Out since October 27, 2026
Minecraft on Nintendo Switch 2
Vibrant Visuals is the default look, the Super Mario Mash-Up pack gets an update, and Nintendo Switch owners get a digital upgrade path (Mojang says details are still to come).
// Minecraft · Release tracker · Official dates
Minecraft next update: release date.
Next game drop · Ice caves · Final drop of 2026
Date not announced
In testing since September 30, 2026: Java Edition snapshots and Bedrock previews and betas. Adds ice caves, icicles, ice crystals, the frostbite mob with its ice balls, and a Freezing effect.
Mojang has not announced a release date for the next Minecraft update. The next game drop is the ice caves drop, which Mojang calls the final game drop of 2026, and it went into public testing on September 30, 2026.
Minecraft released three game drops in 2026: Tiny Takeover on March 24, Chaos Cubed on June 16 and Wilderness Bound on September 15. The gaps were 84 and 91 days.
Minecraft Dungeons II came out on September 29, 2026, and Minecraft arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 27, 2026. The Sift, a new dimension, comes to Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027.
Coming up in Minecraft
Date not announced
Ice caves game drop
The final game drop of 2026: ice caves, icicles that grow on cave ceilings, glowing ice crystals, the frostbite (a frozen zombie variant that throws ice balls) and Freezing. Testable now in snapshots and previews.
Until December 31, 2026
Free Hero Cape
Played the first Minecraft Dungeons? Log into Minecraft Dungeons II before December 31, 2026 to get the Hero Cape, then log into Java or Bedrock Edition with the same Microsoft account to unlock it there too.
2027
The Sift dimension
The first new dimension in over 14 years, joining the Overworld, the Nether and the End. Coming to Java and Bedrock Edition next year; you can explore it now in Minecraft Dungeons II.
2027
Minecraft World in London
A Minecraft area at Chessington World of Adventures Resort, with the first Minecraft World Hotel and Escape the Nether, which Mojang calls the world's first Minecraft rollercoaster.
Out now: Minecraft Dungeons II launched September 29, 2026 on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, with up to 4 players in online or couch co-op (Mojang). All dates checked September 30, 2026.
Every Minecraft game drop in 2026
| Drop | Released | What it added | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tiny Takeover | March 24, 2026 | New baby mob designs, golden dandelions (keep a baby mob young), craftable name tags, a trumpet note block | minecraft.net |
| Chaos Cubed | June 16, 2026 | The physics-based sulfur cube mob, sulfur caves, sulfur springs and geysers, sulfur and cinnabar block sets | minecraft.net |
| Wilderness Bound | September 15, 2026 | Dappled forest biome with poplar trees, abandoned camps, straw beds, cushions, wool slabs and stairs | minecraft.net |
| Ice caves drop (no name yet) | Not announced | Ice caves, icicles, ice crystals, the frostbite, ice balls, Freezing | minecraft.net |
Game drops land on Java and Bedrock Edition on the same day (Mojang's update timeline FAQ). This year's drops came 84 and 91 days apart. The same spacing after Wilderness Bound would land between December 8, 2026 and December 15, 2026: that is our arithmetic, not a Mojang date, and it will be replaced here the day Mojang announces one.
Minecraft Live, September 26, 2026: the recap
- The Sift, a new dimension with areas like the Meadow and the Carapace, is playable in Minecraft Dungeons II now and comes to Java and Bedrock next year.
- Ice caves are the next game drop, with a frozen zombie variant that Mojang has since named the frostbite.
- Minecraft World opens at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in London in 2027, with a Minecraft hotel and the Escape the Nether rollercoaster.
- Sound effects packs are coming to Minecraft Marketplace, and Mojang talked up a creator platform to make building and sharing content easier.
- Nintendo Switch 2 gets Minecraft on October 27, and Minecraft Education turned 10.
- There was no mob vote: the official recap does not mention one.
From Mojang's official recap.
Minecraft in real life
Between drops, build the blocky gear for your shelf. Our Minecraft 3D print library indexes 448 print files, including 37 creepers, 28 swords and 23 pickaxes by title (counted September 30, 2026), and the props page lists finished pieces you can buy.
- Minecraft props you can buy: replicas, toys and collectibles.
- Minecraft 3D print library: files to print yourself.
- Best video game LEGO sets, including the Minecraft Crafting Table.
- Minecraft gifts in the gamer gift finder.
- Game countdowns: release dates and season ends for other games.
PropBuilds earns a commission if you buy through links on this page, at no extra cost to you.
Minecraft update questions
When is the next Minecraft update?
Mojang has not announced a release date for the next game drop yet. It is the final game drop of 2026 and it adds ice caves, the frostbite (a frozen zombie variant that throws ice balls) and a Freezing effect. Testing started on September 30, 2026 in Java Edition snapshots and Bedrock previews and betas. The page was checked on September 30, 2026.
What is the next Minecraft drop after Wilderness Bound?
The ice caves drop, which Mojang calls the final game drop of 2026. It follows Wilderness Bound (the dappled forest drop, September 15, 2026) and Chaos Cubed (the sulfur cube drop, June 16, 2026). Mojang has not given it a name yet.
What was announced at Minecraft Live in September 2026?
The show on September 26, 2026 revealed the Sift, a new dimension coming to Java and Bedrock next year, first playable in Minecraft Dungeons II; the ice caves game drop; Minecraft World, a theme park area at Chessington World of Adventures Resort in London opening in 2027 with a Minecraft hotel and the Escape the Nether rollercoaster; sound effects packs for Minecraft Marketplace; and Minecraft on Nintendo Switch 2 on October 27.
Was there a mob vote at Minecraft Live 2026?
No. Mojang's official recap of the September 2026 show does not mention a mob vote.
When did Minecraft Dungeons II come out?
Minecraft Dungeons II launched on September 29, 2026 on Steam, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2. It supports up to 4 players in online or couch co-op.
When does Minecraft come out on Nintendo Switch 2?
October 27, 2026. Mojang says it runs with Vibrant Visuals as the default look, and that Nintendo Switch owners will get a digital upgrade path, with details still to come.
When is the Sift dimension coming to Minecraft?
Next year. Mojang says the Sift comes to Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027, the first new dimension in over 14 years. No exact date has been given. You can explore it now in Minecraft Dungeons II.
Fan-made page. Not affiliated with Mojang Studios or Microsoft. Minecraft is a trademark of Microsoft Corporation. Dates from minecraft.net, checked September 30, 2026.