When Is the Sift Coming to Minecraft (What It Is & Release Date)

The Sift is coming to Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027, but Mojang hasn't announced an exact release date. Mojang first showed the Sift at Gamescom in August 2026 as part of Minecraft Dungeons II, then confirmed at Minecraft Live on September 26, 2026 that it will join the main game. It's Minecraft's first new dimension in more than 14 years.

#When Will the Sift Come to Minecraft?

Mojang has confirmed that the Sift will arrive in Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027.

During Minecraft Live, Mojang showed a short in-development clip of the Sift running in vanilla Minecraft. The next broadcast is the most likely place to hear a firmer window.

Here's the Sift timeline so far:

• August 2026: Mojang first showed the Sift at Gamescom as the new dimension in Minecraft Dungeons II.
• September 26, 2026: Minecraft Live confirmed the Sift for Java and Bedrock Edition.
• September 29, 2026: Minecraft Dungeons II launched, giving players their first chance to explore the Sift.
• Late 2026: Mojang's final game drop of 2026 adds ice caves and the Frostbite, a frozen zombie variant. The Sift isn't part of it.
• 2027: The Sift arrives in Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition.

#What Is the Sift in Minecraft?

The Sift is an entirely new dimension. When it launches, it will sit alongside the Overworld, the Nether, and the End as Minecraft's fourth major world.

A dimension is a separate world with its own terrain, mobs, and rules. Think about how different a trip to the Nether feels compared to finding a new Overworld biome. Mojang hasn't added a dimension since the End arrived with Minecraft 1.0 in November 2011, so players have waited a long time for this one.

Mojang calls the Sift "beautiful, vibrant, and teeming with souls." The Nether gives you lava oceans and the End gives you floating islands and the Ender Dragon, while the Sift leans into soft, colorful landscapes unlike anything in vanilla Minecraft today. Mojang says you'll be able to explore, survive, and create there, but hasn't explained how its gameplay will differ from the other dimensions.

#What Does the Sift Look Like in Vanilla Minecraft?

The Minecraft Live clip was brief, but it showed enough to set the Sift apart from the Nether and the End:

• Pink ground cover: Bright pink grass carpets the terrain where you'd expect green.
• Pale trees: White, tree-like plants stand out against the colorful ground.
• The Blub: A small, rabbit-like mob hops through the scene (more on it below).

The result looks almost dreamlike, and it resembles the Meadow area you can visit in Dungeons II.

#What Dungeons II Tells Us About the Sift's Biomes

Minecraft Dungeons II gives a wider look at the Sift's art style. Mojang has named two of its areas:

• Meadows: A green, forested landscape with bright grass and willow-like trees.
• Carapace: A barren, desert-like region scattered with enormous skeletal structures.

Mojang hasn't confirmed that these areas will appear in vanilla Minecraft. Dungeons II is an action RPG with different systems, and Mojang hasn't yet said how the main-game Sift will differ from the Dungeons II version.

#What New Mobs and Features Are Coming With the Sift?

Mojang has shown one Sift mob running in vanilla Minecraft so far. Everything else we know comes from Dungeons II.

#Meet the Blub: The Only Confirmed Vanilla Sift Mob

The Blub is a small, blue, rabbit-like creature that hops around and squeaks. It's the mob Mojang showed in the Minecraft Live clip, which makes it the only Sift creature confirmed for Java and Bedrock. You can already spot it in Dungeons II, where it wanders the Sift as an ambient creature.

Mojang hasn't explained how the Blub will work in survival. We don't know yet:

• whether you can tame or breed it
• what it drops, if anything
• how it reacts to players and other mobs
• where in the Sift it spawns

#Dungeons II Mobs, Bosses, and Mechanics

Dungeons II gives the Sift a much bigger cast. Friendly mobs include the Singer and the Echo Golem, a helper golem powered by soul blocks. Other residents include the Seedling, Sprout, Nester, and Crested Sentinel, and the dimension has three bosses: the Monarch, the Harmonizer, and the Sculk Monstrosity.

Mojang hasn't confirmed any of these for vanilla Minecraft. The same goes for the spin-off's mechanics. There may be shifting tides that affect your character and nearby mobs, plus hazardous blocks that change how you explore. Mojang also hasn't published any blocks, items, or crafting recipes for the vanilla Sift.

#How Do You Get to the Sift in Minecraft?

Mojang hasn't revealed how you'll reach the Sift in vanilla Minecraft. Nobody outside Mojang knows the portal design, recipe, or activation method yet.

#Will the Ancient City Portal Lead to the Sift?

If you've explored the Deep Dark, you've seen the huge reinforced deepslate frame at the center of every Ancient City. It looks like a portal, and players have wondered what it's for since the Wild Update added it in 2022.

Dungeons II adds fuel to that theory. In the spin-off, rifts open across the world and carry you into the Sift, and the story links the dimension to the Deep Dark through a portal and the Singer.

