Nether Update

The Nether Update is a major update themed around revamping the Nether. It adds multiple new features to this dimension, such as new biomes and mobs. The update was announced at MINECON Live 2019^[1] and was released on June 23, 2020, only for the Java and Bedrock editions of Minecraft.^[2] It was released as Java Edition 1.16 and Bedrock Edition 1.16.0.^[3][4] This update's development on Java Edition started with snapshot 20w06a, which was released on February 5, 2020. The first pre-release was released on June 4, 2020, followed by the second on June 5, the third on June 10, the fourth on June 11, the fifth on June 12, the sixth on June 15, the seventh on June 16, and the eighth on June 17. The only release candidate was released on June 18.

This update's development on Bedrock Edition started with beta 1.15.0.51, which was released on February 12, 2020. Bedrock Edition 1.15.0 was skipped to bring parity between major versions of Java and Bedrock.^[5]

For China Edition, the full update was released on January 28, 2021.

Additionally, features from this update was released for Education Edition in 1.17.30 on November 2, 2021.

Ancient debris

• A rare ore block found in the Nether.
  • Commonly found below lava level, at Y=15, in which forms blobs.
• Can be smelted into netherite scraps.
• Does not burn up in fire or lava when dropped.
• Block of netherite
  • Crafted using 9 netherite ingots.
  • Can be used to activate a beacon.
  • Does not burn up in fire or lava when dropped.

Basalt

• A rock that generates in large patches in basalt deltas and basalt pillars.
• Can be rotated.
• Polished basalt
  • Crafted from 4 basalts.

Blackstone family of blocks:

• Stone-like blocks that generate in basalt deltas or bastion remnants.
• Blackstone
  • An alternative to cobblestone when it comes to recipes.
  • Blackstone stairs
  • Blackstone slab
  • Blackstone slab
• Polished blackstone
  • Polished blackstone stairs
  • Polished blackstone slab
  • Polished blackstone wall
  • Polished blackstone button
  • Polished blackstone pressure plate
  • Chiseled polished blackstone
• Polished blackstone bricks
  • Polished blackstone brick stairs
  • Polished blackstone brick slab
  • Polished blackstone brick wall
  • Cracked polished blackstone bricks
• Gilded blackstone
  • Obtained exclusively in bastions, usually generate underneath in chests.

Chain

• A decorative block that can be crafted using an iron ingot and 2 iron nuggets.
• Generates with hanging lanterns in bastion remnants.
• Can be waterlogged, placed on sides, and be used to hang various blocks such as lanterns.

Crying obsidian

• An obsidian variant that generates on ruined portals or can be obtained by bartering with piglins.
• It produces purple "tear-like" particles.
• Emits a light level of 10.
• Can be used to craft a respawn anchor.

Lodestone

• Crafted with 1 netherite ingot and 8 chiseled stone bricks.
• Rarely found in bastion remnant loot chests.
• Can be used to alter compasses to point toward it.

Chiseled nether bricks and Cracked nether bricks

• Obtained the same ways as other cracked bricks and chiseled bricks.

Nether gold ore

• A nether variant of gold ore that generates in the Nether.
• Drops 2–4 gold nuggets upon mining, although this can be increased with Fortune.
  • Mining with Silk Touch gives the block itself, which can be smelted into a gold ingot.

Nether sprouts

• Grass-like blocks that generate in warped forests.
• Can be obtained using shears.

Nether vines:

• Climbable blocks that spawn in netherwart forests.
• Weeping vines
  • Generate as part of the huge crimson fungi.
  • Can be placed hanging from the bottoms of blocks.
• Twisting vines
  • Generates in warped forests.
  • Can be placed on the top face of blocks.

