Minecraft 1.20 is the 'Trails & Tales' update, releasing later this year

Trailer screenshot from the Minecraft 1.20 "Trails & Tales" update announcement.
(Image credit: Xbox Game Studios | YouTube)

What you need to know

  • The next major Minecraft update falls under the 1.20 version umbrella, and it's coming later this year.
  • The update focuses on player expression and world representation, with new mobs, biomes, blocks, and mechanics.
  • During a special stream on Thursday, Mojang Studios revealed the name for Minecraft 1.20.
  • Minecraft players, the wait is over — Minecraft 1.20 "Trails & Tales" is official.

Minecraft players all over the world are eagerly awaiting the completion and release of the next major content update for the ongoing creative survival crafting game. Minecraft 1.20 is currently in the works at Mojang Studios, and many of its features are already being tested in the hands of players. During a special Minecraft stream on Thursday, Mojang Studios also officially introduced the upcoming release as Minecraft 1.20 "Trails & Tales."

Minecraft 1.20 "Trails & Tales" is all about player expression, worldly representations, and generally making Minecraft feel... Minecraftier. To this end, the update includes multiple new mobs like the Camel and Sniffer, new gameplay mechanics like archeology, a multitude of new blocks like the bamboo and cherry wood sets, new decorative additions like hanging signs and armor trims, and even a new biome with the idyllic Cherry Grove.

There's a lot of good stuff in the Trails & Tales update, and Mojang Studios is piling plenty of vanilla parity, quality-of-life, and accessibility improvements on top of those brand-new features. While this content update may not be the most ambitious Minecraft has seen, it still makes the Overworld plenty more exciting for its explorers, builders, and miners. Minecraft 1.20 "Trails & Tales" arrives on all platforms — including Xbox, PlayStation, Switch, Windows PC, and mobile devices — later this year.

Want to experience the next era of one of the best Xbox games of all time? Interested players can test a plethora of Minecraft 1.20 "Trails & Tales" features right now via Minecraft Previews and Java Edition snapshots. If you want to learn more about all the features and changes in the upcoming update, be sure to read our ultimate guide on Minecraft 1.20 "Trails & Tales."

Zachary Boddy
Staff Writer

Zachary Boddy (They / Them) is a Staff Writer for Windows Central, primarily focused on covering the latest news in tech and gaming, the best Xbox and PC games, and the most interesting Windows and Xbox hardware. They have been gaming and writing for most of their life starting with the original Xbox, and started out as a freelancer for Windows Central and its sister sites in 2019. Now a full-fledged Staff Writer, Zachary has expanded from only writing about all things Minecraft to covering practically everything on which Windows Central is an expert, especially when it comes to Microsoft. You can find Zachary on Twitter @BoddyZachary.