Minecraft getting new cherry blossom biome in this year's big 1.20 update
And a sniffer mob too.
Minecraft developer Mojang is gearing up for this year's big 1.20 release, and following on from last week's revelation it'll finally introduce the game's long-delayed archaeology system, the studio has now confirmed it'll also usher in a new cherry blossom biome and sniffer mob.
The sniffer, you might recall, came out top among Minecraft players during last year's Minecraft Live mob vote, beating out two other options: the Rascal and Tuff Golem. Once 1.20 arrives, players will want to use their new archaeology tools to explore suspicious sand in search of sniffer eggs. Hatching these will eventually produce a fully grown sniffer, able to sniff out seeds long thought lost to time, but that when planted, will grow into unique blooms.
And talk of blooms brings us nicely to Minecraft 1.20's other freshly announced addition: the aforementioned cherry blossom biome. As detailed in Mojang's blog, the large, fluffy trees that grow here attract the likes of pigs, sheep, and bees, causing them to spawn in the area.
Additionally, the trees can be felled to create a full, pink-hued wood set that includes the new hanging sign object, and those that want to bring a splash of pink to areas outside the cherry blossoms' natural habitat can plant cherry tree saplings elsewhere in the world.
Minecraft's 1.20 update - which was previously confirmed to also include the likes of camels and bamboo rafts - doesn't yet have an ETA beyond a vague "2023", but those that want to sample its new features early can do so as soon as its relevant snapshots, betas, and previews release.