Netherwart wood set:

• Wood-like blocks that cannot burn.
• Crimson
  • Crimson fungus
    • Generates commonly in crimson forests but rare in warped forests.
    • Can be used to breed hoglins.
    • Bone meal can be used on it to grow a huge crimson fungus.
  • Crimson stem and Stripped crimson stem
  • Crimson hyphae and Stripped crimson hyphae
  • Crimson planks
    • Crimson stairs
    • Crimson slab
    • Crimson sign
    • Crimson button
    • Crimson pressure plate
    • Crimson door
    • Crimson fence
    • Crimson fence gate
    • Crimson trapdoor
• Warped
  • Warped fungus
    • Generates commonly in warped forests but rare in crimson forests.
    • Can be used to ward off hoglins or breed striders.
    • Bone meal can be used on it to grow a huge warped fungus.
  • Warped wart block
  • Warped stem and stripped warped stem
  • Crimson hyphae and Stripped crimson hyphae
  • Warped planks
    • Warped stairs
    • Warped slab
    • Warped sign
    • Warped button
    • Warped pressure plate
    • Warped door
    • Warped fence
    • Warped fence gate
    • Warped trapdoor

Nylium

• Makes up the "grass" of both netherwart forests.
• Can be spread by using bonemeal on nearby netherrack.
• Using bonemeal on it generates its corresponding roots, fungi, and, if it is warped, nether sprouts.

Quartz bricks

• Crafted with 4 blocks of quartz.

Respawn anchor

• A block that can be used to set a spawn point in the Nether.
  • For it to work, it must be charged using a maximum of four glowstone blocks, and a minimum of one.
  • It explodes violently if used in the Overworld or the End.
• Crafted from 6 crying obsidian and glowstone blocks.

Crimson and Warped roots

• Flower-like blocks that generate in netherwart forests.
• Both can be potted.

Shroomlight

• Generates as part of huge fungi.
• Gives light level of 15.

Soul family of blocks:

• Soul soil
  • A dirt-like block found in the soul sand valleys.
• When near blue ice and lava, it can generate basalt.
  • Can be used to summon the wither.
  • Can be used to make soul fire and soul fire-based items.
• Soul fire
  • A variant of the fire that is usually created when lit up on soul sand or soul soil.
  • Deals more damage than regular fire.
  • Ward off piglins.
  • Soul torch
  • Soul lantern
  • Soul campfire
  • Soul fire-based items produce less light than normal fire.

Target

• A redstone component that can be activated by shooting projectiles into it.
• Signal is stronger depending on how close the projectile is to the center of the block.
  • The signal strength goes up to 15.
• Can be crafted using a hay bale and 4 redstone dust.
• Can be mined with any tool, but hoes are the most effective.
• Does not need a redstone comparator to send a signal strength.

Lodestone compass

• Created when a compass is used on a lodestone. Always points to the lodestone.

Netherite scrap

• Smelted from ancient debris.
• Can be used to craft a netherite ingot.
• Does not burn up in fire or lava when dropped.

Netherite armor

• Significantly stronger and more durable than diamond armor, with a new statistic that affects knockback called Knockback Resistance.
• Does not burn up in fire or lava when dropped.

Netherite ingot

• Crafted from 4 gold ingots and 4 netherite scraps.
• Can be used on diamond armor/tools in a smithing table interface to create netherite armor/tools, retaining the name, enchantments, and damage to durability.
• Does not burn up in fire or lava when dropped.

Netherite tools and weapons

• More durable than diamond tools.
• Does not burn up in fire or lava when dropped.

"Pigstep" music disc

• Can only be found in loot chests within bastion remnants.
• The song was made by Lena Raine.

Snout banner pattern

• A rare banner pattern found in loot chests within bastion remnants.
• When applied to banner, it resembles a piglin's snout.

Spawn eggs:

• Hoglin spawn egg
• Piglin spawn egg
• Piglin brute spawn egg
• Strider spawn egg
• Zoglin spawn egg

Warped fungus on a stick

• A variant of the carrot on a stick that is used to control striders.
• Crafted with one fishing rod and one warped fungus.

Hoglin

• A warthog-like hostile mob that spawns in crimson forests and hoglin stables in bastion remnants.
• Drops porkchop and leather when killed.
• Runs away from warped fungi, respawn anchors, and nether portals.
• Can be bred using crimson fungus.
• Babies also attempt to attack but run away immediately when attacked back.
• When they are outside the nether for 30 seconds, they turn into their zombified counterparts.
• Cannot swim.

