Minecraft Update 1.17 Release Date: When is the Caves and Cliffs Update Coming Out?

When is the Caves and Cliffs update coming to Minecraft? Minecraft update 1.17 is one of the game’s most anticipated updates ever, finally changing cave generation and adding tons of cool things under the game’s blocky surface. New mobs, new blocks, and much more await players in this update, but it’s unfortunately still a long way out. Here’s everything we know about the release date for Minecraft version 1.17, the Caves and Cliffs update.

Minecraft 1.17 Update Release Date

Minecraft update 1.17 is currently scheduled to release sometime in mid-2021. The Caves and Cliffs update will release simultaneously on both the Java and Bedrock versions of the game, but Java players can test out the new features early by playing the latest snapshot version.

There is no exact release date at the moment for the Caves and Cliffs update, but the Nether update was released last June, so there’s a good chance that 1.17 will be released sometime this summer.

What Does the Caves and Cliffs Update Add to Minecraft?

Minecraft version 1.17 will add new mobs and blocks to the game, and it will overhaul Minecraft’s cave generation system to create larger and more diverse underground areas. The in-game height limit will be expanded by 64 blocks upwards and downwards, so caves will run deeper than ever before.

Currently, Minecraft caves are simple and typically feature nothing more than small caverns or narrow passageways. With version 1.17, several new cave types will be added to the game to make underground exploration much more engaging and rewarding. Large aquifers, gigantic caverns with stalagmites, and long winding “spaghetti” caves are just a few new additions to Minecraft’s cave generation formula.

Mining will also become a bit more complex with the Caves and Cliffs update. Minecraft 1.17 increases the depth and height for every world, so there is much more to explore underground. To compensate for the increased depth, certain ores will be more common at certain depth levels to allow for more strategic mining. You may be able to find iron more commonly close to the surface, while gold is plentiful near the diamond layers deep underground.

Most ores have also been retextured for accessibility reasons, so your favorite Minecraft metals will look a bit different when you find them in the Caves and Cliffs update. New ores like copper and amethyst can also be found in the new caves, so even the most experienced Minecraft players have a lot to look forward to.

Above ground, mountains will be getting an overhaul. These are the reason why the height limit was expanded alongside the depth limit. There are five new mountainous sub-biomes to discover in the Caves and Cliffs update, and there will be new mobs like goats in these areas. There will also be new mobs to discover in existing biomes, such as the adorable axolotl and the fan-voted glow squid.

The Caves and Cliffs update will add a lot of new features to Minecraft and address several popular fan criticisms about the game, so there is understandably a lot of excitement surrounding version 1.17. While there isn’t an exact release date yet, the Minecraft Caves and Cliffs update will likely be released in the first half of 2021. Of course, delays are incredibly common with the current state of the world, so the update could slip to the later half of the year if it’s not ready. Eager Java players can install the latest snapshot to test out some of the new features, but everyone else will have to wait until the official release.

Minecraft is available now on PC, PS4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices.