Minecraft: Java Edition has dropped its first Release Candidate

We might be looking at the 'Caves and Cliffs Update' Part One here.

What you need to know

• Mojang Studios has been finalizing the 'Caves and Cliffs Update' Part One with a flurry of betas and Pre-Release snapshots.
• Today, Minecraft: Java Edition is releasing the 'Caves and Cliffs Update' Release Candidate 1, meaning the update is pretty much done.
• As long as Mojang Studios doesn't encounter any other major issues, Release Candidate 1 will be launched publically on June 8.
• We could be looking at the 'Caves and Cliffs Update' Part One in all its glory with Release Candidate 1.

Unless you've been trapped in a particularly deep Minecraft cave for a few months, you'll know that we're right around the corner from the next major update for Minecraft. Part One of the Caves and Cliffs Update is currently being finalized by Mojang Studios, and officially releases on June 8 to all platforms.

As we rapidly approach release day, Mojang Studios has been frantically working on last-minute polish and fixes with a flurry of Pre-Release snapshots for Minecraft: Java Edition, which were practically released right on top of each other. After yesterday's Minecraft: Java Edition Pre-Release 5, Mojang Studios is finally comfortable enough to begin testing Minecraft: Java Edition Caves and Cliffs Update Release Candidate 1.

On the surface, the latest Minecraft: Java Edition snapshot doesn't contain much to speak of. It's a handful of bug fixes and little else. However, this signifies that Mojang Studios is comfortable with this snapshot potentially being the Caves and Cliffs Update launching early next week. As long as Mojang doesn't run into any other major issues or lingering bugs, this snapshot could go straight from "Release Candidate 1" to Part One of the Caves and Cliffs Update.

If you're excited for the Caves and Cliffs Update for Minecraft, celebrate the arrival of Release Candidate 1 with something from our list of best Minecraft merch, toys, and gifts, which includes something for every Minecraft fan.

The full changelog for Minecraft: Java Edition Caves and Cliffs Update Release Candidate 1 includes:

Caves and Cliffs Update preview

• Download the new datapack

Bug fixes

• Custom player heads sometimes flash when placed on armor stands
• Improved desync issues when exiting a boat over a high latency connection
• Fixed crashes