Minecraft has announced the Vibrant Visuals, which plans to visually overhaul the entire game—it's basically built-in Minecraft shaders for Bedrock with plans to bring the overhaul to Java edition later. Unlike the Spring to Life update, which was also announced at Minecraft Live, Vibrant Visuals won't add any new blocks or mobs, but it has been designed to bring the world as we know it further to life.
The bad news is, we don't know exactly when the release will be. We've got a window, but there's no use marking your calendars any time soon. Test versions of Vibrant Visuals will become available "soon" for Bedrock Edition but we can't give you a timeframe on that either. For now, here's what you need to know about the Vibrant Visuals update ahead of time.
When will the Vibrant Visuals update release?
There is currently no release date for the Vibrant Visuals update, we just know it will come "later this year" for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition. There are plans to bring the Vibrant Visuals update to Java Edition, but we haven't seen any sort of hint as to when yet.
According to the official blog post announcing the update, it will take a lot of time to get all the elements that go into such a significant update right, but it is time that the team wants to spend. Hopefully we'll get an update on when we can expect the update to roll out for Java once it has hit Bedrock edition.
What does the Vibrant Visual update include?
As the name suggests, the Vibrant Visuals update is a visual overhaul for Minecraft. Although it won't alter the iconic, blocky look, it will make the experience more visually appealing by adding elements like realistic shadows, directional lighting, volumetric fog, and reflections. It doesn't sound like a huge amount of change on paper, but the screenshots shared on the official blog are really similar to the Minecraft shaders that Java edition players have installed as mods for years—something Bedrock has always left out of.
But the environment isn't the only thing getting a visual upgrade, either. Mobs and certain items are getting the same treatment. For example, spider eyes will glow in the dark to make them more ominous, and torches will give off a more realistic shine to light your way. These updates are designed to help immerse you further into the world, but have no effect on gameplay.
You don't have to worry about any of the Vibrant Visuals features affecting your gameplay, actually. If the rays from the sun don't directly hit your crops, they won't stop growing, or if mobs are standing in the shadows and not in the direct sunlight, they'll still burn. Vibrant Visuals is exclusively a visual upgrade and these elements will have no impact on the game as you play. This is particularly good news for anyone playing on a Realm, since you'll still be able to play with friends even if they don't have the update yet.
Much like the Spring to Life update which launched this year, the aim of the update is to bring the world of Minecraft to life without losing its traditional look. As stated by Jens Bergensten, the Chief Creative Officer, the update is "a new look that still stays true to our creative principles." The update will also be backwards compatible with any of your old worlds, so you won't even need to start a new one once it does hit your platform.
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