Minecraft Bedrock’s next update is small, but the one after is packed with content

Minecraft Bedrock is set to get the 1.21.80 update pretty soon, and it will introduce features such as flat world types and an overhaul to the UI, as well as Realms. However, this will be followed by the summer drop, which is set to introduce some of the biggest features and changes to the game this year. The first game drop of 2025 has new mobs, items, and modifications that will greatly improve gameplay.

Here's everything you need to know about the major update to Minecraft Bedrock.

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Minecraft Bedrock’s summer drop is set to introduce major features and changes

Minecraft Bedrock is set to receive an array of updates soon, including the upcoming 1.21.80 build. It is set to add the much-awaited flat world biomes as well as certain quality-of-life improvements to the UI and gameplay. However, the following summer drop is packed with content and will add a majority of features and experiences showcased in this year's live event.

The upcoming summer drop will introduce an array of game-changing features and new mobs that could be a major improvement to how players interact with the game's world. Here are all the major features you can expect with the upcoming Minecraft Bedrock drop:

1) Happy ghast and associated items

The summer drop will add the happy ghast to Minecraft Bedrock (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

The happy ghast was one of the major highlights of Minecraft Live 2025, so it comes as no surprise that players are excited to get their hands on the new mob. The summer drop will add the dried ghast, ghastlings, and the adult happy ghast. Players can rescue these dried ghasts from the Nether and submerge them in water to get the Ghastlings. These can be fed snowballs to spawn the adult variant.

Apart from this, the Minecraft Bedrock summer drop will also add the harness. This item will allow players to tame the happy ghast and essentially ride it like a huge airship. This is set to become a major way for transportation in the game, allowing gamers to reach greater heights and even build sky bases and mountain bases with ease.

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2) Vibrant Visuals

The summer drop will add the much-awaited Vibrant Visuals to Minecraft Bedrock (Image via Mojang Studios)

One of the biggest features of the upcoming summer drop update is the introduction of Vibrant Visuals, the single biggest visual upgrade to the game in decades. This new upgrade resembles shaders and adds major graphical features such as volumetric lighting, water reflections, and more. This will significantly transform the current look of the game in line with modern graphics styles.

Additionally, the Vibrant Visuals upgrade is set to become the default visual style for all compatible devices. This will allow different platforms to experience these visual changes with ease. Players will also have the ability to head into settings and modify individual parameters of the feature to better suit their gameplay or device specifications.

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3) Player locator bar

The player locator bar could become a major gameplay mechanic in Minecraft Bedrock (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

The player locator bar is set to become one of the most sought-after features that will be added as part of the Minecraft Bedrock summer drop. It adds a locator bar in the HUD that allows players to locate their teammates and friends in multiplayer worlds or Realms.

The locator bar will replace the XP bar when multiple players are in the world, adding a colored marker for each player present in that session. It is a great way for players to locate their teammates or reach specific locations. Paired with the happy ghast, the locator bar is a great way for gamers to explore and navigate their way through the array of biomes and features in the game.

Additionally, players can hide from the locator bar's radius by crouching and wearing mob heads or carved pumpkins. Potions of invisibility can also be used to evade the locator, making it one of the coolest features of the update for SMP servers or hide-and-seek maps in Minecraft Bedrock.

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4) Upgrades to the lead

The upgrades to the lead in Minecraft Bedrock could be great for exploration and building (Image via Sportskeeda Gaming || Mojang Studios)

As part of the summer drop, players will be able to leash multiple mobs, allowing them to carry different or the same types using a single lead or multiple leads. They can crouch while leashing different mobs to each other, allowing them to control them freely without attaching to them. Apart from this, mobs can now be leashed to boats and chest boats apart from the existing fences.

Additionally, mobs can also be leashed to the happy ghast, allowing entities like horses, villagers, and even iron golems to cross waterbodies with relative ease. The leads can also be used to leash and tie the happy ghast or even attach a boat to it, opening up the way for near-endless gameplay opportunities.

The Minecraft Bedrock update will also allow players to borrow leads by right-clicking them, as long as they are not owned by other players. They can also now also remove leashes using shears — however, leads owned by other players cannot be cut. These shears can also be used on ghast harnesses, allowing for their easy removal.

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