Mojang is rolling out Minecraft’s next game drop, Mounts of Mayhem, centered on faster, more varied combat with a new spear weapon, rideable threats, and tougher nights.

Planned for December 2025 as the fourth drop of the year, the update will enter testing ahead of release. Mojang is continuing its cadence of smaller, more frequent updates focused on tightly scoped features rather than a single, annual overhaul.

Release date and availability

Mounts of Mayhem is planned for December 2025. It’s the fourth game drop of 2025, with testing set to begin before launch.

Game drops are more frequent updates we release throughout the year instead of once-a-year game updates. Mounts of Mayhem will be our fourth game drop of 2025.

Mojang wrote that in its announcement, underscoring the shift to regular content beats players can pick up faster.

New features in Mounts of Mayhem

Feature Details
Spear weapon Tiered melee weapon with jab and charge attacks; damage scales with speed; can dismount foes when charging.
Spear materials Craftable in copper, iron, gold, diamond, and Netherite tiers.
Mounted and movement synergy Works on foot and on mounts; benefits from high velocity, including with elytra and minecarts.
Nautilus mount New ocean ride that can be tamed; preserves the rider’s air supply; supports tiered armor found in chests.
Zombie nautilus riders Drowned patrol the seas on zombie nautiluses and attack with tridents.
Zombie horsemen Zombie riders appear at night on zombie horses; like other undead, they avoid sunlight.

Spear mechanics and combat changes

The spear introduces two move sets: a quick jab that extends reach on foot, and a directional charge that pairs with mounts and high-speed traversal. The charge can knock enemies off their mounts and gets stronger the faster you’re moving, encouraging jousts on horseback or high-speed strikes from minecarts and even elytra flights.

It’s a fully tiered weapon, with copper, iron, gold, diamond, and Netherite versions affecting damage and durability. That gives late-game players a new melee option without invalidating existing loadouts.

Underwater mounts and new mobs

The nautilus adds a practical reason to dive: once tamed, it keeps your current air supply intact while you ride, making resource runs and ocean exploration less gear-dependent. You’ll also be able to equip nautilus armor in copper through Netherite variants sourced from chests.

Water isn’t suddenly safe, though. Drowned can show up mounted on zombie nautiluses and engage from range with tridents. On land, zombie horsemen bring faster, more coordinated nighttime threats, and—like other undead—they’re vulnerable to daylight.

With speed-based spear damage, ocean traversal that doesn’t drain your lungs, and new mounted enemies, Mounts of Mayhem pushes Minecraft’s combat toward momentum and mobility heading into the holiday window.