The connection is hard to ignore, but Mojang hasn't confirmed that the Ancient City frame will become the Sift portal in Java or Bedrock.

#Can You Play the Sift in Minecraft Right Now?

Not in unmodded Java or Bedrock. Here's how you can follow the Sift while you wait for 2027.

#1. Rewatch the Minecraft Live Reveal

The September 2026 Minecraft Live broadcast is on YouTube, and it holds the only footage of the Sift running in vanilla Minecraft. Use it as your reference for what Mojang has shown for Java and Bedrock.

#2. Keep an Eye on Snapshots and Previews

Mojang tests new content in Java snapshots and Bedrock Previews before each game drop, so expect Sift blocks and mobs to appear there first. As of November 2026, those test builds cover the ice caves drop and contain no Sift content.

#3. Try Community-Made Sift Mods

Fans have released Sift-inspired mods for Java and add-ons for Bedrock, built from trailers and Dungeons II footage. These are unofficial interpretations, so their portals, mobs, and mechanics won't match Mojang's version. Check the supported Minecraft version and mod loader, and test on a copy of your world.

#4. Play Minecraft Dungeons II

Dungeons II is the only official way to explore the Sift today. It's a separate action RPG, available on Xbox Series X|S, PC, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, and Nintendo Switch 2, and it's included with Game Pass. You can play solo or in co-op with up to four players.

#Will the Sift Work on Minecraft Servers?

Yes. The Sift is coming to standard Java and Bedrock Edition, so you'll be able to explore it with friends on multiplayer servers. Mojang hasn't shared technical requirements or server details yet.

A new dimension brings new world generation and save data, so plugins, mods, and server software may need updates before they fully support it. You'll also update at least once before then, because the ice caves drop lands first.

#How to Prepare Your Minecraft Server for the Sift

1. Back up your world. Take a full backup before any major update and keep it until the new version runs cleanly.
2. Wait for compatible server software. Mojang ships official Java server and Bedrock Dedicated Server builds with each update. If you run Paper, Fabric, or another platform, wait for a stable build that supports the new version.
3. Review your plugins and mods. On Java, each dimension keeps its own save data, so expect to configure world borders, chunk pre-generation, and multiworld settings for the Sift too.
4. Test on a copy first. Load a duplicate of your world on the new version and check for errors before you switch your live server over.

A new dimension is more fun to explore with a group. If your friends want a shared survival world that's online whenever someone wants to play, Minecraft dedicated server hosting keeps it running without relying on one player's computer. Build up your base now, then prepare for the Sift once the official update and compatible server software are out.

#Why Is the Sift Such a Big Deal for Minecraft?

Minecraft gets regular updates, but new dimensions are rare. Since the End arrived in 2011, Mojang has focused on expanding the worlds players already know. The Nether Update in 2020 rebuilt the Nether with new biomes, mobs, and resources, yet the game still had three dimensions.

The Sift adds a fourth. That opens room for new building materials, fresh survival challenges, and new reasons to travel. At Minecraft Live, Mojang said adventure is a main focus of its long-term plans for Minecraft, and the Sift fits that direction. If you've seen everything the Overworld, Nether, and End offer, it's a great excuse to start a new survival world.

#Minecraft Sift FAQ

#Is the Sift Coming to Minecraft Java and Bedrock?

Yes. Mojang has confirmed the Sift for both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition in 2027. It hasn't said whether both editions will get test builds at the same time.

#Is the Sift Coming in the Last Minecraft Update of 2026?

No. Mojang's final game drop of 2026 adds ice caves, icicles, ice crystals, and the Frostbite. The Sift is a separate 2027 addition.

#Will the Sift Be on Consoles and Mobile?

Mojang confirmed the Sift for Bedrock Edition, which runs on consoles, phones, tablets, and Windows PCs. Mojang hasn't shared platform-by-platform details yet.

#Is the Sift a New Dimension or a Biome?

It's a full dimension, joining the Overworld, the Nether, and the End.

#Will the Sift Be Free?

Mojang hasn't announced pricing. Major Java and Bedrock content updates have historically been free for existing owners and describes the Sift as becoming part of Minecraft itself.

#Can You Build a Base in the Sift?

Mojang says you'll be able to explore, survive, and create in the Sift, so building should be part of the experience. Building rules and any dimension-specific limits haven't been detailed.

#Will the Sift Work in Existing Worlds?

Mojang hasn't said. Minecraft updates usually keep older survival worlds playable, but wait for official word on how existing worlds will connect to the Sift.

#The Sift Is Minecraft's Next Big Adventure

After more than a decade with the same three dimensions, Minecraft players have somewhere new to look forward to. The Sift reaches Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027, with pink grass, pale trees, and at least one squeaky new mob.

Plenty is still unknown, from how you'll get there to what else lives there. Mojang plans to share more at future Minecraft Live shows, and we'll update this guide as new details arrive.

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