Summary
As one of the best-selling and most culturally significant video games of all time,Minecrafthas received no shortage of unique and interesting updates and content drops. From minortweaks toMinecraftresources like diamondsto complete graphical or gameplay overhauls, Mojang’s famous crafting and survival title is constantly changing and expanding. However, not all ofMinecraft’s proposed or announced features have seen the light of day.
For a number of reasons ranging from performance issues to implementation practicalities, Mojang has opted to cancel or indefinitely delay a number of promisedMinecraftfeatures. Many of these scrapped features were minor, but some appeared to have a lot of potential, offering opportunities to alter the game in significant ways. Big or small, canceled features inMinecraftcan lead a lot of fans to wonder just how the game might have been different if they ever came to fruition.
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Minecraft’s Super Duper Graphics Pack Could Have Provided A Major Facelift
AlthoughMinecrafteventually got ray-tracingand other graphical updates, the Super Duper Graphics Pack was an earlier attempt by Mojang to give players higher graphical fidelity. Announced back in 2017, this update would have offered players the option to toggle realistic lighting effects and more detailed textures for both items and villagers. Sadly, Mojang canceled the pack in 2019, citing performance issues.
Minecraftplayers on PC can use mods to achieve aesthetic outcomes similar to the Super Duper Graphics Pack, but the latter option could have provided a more straightforward, console-friendly path to detailed, high-fidelity visuals. SinceMinecraftplaces a heavy emphasis on creative expression, with some players evencreating entireMinecraftgalaxies, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that many fans were disappointed by the cancelation of this graphics pack.Minecraftis still a great-looking game in its own way, but opening the doors to further creative expression through more realistic and details visuals could have made for a more interesting, less-restrictive experience.
The Fletching Table Update Could Have Expanded Minecraft’s Gameplay
Although players can currently find fletching tables throughout the world ofMinecraft, they can only be used by villagers, not by players themselves. Ahead of the 1.16 update, Mojang announced that fletching table functionality would be added to the game. While this could have added more depth to the gameplay loop in a similar way asMinecraft’s still-expanding enchanting system, Mojang eventually backtracked this announcement, stating that it would not be guaranteed to come with 1.16. Fletching table functionality has yet to be implemented, and Mojang has not commented on its potential inclusion in a future update.
WhileMinecraftis focused much more on exploration, survival, and crafting than combat, the fletching table could have deepened the game’s combat in interesting ways.Minecraftalready has a number of different arrow types, and letting players craft these arrows themselves would have made it practical and fun to create archery-focused builds and experiment with ranged combat. Fletching is agreat career path for aMinecraftvillager, but putting the power of fletching into the hands of the players could make for a more fun, flexible, and deep gameplay experience.
The Sky Dimension Would Have Breathed New Life Into Minecraft
Minecrafthas been updated with new biomes before, but the proposed Sky Dimension could have been a fantastical, breathtaking alternative to many of the game’s more grounded environments. This biome, as the name suggests, would have existed several miles above the ground. Ostensibly, this dimension would have functioned and appeared similarly to the base world – at least on a surface level.
The idea of a skybound or evenspacebound biome inMinecraftmight sound very appealing to players. After all, the game is all about exploration, and creating such an unfamiliar landscape could prove to offer fertile ground for new opportunities. If the Sky Dimension were properly and fully implemented, it could be the setting for all-new materials, creatures, items, and even lore for players to explore. The Sky Dimension can currently be accessed via third-party programs, but official Mojang support is what would have made this expansion truly unique and exciting.
Minecraftplayers have plenty of in-game content to explore, but there is so much potential for the game to expand even further. Players canrecreate entire worlds inMinecraft, but there is still room for expansion, and these canceled content updates prove that.
Minecraftis available now for Mobile, PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
