Why is Minecraft 1.20 called Trails & Tales Update?

After months of speculation, Minecraft's 1.20 update finally received its proper name. During the Minecraft Monthly show on YouTube, Mojang said the update will be known as "Trails & Tales."

According to Sofia Dankis in a Mojang blog post released on March 2, 2023, each update for the game is typically given a name to represent this theme. It's easy to see this in previous updates. Caves & Cliffs focused on mountain ranges and cave networks, while The Wild Update introduced new wildlife.

However, why is update 1.20 called "Trails & Tales" exactly? How does the content presented in the release correlate with the theme of the title?

Thanks to some insights from Dankis and what was displayed during Minecraft Monthly, players are starting to get a better idea of why the update has been given that name.

---

Literal and metaphorical meaning behind Minecraft 1.20's "Trails & Tales" name

Riding a camel on a desert trail would certainly be thematic of the 1.20 update (Image via Mojang)

When update 1.20 was originally announced in 2022 during Minecraft Live, director Agnes Larsson remarked that Mojang wanted it to focus on expression, creativity, and "intrinsic motivation." These qualities certainly encapsulate the title's community, as they are some of the world's most creative and motivated gamers.

According to Sofia Dankis, "Trails & Tales" can be interpreted in a literal sense or a metaphorical one that is emblematic of the journeys that the game's fans undertake.

In a literal context, Minecraft is certainly a game of trails and tales. Players are constantly finding their way through biomes, generated structures, and the creation of impressive or highly functional builds. When fans complete their navigation, they more than often have a story or two to share with friends or other players about their experiences.

On a figurative or metaphorical level, playing Minecraft can be a journey of self-expression and discovery. Depending on what a fan creates and how they choose to conduct themselves in the title, they might learn something about themselves or the people they spend time with. Many fans have remarked about their time in the game and how it shaped them as a person or how a content creator who played it had a lasting influence on them.

These aren't aspects that are exclusive to any single update but instead Minecraft's core philosophy. However, update 1.20 provides many more content additions that should allow players to express themselves and explore, such as armor trimming, archeology, and the new cherry blossom biome.

With the new resources and locations that the update offers, there's little doubt that fans will be able to follow new trails, both real and metaphorical, and have plenty of stories to tell when they return.

The Trails & Tales update is still quite some time away, but putting a name to the face of the upcoming release should get fans excited for the future.

Hopefully, Mojang can deliver on its promise of offering more self-expression and exploration in this update. Obviously, the developers can't make every player happy, but forthcoming news on the update should be able to win over plenty of fans.