Mojang has launched a new test update for Minecraft, available on Xbox, PlayStation, PC, and iOS, as a precursor to a more comprehensive update. This May 2025 preview focuses on refining gameplay and addressing issues reported from earlier Vibrant Visuals test releases.
About Minecraft Preview Update 1.21.90.27
The Vibrant Visuals initiative introduces graphical enhancements like dynamic lighting, water reflections, and sharper shadows. It also revamps biomes with tailored visual effects, such as unique color tones and atmospheric fog, fulfilling long-standing player requests. These upgrades work seamlessly with existing worlds, enriching the exploration experience. Despite some initial hiccups with rendering, Mojang is using these preview updates to polish the system.
Released on May 27, Minecraft’s preview and beta update 1.21.90.27 brings targeted fixes and tweaks. Available on Xbox, PlayStation, Windows, and iOS, with a beta version for Android, it addresses graphical glitches in the Nether’s lighting and fog in lush biomes under Vibrant Visuals. Android users will notice the removal of a green tint and resolution of black screen issues. Some weather and sky effects from Vibrant Visuals have been paused for further refinement.
The update also corrects item animation bugs, ensuring smoother visuals when holding objects. Several mobs, including Ghastling and Happy Ghast, received adjustments: Ghastling moves slower, and Happy Ghast’s detection zone is simplified to reduce jittering. Leash mechanics for various mobs, including Glow Squid, have been improved for consistency.
Technical adjustments include a temporary rollback of certain block transparency settings, with fixes planned for later. Icon textures for held items now display correctly, and camera control schemes have been standardized. As a work-in-progress, some issues persist, and players are encouraged to submit feedback via Minecraft’s official bug reporting and feedback channels.
Minecraft Preview Update 1.21.90.27 Patch Notes
Features and Bug Fixes
Graphical
- Fixed ambient lighting levels in the Nether in Vibrant Visuals
- Fixed fog settings in warm and humid biomes in Vibrant Visuals
- Fixed black screen issues on some Android devices when in Vibrant Visuals
- Vibrant Visuals is no longer tinted green on Android devices (MCPE-220308)
- Temporarily reverted weather-related changes to sky color in Vibrant Visuals while some issues are sorted out.
Items
Resolved an issue that caused items held in hand to not animate properly (MCPE-219652)
Mobs
Updated Ghastling speed to slow it down. Chill, friend, you have time to take in the sights.
The Happy Ghast’s player detection area has been reverted to a single box: it now extends 2 blocks above its top, 1 block below, and 1 block to each side
The Happy Ghast no longer jitters when a player is detected at the edge of its detection area
Fixed the leash attach positions for the following mobs:
- Allay (MCPE-220035)
- Glow Squid
- Ocelot (MCPE-220034)
- Parrot
- Snow Golem (MCPE-220041)
- Squid (MCPE-220039)
- The correct leash physics simulating four ropes is now used when a Mule is leashed to a Happy Ghast (MCPE-219640)
- Entities can now be leashed to Glow Squid, just like regular Squid (MCPE-220040)
Technical Updates
Blocks
"alpha_test_to_opaque", "alpha_test_single_sided_to_opaque", and "blend_to_opaque" will not shift to "opaque" in the distance. This is a temporary rollback of functionality that will be fixed later.
Items
Fixed items with empty icon textures displaying as garbled pixels when held in hand
Gameplay
Fixed the default control schemes for all cameras
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