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 the Minecraft:ice caves, a cave biome featuring Minecraft:icicles and Minecraft:ice crystals. It also adds the Minecraft:frozen zombie, Minecraft:ice balls, and the Minecraft:Freezing effect. It was announced at Minecraft:Minecraft LIVE – September 2026.

Additions

Blocks

File:Ice Crystals (U) pJE20260926.png Minecraft:Ice crystal

• A light source that generates in Minecraft:ice caves.

Template:InvSprite File:Icicle.png Minecraft:Icicle

• A spike block that generates as stalactite clusters in ice caves.
• Falls when a light source is nearby.
• Similar to Dripstone dealing damage.

Items

Minecraft:Frozen zombie spawn egg

• Used to spawn a Minecraft:frozen zombie.

Template:InvSprite Minecraft:Ice ball

• A throwable projectile that deals a damage, and gives the Minecraft:Freezing effect.
  • It does more damage based on its projectile speed.
• Obtained by killing a frozen zombie holding an ice ball.

Template:AnimateSpriteMinecraft:Potion of Freezing

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

Template:InvSprite Minecraft:Arrow of Freezing

• A new kind of tipped arrow which causes Freezing.

Effects

File:Freezing Effect.png Minecraft:Freezing

• An effect that makes the player Minecraft:freeze, dealing damage and slowing their movement.
• Equipping a piece of leather armor prevents it from freezing damage but not the rest.
• Effect technically already existed ever since Minecraft:powder snow was added

Mobs

width=55x55 File:Baby frozen zombie recreation2.png Minecraft:Frozen zombie

• A zombie variant that can be found in ice caves and snowy biomes.<ref>https://www.youtube.com/shorts/x8ZJS5HHdfE</ref>
  • Currently the name is still a placeholder.<ref>Template:Mcnet</ref>
• It has two modes of attacking: a melee attack and a ranged attack, similar to Minecraft:drowned.
  • Most frozen zombies use a standard melee attack, which gives Freezing.
  • Some frozen zombies spawn holding ice balls, and sometimes snowballs which they throw as a ranged attack.
• Frozen zombies holding ice balls have a chance to drop them upon being killed.

World generation

Biomes

Template:BiomeLink

• A cave biome that generates underneath frozen biomes.
• Calcite, ice, packed ice, blue ice, icicles and ice crystals can generate here.
• Ores generate as blobs beneath ice.
• Various monsters, Minecraft:strays and Minecraft:frozen zombies can spawn here.

Features

Icicles

• Generates as clusters of icicles.

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
• View of the ice caves with a Minecraft:stray and Minecraft:frozen zombies
  View of the ice caves with a Minecraft:stray and Minecraft:frozen zombies

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