Minecraft has had the same three dimensions for well over a decade. The Overworld, the Nether and the End have carried every adventure since 2011. At Minecraft Live on 26 September 2026, Mojang finally changed that. The studio revealed The Sift, a brand-new dimension, and it looks nothing like the places players already know.
Instead of lava or endless void, The Sift glows in neon pink and soft blue. It is full of strange plants, glowing creatures and a new kind of sculk. This guide covers everything confirmed so far about The Sift in Minecraft: when it arrives, what lives there, how it connects to Minecraft Dungeons II, and what Mojang still hasn’t revealed.
In this guide
What The Sift Actually Is
The Sift is a fourth dimension for Minecraft, joining the Overworld, the Nether and the End. According to Mojang, it is the first new dimension added to the game in over 14 years. That alone makes it one of the biggest additions in the game’s history.
Mojang describes The Sift as “beautiful, vibrant, and teeming with souls.” Each dimension so far has had a clear mood. The Overworld feels grounded, while the Nether and the End feel openly hostile. The Sift, by contrast, aims to feel calm and colourful. Even so, it has its own dangers, its own creatures and its own rules to learn.
There is one more twist. The Sift doesn’t debut in Minecraft itself. Instead, players first explore it in Minecraft Dungeons II, the new spin-off that launches on 29 September 2026. Afterwards, the dimension comes to Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027.
Why a New Dimension Took So Long
For years, Mojang resisted the idea of a fourth dimension. Developers repeatedly said the existing ones needed more depth first. Adding a whole new world, they argued, only makes sense once the Nether and the End feel complete.
That work has largely happened since then. The Nether Update rebuilt the Nether with new biomes, mobs and structures. Meanwhile, the Deep Dark and Ancient Cities added a whole new layer underground. Against that background, The Sift feels less like a sudden idea and more like the next step in a long plan.
When The Sift Comes Out
The timeline has two parts, and it helps to keep them apart. Here is what Mojang has confirmed so far.
| What | Where | When |
|---|---|---|
| The Sift, first look | Minecraft Dungeons II | 29 September 2026 |
| The Sift, full dimension | Minecraft Java and Bedrock | 2027, no exact date yet |
| Minecraft on Nintendo Switch 2 | Switch 2 edition | 27 October 2026 |
| Ice Caves and Frozen Zombie | Upcoming game drop | Date not announced |
So far, Mojang has named only the year for the main game. There is no month, no snapshot schedule and no word on whether it arrives as one big update or across several game drops. For now, Minecraft Dungeons II is the only place to see The Sift in action.
What The Sift Looks Like
The first thing anyone notices is the colour. Pink grass covers the ground, and it looks almost like cotton candy. Meanwhile, the sky fades from blue into a soft teal, and small glowing particles drift through the air. Players who saw the reveal described it as the “cute pink heaven” of Minecraft.
Mojang has named two areas so far. The Meadow is full of lush, colourful grass and new plants that invite exploration. The Carapace, on the other hand, feels closer to a desert. It features massive bone structures that recall the fossils of the Nether’s Soul Sand Valley.
Trees look different, too. Tall pale trees, nicknamed White Willows by the community, rise above the pink fields. Some of their leaves hang down like long white strands, similar to stalactites. Official block names haven’t been confirmed yet, so these community names may still change before release.
Healthy Sculk and the Deep Dark
The most surprising detail is the sculk. In today’s Minecraft, sculk is the dark, creeping material of the Deep Dark. It spreads around Ancient Cities, feeds on experience and summons the Warden. In other words, it is the most frightening block family in the game.
The Sift flips that idea on its head. The pink and green ground appears to be a healthy form of sculk, bright and alive rather than dark and hungry. That fits Mojang’s description of a realm “teeming with souls.” It also suggests that the Deep Dark and The Sift share a story that players have only seen one side of until now.
Several fans have already connected the dots. Ancient Cities contain a large, unexplained portal-like frame that has puzzled players since 2022. Many now suspect it leads to The Sift. One player summed it up as a “death cult city portal leading to cute pink heaven.” Mojang hasn’t confirmed this, though, so treat it as a popular theory for now.
