Minecraft’s Vibrant Visuals Update Arrives June 17 for Bedrock Edition
Mojang Studios is set to release a major visual update for Minecraft Bedrock Edition this week. Titled the Vibrant Visuals Update, the overhaul rolls out on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, and brings with it a suite of graphical enhancements designed to breathe new life into the game’s iconic blocky world—without changing the core gameplay mechanics.
What’s New in the Vibrant Visuals Update?
The update focuses on improving the game’s lighting, shadows, fog, and atmospheric elements. According to Mojang, the goal was to upgrade the game’s visuals in a way that feels natural and true to Minecraft’s original look. “Everything we added needed to feel like a natural evolution of what players were already used to,” explained A.J. Fairfield, lead rendering engineer, in an official video released by Mojang on June 14.
One of the biggest changes is the introduction of a Physically Based Rendering (PBR) system. This allows in-game textures to reflect real-world material properties such as metalness, roughness, and emissiveness. Jasper Boerstra, art director at Mojang, noted that in the past, “everything in the game really only used color. Now, textures can look and feel very different.”
Biome-Specific Atmospheres and Water Enhancements
Each biome in the game will now feature its own lighting and color palette, giving distinct visual identities to different regions. For example, warm biomes like deserts will have golden-orange lighting, while cooler areas such as snowy tundras will lean toward bluish tones. The Pale Garden biome, introduced in this update, showcases glowing plants and dense fog to create a more immersive experience.
Water visuals have also received special attention. The update adds caustics and light reflections that make water appear more dynamic and realistic. “A lot of special time and care went into making sure our water model looked just right,” said software engineer Sam Hallam.
How to Enable the Update
Vibrant Visuals will be enabled by default on all supported Minecraft Bedrock Edition platforms, and players will be able to toggle the features in the game’s video settings. Importantly, the update does not require any mods or manual installation, making it easy for players to enjoy the upgraded graphics.
Java Edition Coming Later
While the update is exclusive to Bedrock Edition for now, Mojang confirmed that Java Edition will receive these features in the future. Elements such as atmospheric fog and infinite cloud layers have already appeared in test builds for Java. “We’re making sure that we have a strong foundation that the community can build upon,” said Dejan Dimic, the lead of the Vibrant Visuals team.
Beyond the Blocks
The update arrives as Minecraft continues to expand its reach. Steve and other characters are now appearing in crossover games like Sonic Racing Crossworlds, and a live-action Minecraft movie is currently in development, further extending the game’s cultural footprint.
With this update, Mojang reinforces its commitment to evolving Minecraft visually while staying true to its classic aesthetic—ensuring that both new and veteran players experience the world of blocks like never before.