Minecraft now has a tradition of producing big annual updates, and the latest is no exception. Releasing today, The Nether Update is a massive overhaul of Minecraft’s hellish underbelly, seeking to convince players to stay a little longer in the dangerous lava-filled caverns. Players can expect to find new biomes, a material stronger than diamond, and communities of Piglins who are open to bartering.
Oh, and it sounds like Minecraft’s mountains are likely to get a refresh of their own soon – although details currently remain rather light.
Dev Diaries #1: Nether Update Watch on YouTube
The Nether is an area that’s remained largely unchanged since the game’s launch, which is why Mojang now feels it’s finally time to flesh it out. Ahead of the update’s release, some players worried the addition of less-hostile biomes would make the Nether less foreboding. Yet as senior game developer Agnes Larsson told me, the Nether will remain both dangerous and unique.
“We still want it to be quite challenging because it should be different from the Overworld, and the Nether is the place for those who want some challenge,” Larsson said. “If we look at the features we added, look at the visuals, the sounds, those are different – but also the mechanics. For example, if you wanted to get food in the Nether, you cannot have a nice quiet little farm where you have your crops. You need to go out and find those Hoglins, and they attack you.”