Minecraft 26.4: the winter 2026 drop — ice caves, frostbite and release date
The next Minecraft update is Java Edition 26.4 (Bedrock 26.70), the fourth and final game drop of 2026. It is in weekly snapshot testing and Mojang has not announced a release date.
What is in it
The drop is built around the cold: ice caves, frostbite, ice balls and a new Freezing effect. Mojang showed it at Minecraft Live on 26 September 2026.
Testing so far
The first 26.4 snapshot came out on 22 September 2026, a week after Wilderness Bound, and new ones have followed each week. Late snapshots are mostly polish and bug fixes, a sign the drop is close.
When it comes out
No date yet. The previous winter drops came out in early December (3 December 2024 and 9 December 2025), but that is a pattern, not an announcement. This hub posts the moment the release appears in Mojang’s version list.
When does Minecraft 26.4 come out?
Mojang has not announced a date. Past winter drops arrived in early December.
What is in Minecraft 26.4?
Ice caves, frostbite, ice balls and a new Freezing effect.
References
- Fourth Drop 2026 — Minecraft Wiki
- Minecraft 26.4 Update (Winter Game Drop): Release Date, New Features, Snapshots — BisectHosting
- Minecraft: Java Edition version manifest — Mojang
Minecraft guide
- Latest Minecraft version: Java 26.3 and Bedrock 26.50 (live)
- Minecraft 26.4: the winter 2026 drop — ice caves, frostbite and release date
- Every Minecraft game drop: 2024 to 2026
- Minecraft price and editions: PC, consoles, phones and Deluxe
- Minecraft Java vs Bedrock: the differences, and which to get
- How to play Minecraft snapshots and previews
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- Official Minecraft wallpapers: desktop, tablet and phone
- Minecraft news and new versions
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