Piglin

• A pig-like neutral mob that spawns commonly in crimson forests, uncommonly in nether wastes, and in bastion remnants.
• Attacks the player unless they are wearing at least one piece of gold armor.
  • Will aggro on a gold-wearing player if they break a gold-related block or open a storage block, even if it was placed by the player.
  • Attacks wither skeletons and the wither on sight, while occasionally attacking hoglins for food.
    • After hunting wild hoglins, they either flap their ears or occasionally dance for celebration.
• Are attracted by gold-related items, except for some.
  • It also picks up porkchops as well.
  • If the gold-related item is an armor piece or sword, they equip it.
• They are afraid of soul fire-related blocks and zombified piglins.
• When they are outside of the nether for 30 seconds, they turn into their zombified counterparts.
• Cannot swim.
• Can be bartered with by giving them a gold ingot, causing them to throw a random item from their bartering loot table in return.
• Baby piglins never grow up.
  • Unlike adults, they are passive and cannot barter.
  • Sometimes ride baby hoglins, forming a hoglin jockey.
    • It can also form a hoglin jockey tower.

Piglin brute

• A stronger variant of piglins that spawns in bastion remnants.
• Attacks the player regardless if they are wearing gold armor or not
• Is not attracted by gold-related items
• Cannot be bartered with.
• Attacks wither skeletons and the wither on sight, just like regular piglins.
• Their attack is quite strong, capable of killing an unarmored player in a few hits.

Strider

• A passive mob that spawns in lava oceans.
• Can be bred with warped fungus.
  • Baby striders sometimes spawn ridding adults, which later grown into adult striders.
• Occasionally spawns with a zombified piglin, forming a strider jockey.
• Can be ridden by using a saddle on it, but can be controlled only with a warped fungus on a stick, similar to pigs in the Overworld.
• Usually turn pale and shiver when its out of lava.
• Takes damage from water, splash water bottle and rain.
• Drops string when killed.

Zoglin

• An undead variant of the hoglin that spawns only if a hoglin stays in the Overworld or End for 30 seconds.
• Is aggressive toward all mobs except for creepers and other zoglins.
• Cannot be bred.

Bastion remnant

• A rare structure that generates out of four different types.
• Can generate in any biome except for basalt deltas.
• Made entirely of blackstone and basalt.
• It spawns piglins, piglin brutes, and, if is the hoglin stables variant, hoglins.
• Contains loot chests and gold-related blocks that aggravate any nearby piglin if mined or opened.

Basalt pillar

• Spawns in soul sand valleys, made entirely of basalt.

Huge fungi

• Large tree-like structures that generate in crimson and warped forests.
• Their structure is made of stems, wart blocks, shroomlights, and if it's a huge crimson fungus, weeping vines.

Ruined portal

• A new generated structure that comes in many different sizes, always containing 1 loot chest.
• They can spawn in any Nether or Overworld biome, even underground, in water, or in lava lakes.
• Occasionally contains a block of gold, and is made of stone bricks if generated in the Overworld, and blackstone bricks if in the Nether.

Nether fossil

• Large structures made of bone blocks that generate in soul sand valleys.

Soul sand valley

• A landscape made entirely out of soul soil and soul sand, with occasional basalt pillars and nether fossils.
• Skeletons and ghasts spawn commonly in soul sand valleys, while endermen are less common.
• Soul fire is also generated.

Crimson forest

• A biome floored with crimson nylium, containing crimson fungi, huge crimson fungi, crimson roots, and the occasionally warped fungi.
• Weeping vines occasionally generate on the roof in this biome.
• Hoglins, piglins, and zombified piglins spawn in this biome, the latter being less common.

Warped forest

• A biome floored with warped fungi, huge warped fungi, warped roots, nether sprouts, and occasionally crimson fungi and roots as part of the vegetation.
• Twisted vines generate in large quantities in this biome.
• Endermen spawn frequently here.

Basalt deltas

• A biome made of stalk-like basalt pillars and patches of blackstone. Lava pools ringed with magma blocks appear in this biome frequently.
• Magma cubes frequently spawn here, alongside ghasts.

Soul Speed

• Allows players to walk quickly on soul sand or soul soil.

• Minecraft: Nether Update (Original Game Soundtrack) by Lena Raine:
  • Minecraft: Nether Update (Original Game Soundtrack) on spotify

Beacon

• Netherite blocks can be used as the base of a beacon.
• Netherite ingots can be used to select powers from a beacon.

