Minecraft Live 2025 Unveils Vibrant Visuals, Flying Happy Ghast

Minecraft Live 2025 has concluded, and Mojang has unveiled an exciting array of updates and new content for the iconic game. The first game drop of the year, dubbed "Spring to Life," is set to launch on March 25. This update will breathe new life into the Overworld, making biomes more immersive and vibrant. Players can look forward to new variants of familiar mobs like cows, pigs, and chickens, as well as enchanting ambient features such as the glittering firefly bush, falling leaves, and the whispers of sand. These additions promise to enhance the exploration experience in Minecraft.

The second game drop, while yet to be named, will introduce a fascinating new block called the Dried Ghast. This block, slightly smaller than a regular block and adorned with cute tentacles and a grumpy face, can be rehydrated to transform into a Ghastling—a baby ghast. With care, the Ghastling can evolve into a Happy Ghast, a new mob variant that players can harness and ride. The Ghast harness allows up to four players to fly together on a single Happy Ghast, offering a unique way to navigate the game world. Additionally, the new Locator Bar feature will help players find their friends while soaring through the skies, making it particularly useful for Survival Mode builders who can position themselves anywhere in the sky and dismount at will.

Mojang also announced a significant visual upgrade titled "Vibrant Visuals," which aims to transform the visual experience of Minecraft without altering gameplay. For more details on this upgrade, check out IGN's dedicated article and visuals comparison video.

In other news, Mojang shared an exclusive clip from the upcoming "A Minecraft Movie" and announced a movie-themed in-game live event. This event, set to take place in Midport Village from March 25 to April 7, will immerse players in a multiplayer experience where they'll defend the village from a piglin attack through three engaging mini-games. Completing all the challenges during the event will reward players with the coveted Yearn cape.

During our visit to Mojang's offices in Sweden, we learned more about the developer's stance on various topics, including why they won't create a Minecraft 2, won't transition to a free-to-play model, and won't employ generative AI in game development.

Minecraft Live 2025 — Everything Announced:

• Mojang Studios announced the name, launch date, and features of the first game drop of the year, as well as upcoming features in the second game drop of the year.
• The first game drop of the year is called “Spring to Life,” and introduces a variety of updates to the Overworld that will make biomes feel more immersive and alive.
• Spring to Life adds warm and cold variants of some of Minecraft's classic mobs, new ambient features like the glittering firefly bush, falling leaves, and whispers of sand, and more reasons to explore.
• The second game drop of the year includes the new Dried Ghast block, the new Ghastling and Happy Ghast mob variants, and the Ghast harness.
• The Dried Ghast is a little bit smaller than a regular block and has cute little tentacles and a grumpy face.
• If you pick up the Dried Ghast from the Nether and put it in water, eventually it will become a much happier Ghastling.
• The Ghastling floats around the Overworld like a little balloon. Feed it snowballs and eventually it will grow up to become a flying Happy Ghast.
• If you craft a harness for the Happy Ghast, tempt it to come closer with the harness itself, then jump on it. From there, you and up to three other players can fly around on a single Happy Ghast.
• The new Locator Bar feature, positioned at the bottom of the screen, lets you see in which direction your friends are. That will be useful for finding friends while flying a Happy Ghast.
• Mojang said the Happy Ghast will be useful for Survival Mode builders, because "it's a bit like being in Creative Mode, but in Survival." The platform lets you position wherever you like in the sky and dismount.
• Mojang Studios announced a visual upgrade for Minecraft, titled Vibrant Visuals.
• Mojang revealed an exclusive A Minecraft Movie clip and announced an in-game movie-themed live event.
• The live event takes place in Midport Village, and sees players join Steve and his companions from the movie in an evolving multiplayer experience where you defend the village from a piglin attack in three mini-games.
• The live event runs from March 25 to April 7, and if you complete all the challenges you earn the Yearn cape.