The greatest game to exist is getting better. Minecraft; the game of blocks, creativity, battles, adventure, and freedom to do whatever you desire. Minecraft is getting an update. All players who have a great interest in exploring or taking risks are the most excited for this update. The update is called the “Nether Update”. They are finally transforming the Nether. That means new biomes, new mobs, and new game-play.

In case you are unaware, the nether is a other-worldly realm that players access by making a portal. Although the concept of the nether in this game is great, it has always lacked some key aspects. There has never been a good reason to explore or stay in the nether after collecting a few important items to get you farther in the game. This update will change that. Strip-mining and exploring in the Nether realm is encouraged with this update!

Three new biomes will be added into the nether with this update. They are: Soul Sand Valley, Crimson Forests, and Warped Forests.

Soul Sand Valley is a foggy, cyan-colored biome, covered with “soul fire” and “nether fossils”. Soul Sand Valley will be primarily made of soul sand and a new block, soul soil, which effects the player’s speed. This biome has the possibility to become one of the most difficult terrains in Minecraft. This disadvantage is being paired with skeletons, ghasts, and endermen, which spawn in this biome. To put this into perspective, the inability to move fast is combined with mobs who shoot arrows, shoot explosives, and teleport. 

The Crimson Forest is a bright and red-colored biome that is covered in over five new fungi-based plants. This biome is just like a forest biome in the over-world, but with a nice spin on it. In the Crimson Forest, players will find zombie pigman along with two new mobs, “piglins” and “hoglins”. One rare aspect of the Crimson Forest is that it is the only biome in which endermen do not spawn. 

Warped Forests are like a nice combination between the other two new biomes. Warped forests have large fungi and plants similar to Crimson Forests, but with cyan colors like Soul Sand Valley. This biome is very common, but the only mob to spawn in this biome is endermen. There is no doubt that this is the most peaceful biome in the nether for players to build and get settled. 

As mentioned, two new species are said to be found in the Crimson Forest; piglins and hoglins. There are a lot of unique characteristics these new mobs hold. 

Piglins are described as an “aggressive civilization” that live in the Nether. Unlike the over-world villagers, these piglins will attack the player on the spot. They are suspicious of new players and will actually attack players who open a chest or mine a block of gold. Piglins are obsessed with gold and will accept gold from players or get distracted by gold. 

Hoglins are large beasts that can be breed by feeding them crimson fungi. Hoglins have a very high attack damage and if a player manages to kill a hoglin, they may drop pork or leather. No worries though! Hoglins ignore players with warped fungi!

One of the most shocking parts of this update stems from the creation of a new block. This block is called ‘Netherite’. This block is stronger than diamonds. Unlike diamonds though, this block is more dangerous and difficult to obtain. The weapons and armor are said to be more durable,  more efficient, more damaging, more resistant to knockback, and able to withstand greater levels of enchanting. Not to mention netherite items will not burn in lava. There is no doubt that Netherite will be one of the most sought after items in the whole game. 

The release date of the Minecraft Nether Update is not determined yet, but is said to launch in the first half of 2020.