Bone block

• Generate as part of Nether fossils in soul sand valleys.
• Now have their own sounds.

Nether wart block

• Updated the texture to match the warped wart block.‌^{[Java Edition only]}
• Now have their own unique sounds.
• Can now be composted.

Smithing table

• Added functionality: it is used to upgrade diamond items into their respective netherite variations.
  • Enchantments on the diamond item are preserved when upgrading into netherite.

Vines

• Now play a sound when climbed.

Walls

• No longer have gaps when stacked vertically.
• Now connect to the bottom and sides of glass panes and iron bars.

Clay ball

• Renamed from "clay" to "clay ball".

Compass

• Can now be enchanted with Curse of Vanishing.
• Can now be used on the new lodestone block as a waypoint.

Hoe

• Change texture of the hoes shown above.
• Can now mine faster on the following blocks:
  • Dried kelp block
  • Hay bale
  • Leaves
  • Nether wart block
  • Shroomlight
  • Sponge
  • Target
  • Warped wart block

Zombified Piglin

• The model and texture of the zombified piglin has been changed.
• Renamed from "Zombie Pigman" to "Zombified Piglin".

Wither skeleton

• Now attack piglins on sight.

Nether wastes

• Renamed from "The nether" to "nether wastes" since the introduction of the new nether biomes.

• 1.16.1 was released to fix stability issues with Realms.
• 1.16.2 added piglin brutes and experimental support for custom biomes.
• 1.16.3 was released to fix a critical duplication exploit.
• 1.16.4 added social interactions screen feature.
• 1.16.5 was released to fix two issues related to server crashes.

• 1.16.1 was released to fix some critical bugs and crashes.
• 1.16.1.03 was released exclusively on PS4 to fix an issue where the game would get stuck on the loading screen and potentially crash.
• 1.16.1.04 was released exclusively on PS4 to improve stability in the game.
• 1.16.10 was released to add a warning for deprecated devices and fixes a bug for mobile devices.
• 1.16.20 added piglin brutes, as well as changes to sounds, block behaviors, technical changes, and bug fixes.
• 1.16.21 was released exclusively on Nintendo Switch to fix a stability issue relating to the home screen while signed in.
• 1.16.40 was released to fix account linking issues and crashes.
• 1.16.42 added support for PlayStation VR on PS4.
• 1.16.50 was released exclusively on iOS to improve stability and fix crashes.
• 1.16.60 was released exclusively on PS4 to improve stability and reduce crashes.
• 1.16.61 was released exclusively on PS4 to fix critical bugs and crashes.
• 1.16.100 added new commands, expanded and improved the add-on and script engine mechanics, changes to certain block mechanics/gameplay, more parity from Java Edition, realms, and featured server support for PlayStation 4, revamps the achievement/trophy UI, and fixes bugs.
• 1.16.101 was released to fix an issue for mobile devices.
• 1.16.200 implemented RenderDragon to Windows 10 and added new audio settings, ray-tracing features, changes to death messages, and fixes bugs.
• 1.16.201 was released to fix some critical bugs and crashes.
• 1.16.210 added more new ambient sounds to the Nether, and fixes bugs.
• 1.16.220 added the ability to change signs' text's color with dyes, and fixes bugs and crashes.
• 1.16.221 was released to fix some critical bugs and crashes.

A trailer for the update was released on June 23, 2020.

Nether Update: Official Trailer (view on YouTube)

Videos made by slicedlime:

What's New in Minecraft Java Edition 1.16 - The Nether Update? (view on YouTube)

How Bastion Remnants and Ruined Portals are Generated in the Nether Update (view on YouTube)

Technical News in Minecraft Java Edition 1.16 (view on YouTube)

Dev Diaries #1: Nether Update (view on YouTube)

Dev Diaries #2: Nether Sound (view on YouTube)

Videos uploaded to Lena Raine – Topic by Ingrooves

Lena Raine - "Chrysopoeia" (view on YouTube)

Plays exclusively in the Crimson Forest biome.

Lena Raine - "Rubedo" (view on YouTube)

Plays exclusively in the Nether Wastes biome.

Lena Raine - "So Below" (view on YouTube)

Plays in both the Basalt Deltas and Soul Sand Valley biomes.

