Minecraft's vibrant visual update is a big step forward for the 15-year-old game

It has been nearly five years since Mojang Minecraftadded RTX support. This move allows creators, modders, etc. to turn the block world they have built into visually stunning landscapes. But during that time, there seemed to be little motivation to move forward in terms of the visual improvements formally created. Now, though, Mojang takes it a step further with a newly announced vibrant visual update.

Gamespot recently visited Mojang's Sweden-based studio to test out new updates and said the vibrant visuals are the 14-year-old champion game changer. This is not only for those who support ray tracing PCs. It will also be available on PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and some iOS and Android devices when launching bright visuals for Minecraft Bedrock. For those who play Java Edition, the platform is also working on vibrant visuals.

It's a change over the years. As Minecraft executive producer Ingela Garneji explains to a small group of press: “It's a bumpy road. In fact, we're always iterating and learning, learning, failing, and then learning quickly and improving things with the community.”

While Mojang’s team hasn’t shy away from graphics “mistakes” in the past, Maddie Psenka, a vibrant senior product manager for vision, said: “We’ve been taking a lot of this learning. So during this time, the studio really provided the space for the team to the engine, and we wanted to build those features on those features, and we actually built a lot of things inside us, and we could get a lot of things. They were with the rest of the team.”

The end result, dynamic visual effects producer Dejan Dimic explains this, which is a Minecraft that “will be able to attract many players with this visual upgrade and have a positive impact between devices.” But don’t worry about it not wanting to change the way the game is.

Yes, it's still mine

One of the most important aspects of a vibrant visual update is that no matter how it looks – and looks great – it still looks like Minecraft. So far, many existing fans have created RTX texture packs that have been so graphic that they sometimes are almost similar to the same game.

Mojang chose to adopt the basic appearance of Minecraft and upgrade it. While it seems incredible, it remains a undoubtedly pixelated paradise fan in the game. Vibrant visuals, like RTX support, are optional and can be turned on and off with a single keystroke. So you can still choose the current game texture and shader.

Again, if you want to continue using the RTX texture package, you can do this. Mojang does not remove the RTX option, nor does it have the ability to use its own custom texture package. Instead, vibrant visuals are just a new option. “The goal is to provide players with a choice so that they want to play, but don't take away other options they know and like,” Psenka told Gamespot.

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Apart from the new textures of almost everything in the game, you can also be amazed in a vibrant visual update.

One of the biggest changes involves the sun. Traditionally, sunlight is primarily a symbol of day or night – if you are lost, that big chunk of light in the sky now actually reveals everything it touches. From it reflects from water and shiny blocks to cast shadows, the sun feels like a brand new construction mechanic.

Now, you may keep the direction of the sun in mind when building a new structure. After all, sunlight pours in through the windows, casting shadows, often making things look more attractive. Take a look at the front and back images below to see exactly how important the sun becomes in the overall look of the game.

Another major change is how to cast shadows in Minecraft. Shadows have played very few roles in the base game over the years, but that is about to change. Now, the sun is scattered with dynamic shadows on everything – including player characters. It took me too long to just stare at my shadow moving, turn my head, take action or just change my posture during our tech preview. Shades are reactive, look as good as they are, and still complying with Minecraft standards is an achievement.

However, it took some time to complete this version. While shadows cast with bright visuals are pixelated, just like Minecraft itself, this was not the case at first.

Jasper Boerstra, the vibrant visual effects art director, explained to Gamespot: “The first iteration of the shadows is like a normal shadow. First, we have soft shadows, and then we have tougher shadows.”

Those resemble more realistic shadows, circles, consistent with Minecraft’s Aesthetics. However, after seeing the way the sunlight system is full of vibrant visual effects, he said the team was “inspired”.

“What if we could pixelate it somehow?” he wondered. So they did this, making the shadows – as well as filtering through the reflections of water and light – pixelated.

For those who are afraid that shadows will affect the light, so mobs lay eggs, there is no need to worry, as Mojang assures us that although it is a visual enhancement, it will not affect the gameplay.

Perhaps the most exciting change, though, is water. It never looks better. Its new texture and sunlight make it a feast for the eyes. It is shiny, reflective, and makes everything look better. It also changes the underwater experience. Thanks to the new update, it actually looks blurry underwater and becomes more adventurous when you can't see this far. The way sun filters look great. Suddenly, hunting the Ocean Monument sounds like an interesting idea.

Bottom line

Vibrant visuals are exciting upgrades for Minecraft, but it is also a promising upgrade for future players. The aesthetics of the game will change as the years pass, and while Minecraft's current textures are still fun for long-term fans, there is no denying that this update is breathtaking. It is this upgrade that can attract people who haven't given the game yet. Now, it looks more like a current generation of games. More importantly, the vibrant visuals leave room for the appearance of the game to continue to develop.

“Now we can build a modern rendering pipeline,” Boerstra revealed. “So, it's also related to the beginning of this journey.” Psenka added, “We definitely hope to see a lot of exciting updates in the future.”

When can you play

At this time, Mojang has not announced the official release date yet. You don't have to wait too long, though. While it is expected to be a vibrant visual beta soon, Bedrock’s release is not far away. “The release is coming for a few months,” Garnaji told Gamespot. “It will be in your hands soon.”