Pre-Release 8 for Minecraft: Java Edition's 'the Nether Update' could be one of the last

Minecraft Nether Update Java Image
Minecraft Nether Update Java Image (Image credit: Windows Central)

What you need to know

  • Mojang Studios is doing some last minute improvements to the next major update for Minecraft.
  • The Nether Update is shaping up to be huge, and it comes out June 23, 2020.
  • Minecraft: Java Edition is getting what could be one of the last Pre-Release builds, fixing a few more issues.

For weeks now we've been reporting on beta builds and Pre-Releases for Minecraft that do little more than minor tweaks and improvements for the Nether Update, but things are a little different today. We now have an official release date for the Nether Update, meaning Pre-Release 8 for the Java Edition could very well be the last one we see before public release.

I for one am perfectly okay with this plan, seeing as we've been following the progress of the Nether Update for over six months now, but I'm also happy that Mojang Studios continues to fix issues and make sure everything is as awesome as possible before everyone gets a chance to enjoy it.

If you wat, you can check out the full changelog here and see all of the delicious bug fixes included, or skip that and find out how to install it. Or, you know, just wait a week until June 23, 2020, and get the full release on every platform imaginable.

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.