Minecraft Vibrant Visuals Update Will Transform Way Players Experience the Game

Mojang’s new Minecraft Vibrant Visuals update will transform the way players experience the game. Think of this as a major graphical overhaul that has been designed to enhance the game’s visual experience while keeping its core gameplay unchanged.

Mojang announced that it’s initially launching for Bedrock Edition, with the Java Edition to follow shortly after. Featuring directional lighting, volumetric fog, dynamic shadows, and enhanced water reflections that aim to modernize the game’s aesthetic while also deepening immersion. For example, sunlight in the Overworld now shifts shadows across the day, water mirrors nearby terrain, and details like leaves as well as grass gain a subtle glow from subsurface scattering. The developers clarify this is purely cosmetic—core mechanics such as mob spawning, crop growth, and daylight detectors remain unchanged.

One cool aspect is that it’s optional—you can toggle it on or off with a single button, and it’s backwards compatible with existing worlds. It also runs locally, meaning you can play with friends whether they’re using it or not. Mojang’s goal is to make it accessible across a range of Bedrock devices, though they haven’t specified which ones yet. Early testing versions will soon be available through Bedrock’s preview or beta programs, with a full release expected in a few months, according to Game Director Agnes Larsson.

We’re investigating how Vibrant Visuals will run across a range of Bedrock Edition devices, with the hope of bringing this graphics revamp (either fully or partially) to as many devices as possible – and we’ll have more information on which devices will be compatible with Vibrant Visuals soon. We also believe that the graphics additions in Vibrant Visuals will give our creator partners more to build with, and we’ll share more information for creator partners as soon as we can,” said the Minecraft Staff.