Now that the Tricky Trials have finally arrived inMinecraftas part of its 1.21 update, the newly added content and features could offer insight into what Mojang has in store for its next 1.22 update. Given how farMinecraft’s updates have gone over the years in adding increasingly bigger and bolder ideas to the base game, it was inevitable that shortly after the release of the Tricky Trials update attention would turn to what would come next. But between the latest additions in Tricky Trials and the history of previous updates, it might be possible to predict what Mojang is planning forMinecraft’s 1.22 version.
WhenMinecraftcelebrated its tenth anniversary since its official release, the following updates it received played a significant role in expanding the game by either adding or overhauling multiple biomes, mobs, and blocks. Notableupdates like this include 1.13’s Village & Pillageand 1.15’s Nether Update, leading fans to theorize about potential patterns where seemingly smallMinecraftupdates are followed by larger, more ambitious overhauls. With Mojang commemoratingMinecraft’s fifteenth anniversary in 2024, its next 1.22 update will build upon and go even further than the recent Tricky Trials update.
Minecraft’s Tricky Trials Seems Smaller Than Previous Updates
As part ofMinecraft’s Tricky Trials 1.21 version, Mojang has added various new mobs, items, and more, though many of these have been in service to the update’s central Trial Chamber structure. However, between a focus on multiplayer combat through new weapons, potions, and enchantments, and further cosmetic improvements with materials like copper and tuff, the latest update seems comparatively smaller than those previous. For instance, while the Nether Update added four biomes, Netherite equipment surpassing diamond, and multiple mobs, structures, and blocks, Tricky Trials only added one structure, two mobs, and somehowoverlookedMinecraft’s potential to use copperfor gear despite the metal’s new blocks.
Minecraft’s Tricky Trials Could Be Setting Up the 1.22 Update
For Tricky Trials to be released during 2024, the full scope of the 1.21 update seems to fall short ofcelebratingMinecraft’s fifteenth anniversaryin a big way, especially when other recent updates like 1.18’s Caves & Cliffs Part 2 took world generation to new heights and 1.19’s The Wild introduced the Warden as its strongest mob. But similar toMinecraft1.18’s expanded cave depths intensified the threat of 1.19’s Deep Dark sculk-infested biome and the Warden, Tricky Trials could be a prelude to the next update. Therefore, the new content added inMinecraft’s 1.21 version may be a setup for its 1.22 update.
Tricky Trials' Focus on Player Co-Op, Combat, and Trials Could Point to Minecraft’s Next Update
Depending on the scale of the update, Mojang seems to aim for at least one major update a year, which might mean that players will have to wait until 2025 forMinecraft’s 1.22 update. However, there have been exceptions where several updates are released in one year, such as the two Cave & Cliffs updates in 2019, so there is a chance that Mojang will keep the momentum ofMinecraft’s Tricky Trials with its 1.22 update. Now that players are familiar withMinecraft’s new Tricky Trials features, its next update could expand elements from the update with:
While Tricky Trials has introduced new content that even single-players can enjoy, Mojang seemed keen to stress during its announcements before the update’s release that these new Trial Chamber structures were designed for a multiplayer experience. Arguably, this latest update has been the most explicit about encouraging multiplayer gameplay inMinecraft, which could mean that Tricky Trials' focus on combat and co-op has been a warm-up for its major update to go even further. But given that combat isn’t a defining part of the game,Minecraft’s next update could also refocus on traditional featuresand player co-op while pulling back from Tricky Trials' multiplayer combat.
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Minecraft is a game made up of blocks, creatures, and community. You can survive the night or build a work of art – the choice is all yours. But if the thought of exploring a vast new world all on your own feels overwhelming, then fear not!Minecraft has no set goal and can be played however you’d like! This is why it’s sometimes called a “sandbox game” – there are lots of things for you to do, and lots of ways that you can play. If you like being creative, then you can use the blocks to build things from your imagination. If you’re feeling brave, you can explore the world and face daring challenges. Blocks can be broken, crafted, placed to reshape the landscape, or used to build fantastical creations.Creatures can be battled or befriended, depending on how you play. The world of Minecraft allows for epic adventures, quiet meditations, and everything in between. You can even share your creations with other players, or play in community worlds!