Lena Raine - "Pigstep" (view on YouTube)

The thirteenth music disc added to Minecraft.

Lena Raine - "Pigstep" (Stereo Mix) (view on YouTube)

The original mix of Pigstep before converted to mono.

• Similarly to the announcement of the Update Aquatic, this update was announced during the development of the previous release, and before the features of that version were included in a full release.
• Version numbers are the same for both Java and Bedrock editions, starting with this update.^[5]
• The Nether was originally going to be the theme of 1.13, but it was later changed to be the version for the Update Aquatic.^[6]
• The allay was originally planned for this update, but was instead added in The Wild Update after having won the mob vote at Minecraft Live 2021.^[7]

• 
  Nether Update logo
• 
  Original Nether Update logo
• 
  Nether Update artwork

Screenshots of the Nether Update from MINECON Live 2019:

• 
  A view of the soul sand valley.
• 
  Another view of the soul sand valley.
• 
  Some soul fire present in the soul sand valley.
• 
  A view of the crimson forest biome.
• 
  A close-up view of the crimson forest.
• 
  A view of the warped forest biome.
• 
  A close-up of the warped forest.
• 
  Multiple piglins.
• 
  Hoglins.
• 
  Multiple hoglins.
• 
  Target block.
• 
  A target block being shot that activated the redstone lamps.

• 
  A view of the warped forest, with the red Nether fungi being replaced by two new types of fungi.
• A better look at the terrain generation of the crimson forest and weeping vines, which generate within the biome.
• 
  A baby hoglin shown on Twitter.^[8]
• 
  Another screenshot which shows two piglins hunting a hoglin. Nether wart blocks seem to be growing on the ground. Note the piglin wearing golden leggings.
• 
  A soul sand valley that has generated next to a warped forest.
• 
  A teaser for the strider posted by @kingbdogz on Twitter.^[9]

• 
  "This concept was made as we started talking about introducing huge nether warts in the Nether. This eventually led to us deciding to turn it into its own biome." – Johan Aronson, art director.
• 
  "We wanted to extend the palette in the Nether to enhance the feeling that you're not in the Overworld anymore. This was an experiment to find a suitable, contrasting palette to the original Nether setting." – Johan Aronson, art director.
• 
  Artwork by Johan Aronson, art director.
• 
  Concept art of an early design of the strider.
• 
  Concept art of the strider.

• Experience the Minecraft Nether Update | Minecraft (Archive)

v t e Named updates
Java Edition exclusive 2010 Seecret Updates Fridays 1-2 (June) Fridays 3-7 (July) Friday 8 (August) Friday 9 (September) Saturday (September) Halloween Update (October) Bug updates #1-#3 (November) #4-#5 (December) 2011 Adventure Update Part I (September) Part II (November) 2012 Pretty Scary Update (October) 2013 Redstone Update (March) Horse Update (July) The Update that Changed the World (October) 2014 Bountiful Update (September) 2016 Combat Update (February) Frostburn Update (June) Exploration Update (November) 2017 World of Color Update (June)
Bedrock Edition exclusive 2016 Overworld Update (February) Friendly Update (June) Boss Update (October) Ender Update (December) 2017 Discovery Update (June) Better Together Update (September)
Minecraft Education exclusive 2018 Chemistry Update (February-March) Code Builder Update (October) 2019 Spring Release (March) Back to School Update (August-September) Library Update (November) 2020 Chromebook Release (August) Learn to Code Update (November) 2021 Camps & Clubs (May) GOAT Update (November) 2022 Mobile, Multiplayer & More (August) 2024 Cloud Update (July) 2025 Chase the Clouds (July) 2026 Copper, Collaborate & Compete (February)
Multi-edition 2018 Update Aquatic (May-July) 2019 Texture Update (March/April) Village & Pillage (April) Buzzy Bees (December) 2020 Nether Update (June) 2021 Caves & Cliffs Part I (June) Part II (November) 2022 The Wild Update (June) 2023 Trails & Tales (June) Bats and Pots (December) 2024 Armored Paws (April) Tricky Trials (June) Bundles of Bravery (October) The Garden Awakens (December) 2025 Spring to Life (March) Chase the Skies (June) The Copper Age (September) Mounts of Mayhem (December) 2026 First Drop 2026 (upcoming)