Everything you need to know about the HUGE Caves and Cliffs update

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Minecraft just got much bigger with new mobs, blocks and more. Caves & Cliffs part one has finally dropped so you can get in there and get mining.

Latest - Caves & Cliffs Part One Is Live

After months of build-up, part one of Caves & Cliffs has finally arrived.

If it hasn't arrived for you just yet, wait a few minutes and boot up the game again. For the latest updates and guides on everything it has to offer, check out Realsport for more

Caves & Cliffs Part One Release Date

In a bit of surprising news, we finally saw a release date for the latest update. It hits both Bedrock and Java on June 8th, today.

This makes sense to drop just a week before E3 to allow people to take it in and enjoy it without all those game announcements. That being said, you can actually play it right now.

Pre-release launch

The last snapshot for the update was cancelled. This was blamed on an unexpected problem. This being said, we finally received a pre-release of Caves & Cliffs

Over on Twitter, Sliced Lime, the tech lead for Minecraft announced this news. This was the first pre-release and an essential part of development leading up to today.

An Update on the Mobs

In the latest episode of Caves & Cliffs Special, the team on Minecraft talk about the Glow Squid, Axolotl and the Goat.

This focus shows a lot of passion for Caves & Cliffs but it also shows how confidant the team are about the update

Caves and Cliffs Beta

The Minecraft 1.17 Caves and Cliffs Beta has given players the chance to test out features from the upcoming update, and along with Snapshots, helps players along with the long wait.

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FINALLY: Players have been waiting for an update to make mining more enjoyable

Those wondering how you get access, don't worry, we've got you covered.

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Update 1.17 release date

While the release date has been set for the first part on June 8th, we still don't know when the second will come. This being said, we were told that Caves and Cliffs part 1 will arrive in the Summer, while part 2 will arrive around the holiday season.

Given how long it was between the announcement of the Nether Update and its release, Minecraft players were ready to wait a while for the next big update to the game, and we finally have a release date window for when content arrives.

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Caves & Cliffs Update content

Minecraft is about to get a whole lot more beautiful, with more diverse and creative content planned for both caves and mountains.

There will be new biomes including lush caves filled with life, and dripstone caves filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

Variation in caves is the name of the game. There will still be a classic feel, but there should be something for everyone with the Caves & Cliffs Update.

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DRIPSTONE CAVE BIOME: The deep caves are truly stunning

There are plenty of new mobs coming too. The terrifying Warden is coming to the deepest, darkest caves.

Along with that monstrous mob come more friendly ones! Axolotls will be added to the water, while goats are coming to the Overworld on the new mountains!

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A new form of mining will arrive with the Caves & Cliffs Update that sees players carefully excavate rare and fragile artefacts by brushing away debris rather than whacking things with a pickaxe.

New ores

Search for the new copper ore or gorgeous Amethyst crystal geodes that can be mined for new crafting materials. With the Caves & Cliffs Update, there are going to be a ton of new blocks and crafting recipes including sculk sensors to detect movement, telescopes, lightning rods, leaf platforms, and a whole lot more.

Lush Caves

A new biome! Lush Caves promise to be full of life, bringing some colour and interest to the caves, along with the danger of tunnelling!

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GLOW BERRIES: These light sources should transform your mining

There is a new tree, Azalea, which indicates where a Lush Cave is while on the surface.

Spore blossoms are a new block, a roof-hanging flower that gives off particles, similar to those in the new Nether.

This is where you'll find the cute axolotls in water pools too.

Redstone additions

The new sculk block will sense movement and send out a Redstone signal. Kind of like a motion sensor.

This new feature will be amazing in the hands of expert Redstone engineers as it plays like wireless Redstone!

Warden

This new mob lurks in the deep dark of new caves. Adapted to the darkness, it can sense movement and has fine-tuned hearing, so be careful!

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NOPE: Netherite is nothing against the Warden

READ MORE: Minecraft - How to make & use a Respawn Anchor

Crystals

Growing from an unobtainable block, these crystals are not only very pretty, but they are useful too! Key in a new recipe, you'll have to find them and then build around them.

Minecraft crystals
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From the crystals you get shards that can be used to craft a telescope!!

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ZOOM IN: Spy things from afar and stay safe!

To build it you'll need copper! That's right a new ore is finally coming to Minecraft. Copper blocks will turn green with age too, just like real life. This adds a sense of time to your world.

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OOO SHINY: This new metal is very useful

Bundles

Limited inventory has always been a problem for Minecraft, and as more blocks get added players have been struggling with carrying items.

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The Bundle will fix that. You can put multiple types of things into one Bundle, and full stacks of items too. That means you can carry just one Bundle and hold 64 cobblestone, 64 iron ingots, and some flowers in just one inventory slot!

Archaeology system

You've come across broken Nether portals, but now there are old archaeology dig sites!

With a hut and brushes, you can move aside parts of blocks to find hidden artefacts from the past.

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BURIED TREASURE: Find artefacts around the world in old dig sites!

Mojang account migration to Microsoft

Mojang is bringing Java Edition Minecraft players under the same umbrella as everyone else by forcing account migration to Microsoft.

This will add a few extra security features, especially for parents, but is mandatory and those reluctant to change will have to if they want to keep playing Minecraft!

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