The development team behind Minecraft, Mojang Studios, seems to want to capitalize on the hype caused by the trailer for the movie about the video game, released just a few days ago, and has announced a package of new features that aim to bring freshness and dynamism to the block universe.
On September 9, Mojang published three important news on X: the launch of free content throughout the year, a change in format for Minecraft Live and the elimination of the mob vote, and a new native version of Minecraft for PlayStation 5.
Of particular note are the changes to Minecraft Live and the update system. The system that worked until now, known as the ‘mob vote’, consisted of players or developers proposing new mobs (new features or characters) for the game, and one of them was voted on. That is, apart from the classic creepers, archers, cows and pigs, new animal entries were considered, such as armadillos or penguins, for example. Players made their proposals and, after a vote, one proposal was accepted and the others were forgotten.
This system has now been scrapped in favour of a more regular update cadence, with new releases arriving throughout the year, rather than a single major update being released each year. Players are already celebrating this change online, which will likely lead to more new features coming to Minecraft throughout the year, making it more dynamic and enjoyable.
That’s also changing Minecraft Live, the annual event usually held in October where the team explains what new things fans can expect. It will now be held twice a year, so that the work in progress can be shared more regularly.
More content and updates
The above, together with new free content throughout the year, will indicate that Mojang does not want Minecraft to go out of fashion (it is about to turn sixteen), making it more dynamic and bringing it back to the present with periodic new releases, in the style of Fortnite and other similar massive video games.
“We’re changing the pace of our feature development. Instead of offering a free update over the summer, as we’ve done in the past, we’ll now be releasing a series of free content drops throughout the year,” they say on their blog. The most recent examples include the introduction of armadillos, wolf variations, and wolf armor.
These new features will not only be temporary, but will also work on permanent changes to improve the game.
To give dynamism to a game with a strong multiplayer aspect, there has been no shortage of new features regarding online mode: “Over the next year, we will also explore ways to improve the Minecraft multiplayer experience and make it easier to find and connect with friends,” they explain.
Added to all this is the new native version of Minecraft for PS5, which adapts to the new generations of Sony consoles, and ensures that its players can also enter Minecraft.
