The first step towards a new look for Minecraft.#MinecraftLIVE saw the announcement of Vibrant Visuals – our developers’ vision for a graphics update that will transform the way players experience Minecraft! Find out more: https://t.co/xIUSeXokpF pic.twitter.com/NGtXCd4hus
— Minecraft (@Minecraft) March 22, 2025
Just when you thought that Jack Black ruined Minecraft forever…
Admittedly, it’s been a few years since the last time I played Minecraft, and I’m pretty sure it was on my phone while I was traveling abroad. That means it’s pretty safe to say that I’m a bit rusty when it comes to clicking on blocks in search of rare pixelized minerals. But I think that may be about to change.
The new Vibrant Visuals update was announced during Minecraft’s annual Minecraft LIVE event, where Mojang shows off the latest game developments as well as updates surrounding the Minecraft community. The update, which is set to roll out initially for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition in the coming months, brings a host of modern rendering features to the game. Among the highlights are directional lighting, volumetric fog, dynamic shadows, and reflective water surfaces. Players can expect to see sunlight casting pixelated shadows that shift with the day-night cycle, clouds stretching infinitely into the horizon, and water that mirrors the surrounding landscape with a murky realism underwater.
I think this new direction Minecraft is going looks beautiful, and it certainly should go a long way at bringing the game into the 2020s. Not that the game needed it, given its signature nostalgic and slightly retro style, but I really appreciate the refreshed Vibrant Visuals look.
Now, I can already hear the screaming and crying out there by some of the highly intellectual folks on X who will claim their lives simply cannot go on if Mojang proceeds forward with this blasphemy. Fret not, there will be an in-game toggle to turn the new graphics on or off. Also, calm down, you probably haven’t played Minecraft in like 5 years either.
Vibrant Visuals is a purely cosmetic update. Mojang has assured us that gameplay mechanics will remain unchanged by the upgrade itself. The update is also designed to be backward compatible with existing worlds and runs locally on players’ devices, meaning those with the new visuals can play seamlessly alongside friends using the classic look on the same realm. “It’s about giving players more options without taking anything away,” said Jasper Boerstra, Minecraft’s Art Director, during the LIVE broadcast.
The road to Vibrant Visuals has been years in the making. Mojang began laying the groundwork by rewriting rendering code last year, a move spotted by keen-eyed community members. The update’s initial release on Bedrock Edition will soon be testable via preview and beta versions on select devices. The studio hopes to bring the full or partial upgrade to as many Bedrock-supported platforms as possible, including consoles, mobile devices, and PCs. As a primarily on-the-go mobile Minecraft player myself, I’m hyped about Vibrant Visuals coming to my platform of choice.
Just to squeeze in a little bit more of that Minecraft biome porn, take a look at these:
Looking ahead, Mojang is already working on adapting Vibrant Visuals for Minecraft: Java Edition. This version will cater not only to players but also to modders and resource pack creators, ensuring the update supports the vast modding community. “It will take time for us to get this right,” Mojang noted, emphasizing their commitment to a sustainable approach for future graphical improvements across both editions.
Writing this blog has reignited my nostalgia for Minecraft, and I’m definitely going to be playing it again soon, especially when this update rolls out. Now I just wait for the Minecraft movie to come out and completely screw this newfound excitement up for me.
Can’t wait…
-@DraakoTP