Minecraft 1.22 update: 5 best features players would love to see in the next update

Minecraft's 1.21 update, now known as Tricky Trials, has finally arrived. While plenty of fans are enjoying its new features and additions, others are looking ahead to the next update. Although 1.22's announcement is likely months away, players have already been discussing what they would love to see in Mojang's next major content update.

While every player has their own ideas for what Minecraft 1.22 could be and include, it doesn't hurt to examine some of the best features and additions that players would likely love to see in the as-of-yet unannounced 1.22 update.

Note: This list is subjective and solely reflects the opinions of the writer

---

5 additions fans would love to see in the Minecraft 1.22 update

1) A reimagined End Dimension

The End still has plenty of potential to improve in Minecraft (Image via Mojang)

While the End has been changed since its inclusion in Minecraft, the dimension still has a lot of room to grow. Things like end cities and end ships are a start.

There are more structures, biomes, and terrain that could be added to the End without taking away from the ominous and somewhat empty feeling that the dimension creates.

Adding more mob variety could certainly be a plus, as the End doesn't feel particularly challenging once players have defeated the Ender Dragon.

---

2) A new armor type

Fans have clamored for more new armor (Image via Conczin/CurseForge)

Although players appreciated the introduction of netherite armor back in Minecraft 1.16, it's been quite some time since a new armor type made its way to the vanilla game. While armor trims have been introduced, and netherite armor upgrading has been reworked, many players have long been requesting that Mojang add additional armor types, like copper or emerald armor.

Ensuring that these new armor types are useful and balanced could be tricky for Mojang. However, if modders can introduce new armor, then the developer of the base game can certainly make it happen.

---

3) Updated food, farming, and cooking

Minecraft 1.22 could introduce plenty of culinary delights to create (Image via BlayTheNinth/Modrinth)

Minecraft's current food, farming, and cooking systems work well enough, but they could be better. One of the current issues in the game is that certain food items tend to be ignored or overlooked in favor of a small selection that provides the best benefits. However, what if players could cook multiple ingredients together to create new tasty dishes in the 1.22 update to fix that?

Suppose that some overlooked foods could be used as ingredients in a new cookable food type, providing benefits based on the ingredients involved. This would help keep the game's food items valid, and introducing new ways to farm or cook them could be a huge plus.

---

4) Java Edition performance optimization

Minecraft Java could certainly work better with a large number of performance improvements (Image via Mojang)

Minecraft: Java Edition may be the original version of the game, but its performance stability hasn't aged well over time. Many players have lamented that even with quality hardware, they've encountered framerate drops, stuttering, or graphical artifacts. Players often require mods like Sodium to ensure that their game runs smoothly, but should they really need mods to run Java Edition well?

It would likely take an immense amount of time and effort to optimize Java Edition, which could present significant challenges for version 1.22. However, it may be best to implement performance improvements before more graphical issues arise on Java Edition.

---

5) A dimension tied to ancient cities

What secrets rest in ancient cities? (Image via Mojang)

Ever since ancient cities arrived in the 1.19 update, they've been shrouded in an air of mystery. Who built these cities? Why does the Warden still protect them? And what secret rests at the center of these cities where a portal-like building can be found? Many players have been theorizing that Mojang may be setting the stage for a new dimension that can be accessed in ancient cities.

It's unclear if this is truly the case or how players would even activate the portal-esque structure in the center of the city, but a new dimension would be a massive point of excitement for fans.