Minecraft:Fourth Drop 2026

The fourth drop of 2026 is an upcoming Minecraft:game drop that will release as Minecraft:Java Edition 26.4 and Minecraft:Bedrock Edition 26.70 in the fourth quarter of 2026. It introduces Minecraft:ice caves, a new cave Minecraft:biome featuring Minecraft:icicles and Minecraft:ice crystals, as well as the Minecraft:frostbite, Minecraft:ice balls, and the Minecraft:Freezing effect. It was announced at Minecraft:Minecraft LIVE – September 2026.

Experimental features for the update will be released prior to the finalized release as part of Minecraft:Bedrock Edition 26.60.

Additions

Blocks

File:Ice Crystal.png Minecraft:Ice crystal

• A crystal block which generates on the ground in Minecraft:ice caves.
• Emits a Minecraft:light level of 4.
• Can be placed on all full sides of a block.

Template:AnimateTemplate:Animate
Template:AnimateTemplate:Animate Minecraft:Icicle

• A spike block that generates as stalactites on the ceiling in ice caves.
  • Can also be placed on the ground as stalagmites.
• The column part breaks at a Minecraft:light level of 5 or above or in Minecraft:the Nether.
  • Icicle stalactites falls and deals damage depending on the height.
• Falling to an bottom icicle will increase damage.
• Like other spikes blocks, icicles can be broken by a thrown Minecraft:trident.
• Icicle stalactites will grow longer if Minecraft:packed ice is above them, unless they are in the Nether.
• It has been confirmed that Minecraft:player-placed icicles will not be affected by Minecraft:light, although this feature has not been added yet.

Items

File:Frostbite Spawn Egg BE1.png Minecraft:Frostbite spawn egg

• Used to spawn a Minecraft:frostbite.

File:Ice Ball BE1.png Minecraft:Ice ball

• A throwable Minecraft:projectile that deals damage.
• It does more damage based on its projectile speed, having a sharp deceleration like Minecraft:snowballs.
• Can be used to brew Minecraft:potions of Freezing.
• Obtained by Minecraft:frostbites, which have a chance to drop them when killed.
• Deals consistent knockback.

Template:Animate Minecraft:Potion of Freezing

• Obtained by Minecraft:brewing an Minecraft:awkward potion with an Minecraft:ice ball.
• Causes the Minecraft:Freezing effect.

File:Arrow of Freezing BE1.png Minecraft:Arrow of Freezing

• A Minecraft:tipped arrow which causes the Minecraft:Freezing effect.

Effects

File:Freezing JE1 BE1.png Minecraft:Freezing

• An effect version of Minecraft:powder snow freezing that causes an entity to Minecraft:freeze, dealing damage over time and slowing their movement.
• Since it had the same effect as powder snow freezing, it can be prevented when an entity wears a piece of Minecraft:leather armor, but will not keep the effect from being applied and will not remove the effect.
  • Minecraft:Snow golems, Minecraft:polar bears, Minecraft:strays and Minecraft:frostbites are immune.
  • Deals double the damage to Minecraft:blaze, Minecraft:magma cube and Minecraft:strider.

Mobs

width=55x55 File:Baby Frostbite.png Minecraft:Frostbite

• A Minecraft:zombie variant that can be found in snowy biomes.
  • Zombies convert into frostbites when they stay in Minecraft:powder snow too long.
  • Husks now also convert into zombies when they stay in Minecraft:powder snow too long.
• Immune to Minecraft:Freezing.
  • Does not sink in Minecraft:powder snow.
• Burns in sunlight.
• It has two modes of attacking: a melee attack and a ranged attack.
  • Most frostbites use a standard melee attack, which gives the Minecraft:Freezing effect.
  • Some frostbites spawn holding Minecraft:ice balls, which they throw as a ranged attack.
• Drops Minecraft:rotten flesh and ice balls when killed, regardless if holding one or not.
• Converts into a Minecraft:zombie when underwater for 30 seconds.

World generation

Biomes

Template:BiomeLink

• A Minecraft:cave biome that generates underneath frozen, cold or semi-cold surface biomes.
• Rarely generates in cold biomes or sometimes on the surface.
• Minecraft:Calcite, Minecraft:packed ice, Minecraft:icicles, Minecraft:ice crystals and sometimes patches of Minecraft:snow can generate here.
• Does not generate Minecraft:glow lichen or Minecraft:granite unlike normal cave biomes.
• Higher chances of Minecraft:ores generating inside blobs of Minecraft:stone and Minecraft:deepslate.
• Common cave monsters along with Minecraft:strays and Minecraft:frostbites can spawn here.

Features

Minecraft:Icicle

• Generates as clusters of Minecraft:icicles on the ceiling of ice caves or large speleothem made out of packed ice.

Sounds

Minecraft:Ice

• Added unique sounds for ice. This was not done for packed, blue, nor Minecraft:frosted ice blocks.<ref>Template:Bug</ref>

Changes

Mobs

Minecraft:Zombie and Minecraft:husk

• Now converts into a Minecraft:frostbite when in Minecraft:powder snow for 30 seconds.

Gallery

Mojang images

• A view of some ice pillars and icicles from the ground in an ice cave
  A view of some ice pillars and icicles from the ground in an ice cave
• A view of the ice caves with a Minecraft:stray and Minecraft:frostbites
  A view of the ice caves with a Minecraft:stray and Minecraft:frostbites
• A frostbite in an ice cave
  A frostbite in an ice cave
• A frostbite attacking a player
  A frostbite attacking a player
• Lava flowing to an ice cave
  Lava flowing to an ice cave
• Ice crystals
  Ice crystals
• A cluster of icicles
  A cluster of icicles
• Minecraft:Kai with a potion of Freezing
  Minecraft:Kai with a potion of Freezing
• Adult and baby frostbites
  Adult and baby frostbites
• An ice cave illuminated by ice crystals and the eyes of a Minecraft:stray
  An ice cave illuminated by ice crystals and the eyes of a Minecraft:stray
• A crevice inside the ice cave biome
  A crevice inside the ice cave biome

In other media

• Minecraft:Steve freezing in some ice. Above him, content from the game drop can be seen
  Minecraft:Steve freezing in some ice. Above him, content from the game drop can be seen