Minecraft has lived two lives since its 2009 inception: one as an indie darling leading to Microsoft’s purchase, and another after the community revival that continues to this day. The latter, however, was ever so close to not happening, and is currently flirting with starting a third, for better or worse.
Mojang Studios has decided to turn it up to eleven over the last couple of months, addressing issues beyond quality-of-life and patches that had previously gone unnoticed. Now, they’re taking longer, bolder steps towards content, mobs, and biomes, enriching the world one update at a time.
With a new naming system in place and over a million concurrent players at any given moment, it’s time Minecraft starts looking like the 17-year-old game it’s about to become, so without further ado, here are three features that need to be top priority for Minecraft developers in 2026:
1. Minecarts and More Modern Transportation
Minecraft worlds are bigger and taller than ever, and players are making the most of the space with more complex, layered builds that were previously only possible with the aid of mods. Now, crafters are well-versed in architecture, interior design, and engineering, rendering the good old pathway and sidewalk obsolete in 2026.
The iconic sandbox tried its absolute hardest to keep the game's tone and setting as ambiguous as possible, with spin-off titles relying on medieval stories thanks to its battle and exploration elements.
The sheer existence of Redstone, however, invites all other types of modern transportation to the table. Speed wagons, horse carriages, coal trains; anything that can bridge the gap between sprinting and Elytras would suffice for the upcoming year, really.
2. Brand-New Combat Tools and System
Jumping and swinging have been the meta for most Minecraft players for well over a decade, and if the diamond sword isn’t broken, don’t fix it. However, the latest additions of the Mace and Spear have been well-received after some deserved tweaking, meaning miners and crafters like to have battle options.
Then, it is a no-brainer to keep digging in that same direction with a variety of different melee and range weapons, something Minecraft Dungeons pulls off reasonably well. Sickles, Sticks, Claymores, Double-Axes, you name it. If it hurts, it stays.
This ultimately would lead to Mojang having to revamp the health system altogether, reconsidering heals, saturations, damage levels, regen pace, and so much more in one go. A Combat System update sounds like one of the most ambitious projects Microsoft could start as early as next year, and I'm sitting on top of my horse for it.
3. Generated Structures - Mini Bosses
In a game where you can obliterate or bring life to anything you can imagine, prebuilt rooms and towers were the most exciting finds since the early days of mining. Dungeons with spawners, temples in jungles, Pillager posts, underwater bases, and even portals to The End dimension to beat the final boss are all categorized as generated structures.
These are great to run into, but tedious to get through, as mob AI and predictable structures make it quite simple to navigate and conquer on your second try. Exciting in a first encounter, generated structures quickly fall off the casual players’ pedestal after lacking a challenge. Enter, mini bosses.
While the Warden and Wither are too OP, the Creaking is the perfect example of how to turn a space into a worthy sidequest for the right amount of risk and reward. Fill the chests with corresponding loot, line up three or four mini bosses in a row, and make the battles as gimmicky as possible instead of hack-and-slash. Force the player to fight, not mine, their way out.
Despite taking plenty of fall damage in the past, 2026 is going to be an excellent year for Minecraft devs and players alike. It really does feel like it’s on the verge of a bronze age with in-game and social content booming once again. It’s only a matter of consistency and patience on both ends for MC to return to Main Character status, and who knows, maybe we’re just an Ender Dragon buff away after all.
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