Eager for the Minecraft 1.20 release date? So are we. The next major content update was announced during Minecraft Live on October 15, 2022, and while the update remains unnamed at this point, Mojang Studios has still revealed some of the new and exciting features we can expect to see, and we’ve already been given hands-on access to some of the new additions.
Minecraft remains one of the best PC games of the last decade, and keeps fans coming back with these annual updates. Based around representation and creativity, we know the next one will include new Minecraft skins and a new mob in the form of the Minecraft camel – as well as mob vote winner the Sniffer. While the Sniffer is still waiting in the wings, the skins and the camel can be found in-game now.
The Minecraft 1.20 update announcement bucked the trend from previous years’ update announcements. Still revealed during Minecraft Live, we were told fewer details than in past years, due in some part to previously announced mechanics and additions never making it to the game, like Minecraft fireflies, resulting in a backlash from fans. To avoid that happening again, Mojang has this year only confirmed features that are almost ready to go. On the plus side, this means we’ll be able to playtest these features much sooner than in previous years, with camels, bamboo wood, and other experimental features available in snapshots already.
Minecraft 1.20 release date speculation As yet, there is no official Minecraft 1.20 release date, but we expect it to launch around summer 2023. Some reports are claiming that the update could be released in January 2023, and while Mojang Studios may surprise us, the update hasn’t even reached the pre-release stage yet, so we recommend taking these claims with a pinch of salt.
Our own speculation on a summer release date is based on previous content rollouts. The last four major updates, with the exception of 1.19, have all been released in the June of the year following their announcement. 1.19 was an exception as it was not a proper, scheduled update as such, and was instead the second part of the Caves and Cliffs update. So far it seems 1.20 could be a significantly smaller update than, say, The Wild update (1.19) or The Nether Update (1.16), so it would not be unreasonable to assume an earlier release schedule. However, there is still more to be announced, and presumably additional experimental snapshots, pre-releases, and release candidates to come, so we think a June 2023 release date might be a more realistic expectation.
Minecraft 1.20 features Bamboo blocks and rafts Of course a new Minecraft update has to come with new blocks – after all, blocks are quite literally what make the sandbox game what it is. For the Minecraft 1.20 update, those new blocks are bamboo, fitting somewhere between the wood block family, and bamboo itself.
This new block is great for a number of reasons. Firstly, it adds another use to the fast-growing bamboo plant, which before now was only used for feeding pandas and building scaffolding. The bamboo block can be crafted into most of the same items as wood, such as stairs, doors, slabs, and fences, and even comes with its own unique bamboo mosaic variant. However, the one item you can’t make with bamboo is a boat. Technically. The new raft replaces the boat when crafted with bamboo and functions in exactly the same way, it just looks that little bit cooler sailing away from your desert island or jungle-themed base.
Camels We already knew a new mob was coming to Minecraft soon, with the annual mob vote returning for another year. However, it has been confirmed that the winner, the sniffer, will join another new creature, the camel, in a future update.
Adding to the ever-growing roster of Minecraft mobs, the camel not only adds something new to oft-ignored desert biome, but will also provide a new and agile way of getting around the overworld. This cute new mob can be ridden by two players at a time, has a useful new dash mechanic, and its own adorable and realistic animations.
Chiseled bookshelves Speaking of new items, and new wood types, there’s soon to be another wood item, useful for both builders and redstoners. The chiseled bookshelf is possibly one of the most interesting and exciting blocks to be added to Minecraft in a while thanks to its game-changing implications.
The chiseled bookshelf is a bookshelf you can interact with, a step up from the existing bookshelf, which may be decorative and useful in crafting recipes, but doesn’t actually function as a bookshelf. Now you can write notes and stories in a book, and store them safely in a chiseled bookshelf. Keep your precious enchanted books safe in a chiseled bookshelf. Even make secret doors with a chiseled bookshelf. Yes, the new block’s mechanics cause a redstone signal when a book is placed or removed, so your secret-castle-dungeon rooms can become a reality. Oh, and if you’ve got some spare, its sleek new wood design makes for a great floor.
