Minecraft's big Nether update out now

Minecraft’s latest huge update, the 1.16 Nether Update, is officially out now on all platforms. Go forth and get lost in the Nether!

The 1.16 Nether Update brings new biomes, mobs, blocks, and much more to Minecraft. For more information on what to expect, you can read all about it below.

Seeing as this is a major update for Minecraft, don’t expect anything too huge to come along any time soon. However, if you want to always keep up to date on when the next Minecraft update is coming, you can check out our handy-dandy Minecraft update guide by following the link here.

Below is a basic rundown of what’s new, courtesy of the 1.16 Nether Update (with help from the official Minecraft Fandom page):

• New biomes:
  • Soulsand Valley, an ominous place full of fossils, soul sand, Basalt, blue fog and blue flames.
  • Netherwart Forest Red (or “the crimson forest”), which is a dense forest full of nether wart blocks, weeping vines, swirling particles, dense atmosphere.
  • Netherwart Forest Blue (or “the warped forest”), a variation on Netherwart Forest Red but with its own unique atmosphere and own unique blocks, including warped fungus, twisting vines, and nether roots.
  • Basalt Deltas, a volcanic place consisting of Basalt, Blackstone, lava, and glowstones.
• New mobs:
  • Hoglins (formerly known as Piglin Beasts)
    • Tusked little terrors that can be bred as a source of food in the Nether.
  • Piglins
    • All live in the Nether, hate everyone, and love gold. Can be traded with.
  • Striders
    • Passive mob, spawns on lava lakes, immune to fire and lava damage. Breedable and rideable.
  • Zoglins
    • Similar to Hoglins, but vaguely more terrifying.
• New items:
  • Netherite Ingot
  • Netherite Scrap
  • Soul Speed Enchanted Book
  • Lodestone Compass
  • Warped Fungus on a Stick
  • Pigstep music disc
  • Snout banner pattern
• New blocks:
  • Soul Fire
  • Soul Campfire
  • Soul Torch
  • Soul Lantern
  • Nether Roots
  • Nether Sprouts
  • Fungus
  • Warped Wart Block
  • Stems
  • Hyphae
  • Nylium
  • Target
  • Shroomlight
  • Basalt
  • Polished Basalt
  • Blackstone (and many variants thereof)
  • Quartz Bricks
  • Cracked and Chiseled Nether Bricks
  • Soul Soil
  • Weeping Vines
  • Twisting Vines
  • Block of Netherite
  • Nether Planks
  • Chain
  • Ancient Debris
  • Crying Obsidian
  • Gilded Blackstone
  • Nether Gold Ore
  • Respawn Anchor
  • Lodestone
• New structures:
  • Basalt Pillars
  • Bastion Remnants
  • Nether Fossils
  • Ruined Portals
• New commands:
  • /locatebiome
  • /attribute
• Changes:
  • Zombie pigmen are now zombified piglins, will have a new design.
  • Farmer villagers now collect seeds from composters.
  • The Normal Nether will become a biome, now known as Nether Wastes.
  • Hoes can now be enchanted with Efficiency, Fortune, and Silk Touch with the use of an enchantment table.
  • Hoes can now break leaves, warped wart blocks, Nether wart blocks, targets, dried kelp blocks, shroomlights, sponges, wet sponges, and haybales faster.
  • The smithing table can now upgrade diamond tools into Netherite tools.
  • The compass can now be enchanted with the curse of vanishing enchantment.
• Gameplay:
  • Ten new advancements added to the game.
  • Treasure loot can only be fished up when fishing in open waters.
  • Players can respawn in the Nether with the respawn anchor.
  • The Nether now has additional ambient sounds.
  • Fire lit on soul sand will also turn into soul fire, like soul soil.
  • Fish now despawn when 64 blocks away from the player, unless placed from a bucket or named with a name tag.
  • Bartering is a form of trading with Piglins. Players can throw or right-click a Gold Ingot at a Piglin and the Piglin will give an item in return.
• Other:
  • Basalt can now be generated when lava runs over soul soil when it comes into contact with blue ice.
  • 3 new songs have been added to The Nether.