Minecraft’s Nether Update arrives on 23 June, adds loads of new biomes

Hey, you know what you haven’t checked out in a while? The answer to such a question could be something horrifically depressing, such as all those high school friends you said you’d keep in contact with or your grandparents that you should really give a call to every now and then. Yet the less depressing answer to that question is a small indie game called Minecraft, which I’m sure you’ve only ever heard about in passing. Minecraft continues to chug on, unaffected by the woes of the world as it prepares to launch its next big update, one that focuses on bringing a bit more life to the Nether and the creatures that dwell below.

Launching on 23 June for both the Windows 10 and Java versions of the game, the Nether update will add a range of new biomes to the hot and Hellish underworld. While previously just a massive stretch of lava and rocks going on far longer than you’d think possible, the scenery will now be decorated with the Soulsand Valley, Crimson Forest, Warped Forest and the Basalt Deltas. Each new area has its own colour palette and offers unique spawn rates for the monsters of the Nether. These include the Piglins, who adore everything gold and might even trade with you if you happen to be wearing enough of the stuff, Hoglins which can be captured and bred for food, and Striders which can traverse the lava with very little effort.

It’s a pretty decent expansion of the Nether, one that ought to be appreciated by all players new and old. Whether you’re looking at establishing your next base in the confines of the underworld or just want to dig deep and see what it all looks like, might I recommend dropping into Minecraft at the end of the month and checking it all out?

Last Updated: June 18, 2020