Minecraft's new faster update schedule will probably fill modders with both despair and nostalgia

Expect "free game drops" throughout the year, rather than one big summer update

If there's one I've heard from Minecraft modders when I've asked for their thoughts on the future of Minecraft, it's some variation on "fewer updates, please". This might seem unreasonable if you're not into modding, but the price of updating a game is often that you potentially break any mods designed for it. Hence, the parts of Minecraft's history many seasoned Minecraft modders - together with server owners and pro mapmakers - remember most fondly are the longer lulls between updates.

I've heard Minecraft: Java Edition 1.12.2 described as a "golden" period, simply because there was almost a year between it and the next major update. Picture these interludes as sustained magma leaks on the chilly ocean floor, creating a pocket of warmth in which various species of uncommonly inventive organism can dwell and prosper and make little houses out of coral. But then, the magma supply runs out, and the tinkersome critters must hastily relocate to the next thermal oasis.

Repeatedly updating a successful mod is a full-time job which potentially steals time away from other projects. As such, I'm curious to know what Minecraft's modders think of Mojang's recent announcement that Minecraft is switching to a faster "feature development rhythm". It's seemingly reminiscent of the days before Microsoft bought Mojang, when features arrived in more of a when-they're-ready fashion rather than at the bidding of a seasonal "content drop" cadence.

"Instead of providing one free update during the summer, as we've done in the past, we'll now be releasing a number of free game drops throughout the year," reads a post on the game's official site from Minecraft general manager Ryan Cooper. "These game drops will vary in size and will bring you features to explore more frequently."

It's not quite clear what "game drops" amounts to, but recent updates contain a few clues. "Sharp-eyed players will have spotted our first trial of these drops all the way back in December 2023, when we made visual changes to bats and turned decorated pots into functional storage containers," the post continues. "Next came Armored Paws - which included armadillos, wolf variations, and wolf armor - and released in April 2024.

"And that's not all our developers will be working on. Minecraft is a game that has been growing since it first released, and alongside these regular content drops, our developers will be focusing on long-term initiatives to ensure we can continue to evolve Minecraft long into the future," the post concludes.

Well, it doesn't quite end there. They also mention that they're bringing "a native version of Minecraft to the PlayStation 5", but I don't know what a PlayStation 5 is and neither do you. They're also "exploring ways to improve Minecraft's multiplayer experience and make it easier to find and connect with friends".

If you don't want to update your mods to keep pace with Minecraft's updates, you'll need to stick with an older version of the game. Mojang made this easier a while back by letting you pick versions from the game's launcher, albeit only on Java rather than the console-specific Bedrock edition. They've also tried to make modding Minecraft easier by means of tools like the data pack system. Still, modders may feel obliged to update their creations to take advantage of new features.

It's strictly anecdotal social media ephemera, not an accurate snapshot of the mood, but I've seen a few arsey replies to Cooper's post above. Mind you, all of that is somewhat lost in the celebrations over the parallel announcement that Mojang are retiring the Mob Vote, a regular fan vote on adding creatures to the game that has cultivated community grudges that go back nigh a decade. Did you vote for the Phantom back in 2017? I hope all your precious mods turn to ashes in your mouth.

Before joining RPS, our news editor Edwin Evans-Thirlwell wrote a book about Minecraft's history in collaboration with Mojang and Microsoft. He's not receiving any royalties or similar on-going payments.