Meet the Blub
Every new dimension needs a mascot, and The Sift already has one. The Blub is a small, glowing, rabbit-like mob and the first Sift creature confirmed for the main game. It is passive, so it won’t attack you.
The details are charming. Blubs hop around, squeak, and their glowing bodies jiggle slightly with every step. They are also described as soft and squishy, and in the lore they enjoy bathing in ichor. During development, the team called the creature the “Jelly Bunny.”
The Blub almost didn’t make it. Mojang’s Marc Watson said it “was a mob that was nearly cut several times” as the team managed scope over the years. However, everyone who saw it loved it, and it survived. In Minecraft Dungeons II, the Blub also appears as a pet in the Deluxe Edition. On top of that, plush toys and figures are already on the way.
Other Creatures of The Sift
The Blub is not alone. Minecraft Dungeons II fills The Sift with a whole cast of new mobs, and some of them are far less friendly. The Minecraft Wiki currently lists the following Sift creatures from Dungeons II:
| Creature | What we know |
|---|---|
| Blub | Passive, glowing and rabbit-like |
| Singer | Communicates through song and creates Echo Golems |
| Echo Golem | Helps the heroes through parts of the story |
| Trill | An ambient creature that flies through the sky |
| Sprout | A flying mob with a tentacle-like look |
| Nester | A hostile mob that lunges at players |
| Sculk Slasher | A hostile mob with long claws |
| Sculk Monstrosity | A boss that charges and releases a burst of souls |
The wiki also names the Licker, the Harmonizer, the Monarch and a Sculk Mage, although details on those are still thin. Importantly, only the Blub is confirmed for Java and Bedrock so far. The rest belong to Dungeons II, and Mojang hasn’t said which of them will make the jump.
Still, the pattern is clear. The Sift mixes gentle creatures like the Blub and Trill with sculk-powered enemies. As a result, the dimension looks peaceful from a distance but rewards caution up close.
How You Get to The Sift
In Minecraft Dungeons II, the answer is simple. Mysterious rifts open across the Overworld as the story unfolds. Once you progress far enough, you step through one of them and arrive in The Sift.
For Minecraft itself, the entry method is still a secret. Mojang hasn’t said whether rifts will appear in the main game, whether a new portal block is coming, or whether the Ancient City frame finally gets a purpose. Until the first snapshots arrive, every answer here is speculation.
How The Sift Compares With the Nether and the End
Each dimension has a clear personality, so a quick comparison shows where The Sift fits in.
| Dimension | Mood | Main dangers | How you get there |
|---|---|---|---|
| Overworld | Grounded and familiar | Night mobs, caves, the Deep Dark | Starting world |
| Nether | Hot and hostile | Lava, Ghasts, Piglins, Wither Skeletons | Obsidian portal |
| End | Empty and eerie | Endermen, the Ender Dragon, the void | End portal in a stronghold |
| The Sift | Calm, bright and colourful | Sculk creatures, hazardous blocks | Rifts in Dungeons II, not yet revealed for Minecraft |
The contrast is deliberate. After two hostile dimensions, The Sift offers a place that looks welcoming first and dangerous second. Early coverage also suggests it will offer more to do after the main game than the Nether currently does.
The Sift in Minecraft Dungeons II
Minecraft Dungeons II launches on 29 September 2026. It is the first and, for now, the only way to explore The Sift. The game is out on PC, Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
The story follows a new threat. Rifts are tearing open across the Overworld, and the Illager High Council has launched an attack. Your heroes travel from the familiar Overworld into The Sift to find out what is behind it.
Dungeons II also changes a lot compared with the first game. Classes are gone, so the gear you equip decides your playstyle. Armour now splits into a helmet, chestplate, leggings and boots. Combat slots grow from 6 to 12, and enchantments go into a personal library of books. On top of that, missions give way to one connected world, and your hero can finally jump.
Two editions are available. The Standard Edition costs $29.99, while the Deluxe Edition costs $49.99. The Deluxe version adds the two planned DLC packs and a bigger cosmetic set, including four hero skins, a soul cape and the Blub pet.
