It first opened in Bedrock Preview and Beta 26.60.29 on September 30, 2026, under the Drop 4 of 2026 experiment. The planned release is Java Edition 26.4 and Bedrock Edition 26.70 in the fourth quarter of 2026. Nothing here is final.

Ice caves

Ice caves are a new cave biome under cold Overworld biomes. The terrain is mostly packed ice and calcite, with snow patches on the floor. Icicles hang from the ceiling, and large packed ice icicles form on the ground and overhead. Ice crystals grow on packed ice. Ores sit in pockets of stone and deepslate. Dirt, granite, and glow lichen do not generate. Strays and frostbites join the usual cave mobs.

Icicles and ice crystals

Icicles are spike blocks like dripstone and sulfur spikes. Pointing down, they can grow up to five blocks on packed ice, but only in the dark and outside the Nether. Nearby light, or the Nether, makes them fall or break, except the base. A falling icicle damages whatever it hits, and landing on one deals extra damage. Ice crystals are the only natural light in these caves. They work like amethyst clusters, emit light, place on any face, and break if their support is removed. In this build they are smaller than intended.

The frostbite

The frostbite is a zombie variant that spawns in cold and icy biomes, including ice caves. It burns in sunlight, stands on powder snow, and ignores freezing and powder snow slow. Up close it punches and applies Freezing. At range, if it is holding ice balls, it throws them. Adults and babies both have throw animations. It drops rotten flesh and ice balls. Stay underwater long enough and it turns back into a zombie. Zombies and husks left in powder snow turn into frostbites.

Freezing, ice balls, and potions

Freezing works like standing in powder snow. You shake, jump lower, and take damage over time. Leather armor stops the freeze damage but does not block or clear the effect. Mobs take extra damage while frozen, and mobs weak to freezing take five times as much. Ice balls are the frostbite projectile. They deal 4 damage that falls as they slow, plus knockback, then break with particles and a sound. Brew an awkward potion with an ice ball for a potion of freezing, including splash and lingering forms. Dip arrows in a cauldron of that potion to make arrows of freezing. Ice blocks also have new sounds.