.co/games/Hytale/archives/574463