Hanging signs With the addition of the new bamboo ‘wood’ type, and the chiseled bookshelf, there comes another new wood crafting recipe, making the most of every wood type. For some time now, we have been able to craft signs that can either be placed on the ground or flat against a wall. Creative players use them not just for storytelling or for messages to other players, but in builds, such as armchairs or beds. With 1.20, we will see the addition of the hanging sign, a cute option to make shops, streets, or other Minecraft builds even more lifelike. And artistic players have already started to find other uses for hanging signs, with the bunting-like display seen above showcased during Minecraft Live.
New characters and skins The eagle-eyed few who noticed new faces in recent Minecraft trailers got good news when it was announced that they are being added to Minecraft canon. These new characters are now official Minecraft skins, as Ario, Efe, Kai, Makena, Noor, Sunny, and Zuri join the well-known Steve and Alex. You can skin-up as one of the seven diverse new characters from both the Bedrock edition dressing room and the Java edition launcher already, so make sure you’re familiar with how to change your Minecraft skin.
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If you just can’t wait for the 1.20 snapshots to be released, why not take a look at some of the best Minecraft seeds. Find the best deserts and badlands to ride those camels, as well as bamboo jungles, and familiarise yourself with three of the most underrated and under-used Minecraft biomes in preparation for the new update.
Eager for the Minecraft 1.20 release date? So are we. The next major content update was announced during Minecraft Live on October 15, 2022, and while the update remains unnamed at this point, Mojang Studios has still revealed some of the new and exciting features we can expect to see, and we’ve already been given hands-on access to some of the new additions.
Minecraft remains one of the best PC games of the last decade, and keeps fans coming back with these annual updates. Based around representation and creativity, we know the next one will include new Minecraft skins and a new mob in the form of the Minecraft camel – as well as mob vote winner the Sniffer. While the Sniffer is still waiting in the wings, the skins and the camel can be found in-game now.
The Minecraft 1.20 update announcement bucked the trend from previous years’ update announcements. Still revealed during Minecraft Live, we were told fewer details than in past years, due in some part to previously announced mechanics and additions never making it to the game, like Minecraft fireflies, resulting in a backlash from fans. To avoid that happening again, Mojang has this year only confirmed features that are almost ready to go. On the plus side, this means we’ll be able to playtest these features much sooner than in previous years, with camels, bamboo wood, and other experimental features available in snapshots already.
As yet, there is no official Minecraft 1.20 release date, but we expect it to launch around summer 2023. Some reports are claiming that the update could be released in January 2023, and while Mojang Studios may surprise us, the update hasn’t even reached the pre-release stage yet, so we recommend taking these claims with a pinch of salt.
Bamboo blocks and rafts
Of course a new Minecraft update has to come with new blocks – after all, blocks are quite literally what make the sandbox game what it is. For the Minecraft 1.20 update, those new blocks are bamboo, fitting somewhere between the wood block family, and bamboo itself.
We already knew a new mob was coming to Minecraft soon, with the annual mob vote returning for another year. However, it has been confirmed that the winner, the sniffer, will join another new creature, the camel, in a future update.
Speaking of new items, and new wood types, there’s soon to be another wood item, useful for both builders and redstoners. The chiseled bookshelf is possibly one of the most interesting and exciting blocks to be added to Minecraft in a while thanks to its game-changing implications.
With the addition of the new bamboo ‘wood’ type, and the chiseled bookshelf, there comes another new wood crafting recipe, making the most of every wood type. For some time now, we have been able to craft signs that can either be placed on the ground or flat against a wall. Creative players use them not just for storytelling or for messages to other players, but in builds, such as armchairs or beds. With 1.20, we will see the addition of the hanging sign, a cute option to make shops, streets, or other Minecraft builds even more lifelike. And artistic players have already started to find other uses for hanging signs, with the bunting-like display seen above showcased during Minecraft Live.
New characters and skins
The eagle-eyed few who noticed new faces in recent Minecraft trailers got good news when it was announced that they are being added to Minecraft canon. These new characters are now official Minecraft skins, as Ario, Efe, Kai, Makena, Noor, Sunny, and Zuri join the well-known Steve and Alex. You can skin-up as one of the seven diverse new characters from both the Bedrock edition dressing room and the Java edition launcher already, so make sure you’re familiar with how to change your Minecraft skin.