Co-op supports one to four players from start to finish, with crossplay across platforms. The game is also available day one on Game Pass, including Game Pass Ultimate. On Xbox, keep in mind that online console multiplayer requires a Game Pass subscription.
What Else Minecraft Live Announced
The Sift stole the show, but it wasn’t the only news. Several smaller additions are coming much sooner.
First, a new game drop brings Ice Caves, a rare underground biome. It features icicles, calcite and glowing ice crystals that work as a light source. Alongside it comes the Frozen Zombie. Its melee attacks apply a stacking freezing effect, and some variants throw ice balls.
Next, Minecraft is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 on 27 October 2026, with improved performance and visuals. Later in 2026, the Marketplace also adds Sound Effects Packs.
Finally, there were two milestones outside the game. Minecraft Education celebrated its 10th anniversary. Meanwhile, Minecraft World, a themed area at Chessington World of Adventures Resort near London, opens in 2027 with a “Escape the Nether” rollercoaster and a themed hotel.
How Players Reacted
Reactions have been lively, and not all of them positive. Many players love the idea of a bright, peaceful realm hidden behind the most frightening part of the game. One fan called it “the coolest design choice.”
Others feel the pastel look strays too far from classic Minecraft. Long-time players, however, point out that every big change faced the same pushback. As one commenter put it, “People made the same comments about the 1.16 nether forests years ago.” Those forests are now a favourite part of the Nether.
What We Still Do Not Know
A lot remains open, and it is worth being honest about it. Mojang hasn’t named a release month for Java and Bedrock. It also hasn’t explained how players will enter The Sift in the main game.
Beyond that, the full list of mobs, blocks and items for the vanilla version is still unknown. Dungeons II gives a strong preview, yet reports note it may not match exactly how the dimension works in Minecraft. Expect snapshots and previews to fill these gaps through 2027.
Getting Ready on Xbox
If you want to see The Sift now, Minecraft Dungeons II is the way in. On Xbox and Windows, it supports Xbox Play Anywhere, so one purchase covers both console and PC.
An Xbox gift card is an easy way to pay for it without a bank card. The balance goes into your Microsoft account, so you can use it for Dungeons II, the Deluxe Edition, Minecraft itself or Minecoins for the Marketplace. It also works well as a gift for a Minecraft fan, since they choose what to buy.
If you prefer to play through Game Pass, a subscription card covers that route instead. Dungeons II is included from day one, and online multiplayer on Xbox needs a subscription anyway.
On PlayStation 5, a PlayStation Store gift card does the same job. It tops up your PSN wallet, so you can buy Dungeons II or the Deluxe Edition without a bank card.
On Nintendo Switch and Switch 2, a Nintendo eShop gift card works the same way. The balance lands in your Nintendo Account and covers the game, the Deluxe Edition or anything else in the eShop
Buy Nintendo eShop Gift Cards →
Whichever card you choose, match it to the region of your account before you buy. A card from another region won’t redeem.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Sift in Minecraft?
The Sift is a new dimension announced at Minecraft Live in September 2026. It joins the Overworld, the Nether and the End as the game’s fourth dimension, with its own biomes, creatures and blocks.
When is The Sift coming to Minecraft?
The Sift comes to Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027. Mojang hasn’t announced an exact date yet.
Can I play The Sift right now?
Yes, in Minecraft Dungeons II, which launched on 29 September 2026. You reach it through rifts as you progress through the story.
What is the Blub?
The Blub is a small, glowing, rabbit-like mob from The Sift. It is passive, squeaks and hops around. It is the first Sift mob confirmed for the main game.
How do you get to The Sift?
In Minecraft Dungeons II, you enter through rifts that open across the Overworld. For Java and Bedrock, Mojang hasn’t revealed the entry method yet.
Is The Sift connected to the Deep Dark?
It looks likely. A healthy form of sculk covers The Sift, the material of the Deep Dark. Many players believe the Ancient City portal leads there, but Mojang hasn’t confirmed it.
Is Minecraft Dungeons II on Game Pass?
Yes. It is available day one on Game Pass, including Game Pass Ultimate. It also costs $29.99 for the Standard Edition and $49.99 for the Deluxe Edition.
Key Takeaways
