Publisher Microsoft and developer Mojang have shared the latest snapshot for the game, confirming Minecraft is getting bigger biomes in its next 1.18 update.
Minecraft is getting bigger biomes via snapshot 21w40a, alongside other tweaks with world generation and even ore distribution. The new snapshot also makes non-cave biomes not be affected by height, which Mojang notes will bring “no more savannas in the sky and things like that.”
As with any snapshot in Minecraft, everything isn’t set in stone and further tweaks can be made before the full update is released.
Here’s the main rundown on the new snapshot:
CHANGES IN 21W40A
- World generation tweaks
- Changes to mob spawning
- Copper Ore now drops 2-5 (from 2-3) Raw Copper items
- In the Stonecutter, a Block of Copper can be converted to four Cut Copper
- A bunch of biome variants with similar features but different shapes have been merged into one since the shape is controlled independently now
- Renamed some biomes
WORLD GENERATION
- Updated ore distribution to make branch mining deep down more rewarding. Updated ore distribution chart
- For example, added more unexposed diamonds
- Iron ore now generates above 80, with more iron ore as you go higher
- Extra gold generates below height -48
- Non-cave biomes no longer change with height – so no more savannas in the sky and things like that
- Tweaked the relative size of some biomes to match 1.17 a bit closer.
- Increased the average size of most biomes (this also means biomes aren’t in the same places as before)
- Fixed some aquifer issues (a side effect of this is that aquifers are in different places now compared to last snapshot)
- Slightly increased the frequency of underwater magma
- Increased the amount of dungeons, especially below height 0
- Gravel now generates below height 0
- Villages are slightly more spread out
- Removed water lake features, Aquifers provide local water levels
MOB SPAWNS
- Axolotls now only spawn in water, above clay blocks, in lush caves
- Glowsquids now only spawn in water blocks, under height 30
- Cod, Salmon, Pufferfish, Tropical Fish, Squid, and Dolphins now only spawn in water from height 50 to height 64
- Tropical Fish now also spawn in lush caves at any height
- Zombies once again spawn in dripstone caves – drowned can also spawn there however
- Goats no longer spawn in stony peaks
The latest post-launch downloadable content for Minecraft included none other than Sonic the Hedgehog – you can read more about that here in our previous report.
Minecraft is available for Windows PC, Linux, Mac (all via the official website), Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Android, iOS, Amazon Fire, Amazon Fire, and Fire TV. The Nintendo 3DS, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Vita, Xbox 360, and Wii U versions have been discontinued and are no longer supported.
