Minecraft’s new, faster update schedule is likely to fill modders with both despair and nostalgia

If there’s one thing I’ve heard from Minecraft modders when I’ve asked them their opinion on the future of Minecraft, it’s been some variation of “fewer updates, please.” This may seem unreasonable if you’re not into modding, but the price of updating a game is often that you break all the mods designed for it. As such, the parts of Minecraft’s history that many experienced Minecraft modders – along with server owners and professional map creators – remember most fondly are the longer pauses between updates.

I’ve heard Minecraft: Java Edition 1.12.2 described as a “golden” period, simply because there was almost a year between that and the next major update. Think of these interludes as persistent magma leaks on the cold sea floor, creating a pocket of warmth in which various species of unusually inventive organisms can live and thrive, building little homes out of coral. But then the magma supply runs out, and the tinkering creatures must hastily relocate to the nearest thermal oasis.

Repeatedly updating a successful mod is a full-time job that may take time away from other projects, so I’m curious what Minecraft modders think of Mojang’s recent announcement that Minecraft is moving to a faster “feature development cadence.” It seems to be reminiscent of the days before Microsoft bought Mojang, when features were released on a “when they’re ready” basis rather than the dictates of a seasonal “content drop” cadence.

“Instead of delivering a free update in the summer like we have in the past, we will now be releasing a series of free Game Drops throughout the year,” reads a post by Minecraft General Manager Ryan Cooper on the game’s official website. “These Game Drops will vary in size and provide you with features to explore more frequently.”

It’s not entirely clear what “game drops” mean, but recent updates provide some clues. “Sharp-eyed players will have spotted our first test of these drops back in December 2023, when we made visual changes to bats and turned decorated pots into functional storage containers,” the post continues. “Armored Paws – including armadillos, wolf variants, and wolf armor – came next and released in April 2024.

“And that’s not all our developers will be working on. Minecraft is a game that has grown since its initial release, and alongside these regular content releases, our developers will be focusing on long-term initiatives to ensure we can continue to evolve Minecraft into the future,” the post concludes.

Well, it doesn’t quite end there. They also mention that they’re bringing “a native version of Minecraft to the PlayStation 5,” but I don’t know what a PlayStation 5 is and neither do you. They’re also “exploring ways to improve the Minecraft multiplayer experience and make it easier to find and connect with friends.”

If you don’t want to update your mods to keep up with Minecraft’s updates, you’ll have to stick with an older version of the game. Mojang made this easier a while back by letting you select versions from the game’s launcher, although only for Java and not the console-specific Bedrock edition. They’ve also tried to make modding Minecraft easier using tools like the data pack system. Still, modders may feel obligated to update their creations to take advantage of new features.

It’s purely anecdotal social media ephemera and not an accurate snapshot of sentiment, but I’ve seen a few silly replies to Cooper’s post above. However, it’s all getting a little lost in the celebrations over the parallel announcement that Mojang is shutting down the Mob Vote, a regular fan vote on adding creatures to the game that has stoked community resentment for nearly a decade. Did you vote for the Phantom in 2017? I hope all your precious mods turn to ash in your mouth.

Before joining RPS, our news editor Edwin Evans-Thirlwell wrote a book about the history of Minecraft in collaboration with Mojang and Microsoft. He receives no royalties or similar ongoing payments for this.