8 January 2026

Minecraft Reveals First Features of Its Next Game Drop

By newsgame

Despite 2026 just getting underway, Mojang has already revealed new content coming to Minecraft in its first game drop of the year. The latest game drop will introduce eight new versions of baby farm mobs, and Minecraft players can test these features and more in Java snapshot and Bedrock beta/preview now.

Minecraft is coming off a busy 2025. Not only did A Minecraft Movie release in theaters on April 4, but the game received four game drops throughout the year. Things got underway with the Spring to Life update in March, adding new animal variants based on temperature. This was followed by Chase the Skies in June and The Copper Age in September, bringing things like the Happy Ghast and Copper Golems to the game. 2025 was capped off by Mounts of Mayhem in December, which introduced new mobs and the spear.

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Minecraft Reveals New Versions of Baby Farm Mobs for Its First Game Drop of 2026

Fortunately, Mojang wants to keep up the pace in 2026, unveiling its first features for the next game drop. While a name for the content update has not been revealed, the developer announced that new versions of baby farm mobs are coming to Minecraft. Specifically, players can expect to see new, adorable designs for wolf pups, kittens, piglets, calves, baby chickens, baby ocelots, lambs, and baby rabbits. While the game already has baby farm mobs, they are scaled-down versions of the regular adult mobs, except with disproportionately large heads. However, Agnes Larsson, game director, has said that the new versions coming in the next game drop will have “unique textures and models that give each baby mob their own adorable look and identity!”

All New Versions of Baby Farm Mobs

Wolf Pup
Kitten
Piglet
Calf
Baby Chicken
Baby Ocelot
Lamb
Baby Rabbit

The redesigns for the baby farm mobs are noticeable, with the new looks being significantly cuter. In particular, the development team pointed out the change in the eyes. As noted by Larsson, most mobs in Minecraft have two-pixel eyes. However, the baby mobs have only one, which she described as “adorable.” It is worth noting that there are variants for each baby animal to match the adults. For example, there are nine wolf pup variants and 11 kitten variants. The development team also added unique sounds for piglets, wolf pups, and kittens, adding to their charm. Besides these eight new versions of baby farm mobs, Mojang has also redesigned the adult rabbits, giving them fluffy tails. They also added new animations for the rabbit, such as the mob standing on its hind legs and tilting its head.

Minecraft is Making Name Tags Craftable

With many more mobs likely filling players’ farms in the coming months, Mojang has made it easier to name them. With the new game drop, it will be possible to craft name tags using paper and any metal nugget. Previously, name tags in Minecraft had to be found in the world, either through generated loot, fishing, or trading with a Librarian. This new update should come as a welcome change for those who like to keep track of their favorite pets in the game.

While there is no launch date for the upcoming Minecraft game drop, last year’s release cadence could give a clue. In 2025, the first Minecraft game drop of the year, Spring to Life, launched in March. A similar pattern could happen in 2026, but fans will have to wait for official confirmation from Mojang to know for sure. In the meantime, players can test these new features right now.

It is worth noting that features in the current Java snapshot and Bedrock beta/preview are still works in progress. With this in mind, things could change before the game drop fully releases. Additionally, Mojang is asking Minecraft players to give their feedback on the features, so that the upcoming launch can be as smooth as possible. While it remains to be seen what other content comes in this game drop, the upcoming update will make the Overworld significantly more adorable.