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Minecraft gets first major visual overhaul 16 years after original beta


While Minecraft has had dozens of updates, quality of life changes, and new systems added since its original beta version, the core game has looked the same.

Sure, RTX was added for those with a GPU strong enough to run it, with it changing the look of certain game elements. The UI has also seen some major improvements over the years. Dozens upon dozens of entirely new blocks have been added, too. But a dirt block in the base version of Minecraft still looks the same as a dirt block from 2009.

That is, until the Vibrant visuals update comes out. This is more than just an RTX overhaul, it enhances everything.

Lighting has been overhauled at a base level, with every block being changed. Certain parts of blocks can now glow, making dark environments truly stand out. Enemies stalking you in the dark will glow as well. Light softly encapsulates the hills as the sun rises. It’s a really, really big deal.

Minecraft hasn’t fallen off much in popularity since the beta came out, so the team is bringing it into a new era with some small yet meaningful changes. Now, instead of needing a shader mod, the game just looks that good.

Minecraft gets Vibrant Visuals graphical overhaul

While mods exist that do something similar to what the Vibrant Visuals overhaul is trying to achieve, there are several advantages to having a system built into the game that can run natively.

Now, players can have drastically improved graphics on the base version of Minecraft without having to mod the game or create modded servers.

This update won’t be out for a few months yet according to developers, but early footage looks incredibly promising. It’s still recognizably Minecraft, but the way that many blocks look has been completely changed.

The side-by-sides shown are simply transformative, as the updated graphics give Minecraft an entirely new look. It shows just how much of a difference lighting can make, with the time of day and other light sources affecting every part of the game.

Every block now has a texture put on top of it meant solely to interact with light sources, giving everything a much softer look and making the world much more cohesive.

The snippet above features just a small portion of the changes. Every block in the game has altered in some way, whether it’s just having that new topical texture applied or actual changes to the way they look visually.

A large-scale visual overhaul like this more than proves that Minecraft’s devs are still devoted to supporting the game in the long run, separate from Notch’s Minecraft 2 tease.

Even if updates infamously take a while to make, they’re still coming and keeping the survival game alive as one of gaming’s greats.


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