The biggest 'Minecraft' console update of 2016 lands in December
The Holiday Update brings nearly all of the PC edition's features to PS4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Vita and Wii U.
The final Minecraft: Console Edition update of the year is also its largest. The Holiday Update will land in late December, bringing the Elytra (wings that allow players to glide), Amplified Terrain, End Cities, the Dragon's Breath potion ingredient and more features to PlayStation 4, PS3, Xbox One, Xbox 360, Vita and Wii U. This means that the console versions will be nearly on par with the PC edition, Microsoft promises.
The Holiday Update polishes the UI and includes new mobs, items, blocks and status effects. Players will find the Elytra in The End, Minecraft's third and final dimension. The End itself will be updated with End Cities, End Ships, Chorus Plants, Chorus Flowers and Purpur blocks, among other features. There are also new enemies, including Shulkers, which hide near Purpur blocks and fire homing missiles at encroaching players. The Dragon's Breath ingredient allows players to create Lingering Potions -- just throw one of these suckers on the ground to leave some status effects behind for enemies or friends to find.
Developer Mojang is giving players a sneak peak at the update today, meaning there will be more surprise features when it actually goes live in late December. The Holiday Update is free for anyone who owns Minecraft: Console Edition. The Windows 10 and Pocket editions of Minecraft recently saw updates that brought those versions nearly on par with the original Java version as well. Plus, Minecraft is scheduled to hit Apple TV before the end of the year. Happy holidays, indeed.
