Minecraft: Java Edition 'Nether Update' Pre-Release 3 is out now, with new bug fixes

Minecraft Nether Update Beta Landscape
Minecraft Nether Update Beta Landscape (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • We're only a few weeks away from the official release of 'the Nether Update' for Minecraft.
  • This will be a major update, making dramatic and total changes to the game's Nether dimension.
  • We're now in the Pre-Release phase for the Java Edition, with the third build officially out now.
  • At this point, it's all about sweeping bug fixes and improvements, so the changelog is quite long this time.

Now that we're officially in the Pre-Release stage of development for the Nether Update, changelogs are getting long and boring. It's all about little fixes and polish here and there to make the Nether Update a better, more enjoyable experience for everyone. Pre-Release 3 is now out, and it continues this trend. Most of the changes are tiny, but here are the most notable ones:

  • Nether Fortresses will now spawn slightly more often.
  • Food can now be placed on campfires that are unlit.
  • You can now see a little better under lava when using Fire Resistance.
  • Piglins can now hear chests being opened or gold blocks being broken, even if they can't see you.
  • There is now a loading screen for loading, re-creating, or creating a world.
  • A very, very long list of bug fixes and improvements.
  • The game will now attempt to recover corrupted worlds from the initial Pre-Release 1 build.

One of the more interesting things about this release is that Mojang Studios has confirmed in the blog post announcing it that we are only a few weeks out from the public release. This coincides with our original speculation, so it seems Mojang Studios is right on schedule, despite the ongoing world events with the COVID-19 pandemic. It also seems the team is getting more aggressive with squashing bugs, with bodes well for what is hopefully a smooth and painless release for the Nether Update.

If you're interested, you can read the full changelog here. Otherwise, sit tight and wait for the full release of the Nether Update along with the rest of us.

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.