In March, Minecraft revealed new details about its 1.20 Trails and Tales update, which emphasizes “self-expression through representation, storytelling, and worldbuilding.” Now, the update finally has a release date.
Today, Minecraft made a blog post revealing that Trails and Tales will be downloadable for free on June 7. The blog post also delves into the details of the update, which introduces quite a few new mobs and blocks, as well as some minor changes catered toward storytelling.
Trails and Tales brings the long-awaited camel, which can fit two riders, and the sniffer, the “gentle giant” that the community voted for during Minecraft Live 2022. It also introduces two new wood sets: bamboo and cherry, the latter of which is found in the cherry grove (the update’s new biome).
Your journey is about to begin: The Trails & Tales Update arrives June 7! 🎉
Get ready to bring your stories to life, whether you’re hatching a sniffer, exploring a cherry grove, trimming your armor, or much more. Mark your calendars and start planning! pic.twitter.com/jPNe0nyMdb
— Minecraft (@Minecraft) May 26, 2023
Also included in the update is archaeology, its main new mechanic, which allows players to dig through sand to find tools and pieces of pottery that can be put together.
Trails and Tales also introduces armor trims, which allow for more customization. The update will also include a few more minor changes to decorative blocks, including hangable signs, playable mob sounds, and the ability to store enchanted books in a new type of bookshelf.
We gave Minecraft a 9 in our 2011 review, calling it “an open world, a blank page just daring you to jump in and do with it what you will.” The game has expanded a lot since then, though, so for more on Minecraft’s newer features, find the game’s complete history here and find ideas for what to build in 2023 here.
Amelia Zollner is a freelance writer at IGN who loves all things indie and Nintendo. Outside of IGN, they’ve contributed to sites like Polygon and Rock Paper Shotgun. Find them on Twitter: @ameliazollner.