Minecraft’s final major update of 2025, Mounts of Mayhem, expands the game’s long-running focus on exploration and survival by giving players a wider range of mounts that can be used in combat. The update is available for both Java and Bedrock Edition, and it reshapes how players traverse the world by tying mobility more directly to confrontation. Rather than simply discovering a new creature and taming it, the update requires players to engage with accompanying enemies before they can claim certain mounts as their own. The shift adds a layer of friction that may appeal to players looking for more challenge in routine travel.
Desert biomes now generate camel husks accompanied by two hostile riders called the Parched, and both must be defeated before the camel can be used. Nighttime encounters introduce zombie horses ridden by zombie mobs, offering another mount that can only be obtained once the rider is removed. Underwater, players can track down nautilus creatures, with the living version requiring a pufferfish to earn its trust. A zombie variant follows the same pattern as the other hostile mount types: clear the rider, then tame the creature. These additions expand biome-specific gameplay and keep the mount acquisition process firmly tied to the survival loop that has defined Minecraft since its earliest versions.
The update also introduces a spear as a new weapon, offering a middle ground between ranged and close-quarters combat. With the lunge enchantment, the spear allows players to close distance quickly during battles, shifting combat dynamics without overhauling the existing toolset. Movement gets additional refinement with the long-requested ability for horses to swim, a small but impactful quality-of-life improvement that reduces the need for long detours around lakes and rivers. Horses can also be upgraded with Netherite armor created by combining diamond armor, a Netherite upgrade smithing template, and a Netherite ingot, adding durability for players who rely on mounted travel in combat-heavy regions.
Beyond Mounts of Mayhem, the game is expected to continue receiving content updates in 2026, maintaining the steady cadence that has kept Minecraft relevant across a wide player base for more than a decade. A separate mobile title, Minecraft Blast, is currently in limited testing and is planned as a free-to-play release, though no launch window has been announced. Its development signals the broader trend of experimenting with new game formats under the Minecraft brand while the main game continues to refine core systems such as traversal, combat, and biome diversity.
