On Minecraft Updates: From the Perspective of a Modder

Marcos Jimgar

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Introduction

Minecraft has faced a fair share of criticism in recent years regarding its update schedule and content. It doesn’t take much scrolling on your favorite social media platform to find comments like, “Minecraft updates are lame,” or “Modders work harder than the developers.” Maybe you’ve even thought that yourself.

But I want to offer a different perspective—not as a player or content creator, but as a modder. Specifically, I’ll talk about the differences between releasing an official update and an addon, the factors that need to be considered, and what feature creep really is.

What Goes Into Making an Addon?

Setting aside the technical details, the process is fairly straightforward. It starts with an idea, which usually falls into one of these categories:

• New blocks
• New mobs
• New mechanics
• New items

From there, I check if the idea can be implemented using the latest Bedrock API. (Unlike Java modding, addon developers are limited to the methods and data that Mojang provides—we can only work within those boundaries.) If the concept seems feasible, I create a proof of concept, evaluate its functionality, and then decide whether to:

• Finalize it, debug, polish, and release
• Cancel the project
• Put it on hold until API changes make it more viable

Mojang's behavior

Now, let’s imagine we’re Mojang, developing an official update. The process may seem similar on the surface—generate an idea, prototype, and refine—but there are critical differences:

• The update can’t change the core experience of Minecraft.
• It can’t make existing systems obsolete.
• It can’t dramatically disrupt game balance.

So, after an idea is approved, Mojang creates high-quality assets, codes the update, and then comes the most grueling part:

Debugging. Lots of Debugging.

Minecraft runs on a staggering range of platforms: PC (Bedrock and Java), Android, iOS, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PS4, PS5, and Nintendo Switch. That’s 12 different platforms across two programming languages, with wildly varying hardware configurations—especially on PC and Android.

You might think that once an update is coded, it’s simply released. But even as an addon developer, I constantly discover bugs I couldn’t have predicted—issues that only appear on specific devices or under certain conditions.

Our experiences

For example, at TRMC, while working on Modern Furniture, we had paintings that wouldn’t display correctly on Android. They looked fine on PC and consoles, but not on mobile. After several frustrating afternoons, we discovered that a recent update enforced a 1/16 block width limit on mobile platforms—but not on PC. Once we knew the cause, fixing it was straightforward, but getting there wasn’t.

Another time, with Locked Chests, some players reported they could open chests even when they were locked. I was certain the selection box was larger than the chest’s hitbox—so how was this possible? Turns out, if you’re not using a mouse and keyboard, Minecraft allows interactions with entities even if you’re not looking directly at them. Again, hours of troubleshooting for something that seems obvious in hindsight.

The Importance of Code Quality

Addon developers like me can get away with releasing content that has a few minor bugs. We don’t have dedicated QA teams, and the community is generally understanding—we’re hobbyists, not a AAA studio. But Mojang doesn’t have that luxury. Every feature must be rigorously tested:

• It has to work flawlessly on every platform.
• It can’t introduce exploits or mechanics that harm the multiplayer experience.
• It must maintain the delicate balance between creative freedom and game integrity.

Remember, Minecraft is a sandbox game—any new feature must fit seamlessly into both single-player and multiplayer environments.

And it doesn’t stop there. Every new piece of content needs to be translated into 29 languages for Bedrock Edition, then approved by platform holders like PlayStation, Xbox, Nintendo, and Apple. That approval process alone can take up to a month.

The Biggest Difference: Choice

Now that we’ve covered the technical side, let’s talk about the biggest difference between an official update and an addon:

You can choose to install an addon. You can’t choose to skip an official update.

That’s the heart of the matter. Mojang doesn’t just release content for players who want it every player is exposed to new updates, whether they like it or not. This means:

• New features must either be universally loved (like the Aquatic Update), or
• Easy to ignore if they don’t appeal to everyone (like Trial Chambers).

Stray too far from the essence of Minecraft, and you risk alienating part of the player base. This brings us to an important concept:

What Is Feature Creep?

Feature creep happens when continuous updates add so many new features that they dilute the original game experience. This can make a game feel overly complicated or unfamiliar, especially to returning players.

It’s subjective, of course—every player experiences games differently. But it’s common in multiplayer titles. How many times have you heard someone reinstall Fortnite after a break and say, “This isn’t the game I remember”?

For Mojang, it’s a delicate balancing act:

• Add too little, and the hardcore community loses interest.
• Add too much, and casual players feel overwhelmed.
• Aim for the middle ground, and—well—you still get criticized.

The Anatomy of an Update

At the end of the day, Minecraft updates usually fall into one of three categories:

• Adjacent Content – Adds variety without major changes (e.g., new biomes, new mobs like warm and cold chickens).
• Horizontal Growth – Expands options without increasing power (e.g., armor trims, which are cosmetic but require effort to obtain).
• Core-Changing Features – Fundamental shifts to gameplay (e.g., netherite, wind charges, or maces).

Mojang has to mix, match, and space out these types of updates to satisfy different segments of the community. As modders, we don’t face this pressure. Don’t like my addon? Just don’t install it. No harm done. But don’t like an official update? Too bad—it’s baked into the game, whether you asked for it or not.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, everyone is entitled to their opinion. I just wanted to offer some insights from the perspective of someone who’s been on the development side, dealing with bugs, balance, and technical headaches.

Maybe next time, we can talk about managing player expectations—and yes, dive into the chaos that is the mob vote fiasco.

See you then!