5 best new features coming soon to Minecraft

Minecraft just wrapped up Minecon 2019, and it was a huge show with tons of epic announcements. We got public access info for Minecraft Earth, a cinematic intro for Minecraft Dungeons, and news about upcoming updates to Minecraft itself.

Here are our top five best features on their way to Minecraft for the rest of 2019, and into 2020.

Block 'em up

Minecraft

The biggest game of all time

Minecraft is on the up and up, with tons of new content and features on the horizon. Now is as good a time as any to jump in!

1. Nether Update

The big one is the update to Minecraft's Nether dimension, which will receive a much-needed coat of new hellish paint, and a bunch of new features. The Nether Update will add two new biomes to the Nether, Soulsand Valley which is a hostile terrain complete with giant prehistoric skeletons, and Netherwart Forest, where alien mushrooms tower into the darkness.

We're also getting a new civilization within the Nether, dubbed Piglins. These non-zombified Pigmen barter gold for items, and will only ignore players who endow themselves in gold armor. However, if you attempt to take from their chests, be prepared for a fight. Piglins also hunt a new beast, which is yet to be named, but resembles a demonic boar perfectly suited for Nether living.

For everything we know so far about the Nether update, see our comprehensive coverage.

2. Mountain update

At Minecon, Microsoft held a vote on which biome would get some love first among mountains, badlands, and swamps. Badlands (sadly...) got routed, with swamps, and mountains duking it out for the top spot. In the end, mountains emerged victoriously, and we already know a little bit about what the future update will contain.

Biome updates generally contain new mobs, new mechanics, and refreshed terrain generation. For the mountain update, the Minecraft team said they were (jokingly) looking at "snowier snow," with deeper types of snow terrain, improved landscapes to deliver "majestic views," and at least one new mob, which will be goats. This update will likely come after the Nether update, which is slated for the first half of 2020.

3. Bees, bees, bees

A bunch of buzzy bees (Image credit: Mojang)

BEEEEEEEEEES. The next mini-update to Minecraft will be the inclusion of bees, coming before the 2019 holiday season. Bees not only look fuzzy and cute, but bring a ton of new mechanics that will have cascading effects across the whole game. When bees fly between their beehives and flowers to collect nectar, they drop pollen on nearby crops, accelerating their growth. The bees update will also come with a new honey block, which has sticky properties.

For more on what bees mean for Minecraft, head over here

Minecraft Guide to Bees

4. Character Creator

In addition to bees, another more immediate update is the Minecraft Character Creator, which is currently available to beta testers. The Character Creator effectively allows you to create your own skins without having to learn how to use skinny and modeling features, using a wide variety of cosmetic options and representation. A lot of the costumes and clothes we've seen so far are also 3D, rather than simple overlays for Alex and Steve.

Microsoft says there will be over 100 items for free, along with some premium cosmetic options for those willing to pony up the dough.

5. Improved scripting tools

For Minecraft marketplace developers, programming students, and hobbyists, Mojang is making it easier to rapidly build and tweak maps and mechanics with an array of new scripting tools. We have the editing stick, which will allow devs to very rapidly change the parameters of any block in the world. There will also be a TNT wand, allowing devs to rapidly shape the terrain, and new ways to package assets into an expandable block, allowing for fast copy-and-pasting of buildings and so on.

These tools should lead to more refined custom experiences in the Minecraft marketplace while making life easier for devs.

Minecraft is on the up and up

Recently crowned the biggest game of all time, Minecraft is showing no signs of slowing down. Between Minecraft itself, Minecraft Dungeons, Minecraft Earth, and a few other "secret" projects we've heard about, you can bet that this franchise is going to go from strength to strength, with no shortage of content on the horizon.