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Biggest Features of Minecraft 1.19: The Wild Update


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Credit: Mojang

Minecraft's Caves & Cliffs Part 2 update went live at the end of 2021, finally delivering the full Caves & Cliffs experience that was delayed and split into parts because of COVID. As always, once a major Minecraft update releases, focus shifts to the inevitable next update. Mojang has revealed some information about Minecraft 1.19, named The Wild update, so in this article, we're going to tell you what you need to know about 1.19 as well as what the biggest features of the new update are.

What to Know About Minecraft 1.19: The Wild Update

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Credit: Mojang

First, 1.19 doesn't have an official release date beyond '2022'; however, there are some reasonable assumptions we can make about a release date. First, while Mojang has released a single big, major update once a year in both 2020 and 2021, this isn't how historically updates have worked.

Depending on the relative size of the update, multiple updates may be released in a single year, or there may not be a huge wait in between updates. The Wild update itself, while it certainly adds new features, is a much less ambitious update than the previous two updates.

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The Nether update and the Caves & Cliffs update have been the two single biggest updates to Minecraft maybe ever, so it's easy to forget that even the update before the Nether update, Buzzy Bees, was extremely minor. And The Wild is set to be much more like Buzzy Bees than the Nether update or Caves & Cliffs.

So, it's reasonable to assume The Wild will come out in the next three to six months, rather than expecting a full year to pass before a new update arrives. However, Mojang is still likely dealing with aftereffects of COVID, so there is also reason to think Mojang may take a year to 'get back into the swing of things' with a more minor update after two major ones. Ultimately, we'll have to wait and see when the update will actually drop.

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Credit: Mojang

What's coming in The Wild update, big picture? Think of The Wild update as an extension of Caves & Cliffs, which makes sense considering the new boss (and attendant blocks and biome) the Warden was originally set to be part of Caves & Cliffs.

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The Wild is going to add a handful of new blocks and features, but mostly the update is set to add some more life to the Overworld, give players some new things to do and find while exploring, and make familiar biomes feel a little more detailed, immersive, and lived in.

That sounds cool, and it is, but don't expect major additions beyond the Warden, as most of this update will be cosmetic rather than packed with meaningful new gameplay mechanics that will change the way Minecraft is played.

Biggest Changes to Minecraft Coming in 1.19: The Wild Update

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Credit: Mojang

The biggest change to Minecraft coming in 1.19 is the new boss the Warden, who is found in a new biome, the Deep Dark, filled with new Skulk blocks.

The Warden is a large, blind creature found in the Deep Dark. It's attracted to sound, so sneaking around the Warden or throwing projectiles at the Warden will be an effective strategy. The Warden will be the strongest mob in the game once added, able to kill a player in full Netherite armor in two hits.

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Skulk Blocks found in the Deep Dark are largely cosmetic (though, for example, Skulk Blocks when broken will drop experience, and Skulk Catalyst blocks will create Skulk Blocks when nearby mobs are defeated), but Skulk Shrieker blocks will make noise when activated and darken the surrounding area, attracting the Warden and making navigating the Deep Dark difficult.

Ultimately, though, the Warden, according to Mojang, is meant to scare players and be snuck past more than it is meant to be fought and defeated like the Wither, an Elder Guardian, or the Ender Dragon. Accordingly, no special drop has been confirmed for defeating the Warden. The expectation is that there'll be some kind of decorative trophy and nothing more.

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Credit: Mojang

On top of the Warden, Skulk, and the Deep Dark, ancient cities can be found in the Deep Dark with secrets hidden at the center of these cities. What exactly this means is currently unclear, though it's possible (albeit unconfirmed) some major new item might be hidden here, like Eleytra in End Cities, to give players a reason to explore this spooky new biome.

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Aside from the Deep Dark and its related content, Minecraft's 'wilds' are getting new content in the form of frogs (of which there are different varieties); tadpoles; fireflies; Mud Blocks (which are renewable and make clay renewable); Mud Brick blocks; Mangrove trees (and a variety of Mangrove Wood variant blocks); and the new Mangrove Swamp biome where you'll be able to find a bunch of this new content.

Also being added in 1.19 is the community-chosen mob the Allay, a cute flying blue mob that collects items. You can give an Allay an item, and it will collect similar nearby items. You can set a drop location for Allay items using a Note Block, too.

Lastly, chests can be added to boats in 1.19, giving players an extra set of inventory slots to fill when they cross the seas adventuring, a feature that has been requested by players for a long time.

Ultimately, new features, tweaks, and changes will come in 1.19 that haven't yet been discussed, but it's safe to say that this new update won't be at the scale of recent Minecraft updates. While many wondered if a parity update to bring Java and Bedrock Minecraft in perfect line with each other or a combat update building off the many Combat Test Snapshots released over the years would be the next major Minecraft update, don't expect 1.19 to do any of that.

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