Minecraft just dropped one of its wildest double whammies in years—a sky-soaring update called Chase the Skiesand a long-teased Vibrant Visuals overhaul that finally lets Bedrock players feel like they’re playing the RTX trailer. Add in a full-blown photo mode and… yeah, Minecraft’s quietly flexing hard right now.
Let’s break down what just happened—and why it slaps.
Chase the Skies: “Wait, That Ghast Has a Saddle?”
I’ve ridden horses, pigs, striders, even dolphins (don’t ask)… but flying a Happy Ghast? That’s peak Minecraft chaos energy. This update gives you a full flight mount if you go full Dr. Frankenstein on a dried ghast block, hydrate it, raise a baby ghastling (adorably horrifying), and then slap a crafted harness on its squishy face. Yes, it works in multiplayer. No, it doesn’t explode on you—unless you botch the parenting.
Other gems:
- Craftable Saddles (finally!) + cheaper leads that now support boats and whole mob caravans.
- Player Locator Bar replaces the XP meter and helps find your friends—unless they’re crouching or invisible, in which case… get wrecked.
- A new music disc called “Tears” by Amos Roddy (of Citizen Sleeper fame), only dropped by reflecting a ghast’s fireball. It’s haunting in the best way.
- Post-update patch (Java 1.21.7) is on deck with bug fixes and another music disc. No ETA, but the devs are on it.
If this were all Mojang gave us this month, I’d already be satisfied. But no. They went extra.
Vibrant Visuals: The Makeover We’ve Been Pretending We Didn’t Need
Let’s be honest—vanilla Minecraft has looked like it was stuck in 2011 for over a decade. Shaders have been doing the heavy lifting for years. But now? Bedrock players on decent hardware can toggle Vibrant Visuals, a built-in shader system with:
- Directional lighting that hits at golden hour just right.
- Volumetric fog that makes swamps feel like horror movie sets.
- Emissive textures and reflective water that honestly had me triple-checking if I had a texture pack on.
- Pixel shadows that finally let blocks cast blocky shadows—chef’s kiss.
Caveats? It’s only for:
- PC (DX12+), Xbox Series X|S, PS4/5
- Android with Adreno 640+, iOS with A12 or M1/M2 chips
- Not on Java yet—Mojang says “soon.” I say… sigh.
You’ll need to turn off other packs to enable it, and console players report mild frame drops. But it’s still a massive leap. Seeing your base glow from a hillside at dusk? Actual goosebumps.
Vibrant Memories: Minecraft Now Has a Photo Mode and I’m Weirdly Emotional About It
Yes, a photo mode. Official. Free. Downloadable from the Marketplace.
Here’s what it lets you do:
- Freeze time, change weather, set time of day
- Choose from camera presets or free-cam your way into epic shots
- Add vignette, filters, even music
- Optional “erase yourself from the photo” tool. (Goodbye awkward F5 head angle.)
For content creators? Dream. For casual players? You’ll use this way more than you expect. Trust me—once you land your first perfect lightning shot in a thunderstorm, it’s over.
Bigger Picture: Why This Update Matters
Let’s not undersell it: this is a turning point. Minecraft is finally evolving from its mod-reliant, potato-looking base into a visually cohesive, mechanically modern sandbox.
- The flying mount alone redefines movement and multiplayer hijinks.
- The photo mode tells me Mojang knows players care about memory-making—not just mechanics.
- And the visual upgrade? It proves they’re ready to close the gap with the shader/mod scene they once ignored.
This is a build-your-own adventure, now with cinematics.
So… Should You Log Back In?
If you’re on Bedrock with compatible hardware? Yes, immediately. Try the visuals, mess with the ghast, and flex your screenshots in your Discord.
Java players—hold tight. Your turn is coming.
And if you haven’t played in months? This update hits that sweet spot: enough novelty to feel fresh, familiar enough to feel like home.
