Mojang's next Minecraft game drop, the one arriving after Chaos Cubed, moves the focus to exploration and building with a brand new autumn biome called the Dappled Forest. It was teased during the May 2026 Minecraft Live broadcast from TwitchCon in Rotterdam, and it brings a warm, fall-toned woodland packed with poplar trees, red shrubs, a fresh wood set, a mysterious abandoned structure, and the long-requested wool stairs and slabs.
Dappled Forest biome: what it adds
The Dappled Forest is a peaceful, autumnal region built around warm reds and oranges rather than the usual greens. It trades the cooler look of older forest biomes for a cozy, late-year palette, which is a clear hint at why it fits a fall release window.
Mojang has described the wider drop as being about "exploration, adventure, and playing together with friends," and the Dappled Forest is the centerpiece. The work is still early, so exact spawn rules, mob lists, and generation details can change before launch.
Poplar trees and the new poplar wood set
The biome is filled with poplar trees, a new tree type that generates in three different colors for added variety across the landscape. Cut them down and you get a new poplar wood block set, giving builders a fresh palette to work with.
The wood set follows the standard pattern Minecraft uses for tree types, so expect the usual logs, planks, and crafted variants tied to the new material.
Red shrubs and wool stairs and slabs
The Dappled Forest also introduces red shrub bushes. These keep their red color no matter where you place them in the world, so they stay consistent even outside the biome.
On the building side, the drop finally adds wool stairs and slabs. This has been a frequently requested addition, and it expands what you can do with wool by giving you softer, more colorful shapes for furniture and decoration.
Abandoned Camp structure for explorers
Hidden inside the Dappled Forest is a new structure called the Abandoned Camp. It is built for players who like to explore and uncover environmental stories rather than follow a fixed objective.
Game Director Agnes Larsson framed the camps as a place for your own imagination, raising questions about who built them and who might have been there before you arrived. The loot inside has not been detailed yet, so treat any specific reward claims as unconfirmed until testing reveals them.
Confirmed features so far
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Dappled Forest biome | Autumn-themed forest with warm red and orange tones |
| Poplar trees | New tree type generating in three colors |
| Poplar wood set | New full wood block set from poplar trees |
| Red shrubs | Bushes that keep their red color anywhere they are placed |
| Abandoned Camp | New explorable structure found within the biome |
| Wool stairs and slabs | New cut shapes for wool blocks |
When the Dappled Forest drop arrives
There is no confirmed release date for the Dappled Forest drop yet. Mojang says it is in its "very early days," with public testing set to begin in summer 2026. The drop is expected to launch in fall 2026.
It follows Chaos Cubed, which is the drop landing first. Chaos Cubed releases on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, and brings the underground Sulfur Caves biome along with the block-eating Sulfur Cube mob. Once Chaos Cubed is out, attention shifts fully to the Dappled Forest.
For now, the Dappled Forest stands out as a building-focused, exploration-friendly addition. Between the three-color poplar trees, color-locked red shrubs, wool stairs and slabs, and the secretive Abandoned Camp, it gives both builders and explorers something specific to look forward to once testing opens this summer.