Minecraft’s ‘Chase the Skies’ Update Brings Rideable Mobs, Multiplayer Features, and Visual Upgrades

Mojang Studios has officially announced the release of Minecraft’s next big update, titled “Chase the Skies,” set to launch on June 17, 2025, as version 1.21.6.

Available for both Java and Bedrock Editions, this summer drop introduces a variety of features aimed at improving mobility, multiplayer functionality, and visual aesthetics, marking a continuation of Mojang’s shift away from annual monolithic updates toward frequent, more focused content drops.

According to eTrueSports, The headline addition in this update is the Happy Ghast, a brand-new, rideable mob that reimagines travel within the Overworld. Players can obtain a Dried Ghast block in Soul Sand Valleys or craft one using ghast tears and soul sand. When soaked in water, it hatches into a Ghastling, which evolves into a Happy Ghast when fed snowballs.

Once matured, this mob can be outfitted with a crafted harness, allowing up to five players to ride it simultaneously. This whimsical feature brings both verticality and fun to exploration, while introducing new mechanics around mob crafting and group traversal.

To complement the multiplayer experience, Mojang has also introduced a Player Locator Bar, which replaces the traditional experience bar to show the relative locations of teammates.

This includes both horizontal positioning and vertical elevation, making team-based activities like mining or sky-building significantly easier and more efficient. Alongside this, quality-of-life upgrades target two long-requested features.

Leads are now easier to craft, requiring only string, and can link multiple mobs or boats to your Happy Ghast. Saddles, once exclusively lootable, are now craftable using three leather and one iron ingot, and can be removed with shears, offering more flexibility and reducing reliance on RNG-based item drops.

Bedrock players receive a visual treat with the new Vibrant Visuals feature, a built-in graphics overhaul that brings dynamic lighting, shadows, reflections, volumetric fog, and biome-specific atmosphere effects, without the need for mods.

Although not yet available in the Java version, Mojang has confirmed it will arrive in a future update. This addition gives Bedrock players a fresh, immersive look at familiar landscapes and is a significant step toward narrowing the feature gap between editions.

Rounding out the update is the introduction of a new music disc titled “Tears”, obtainable when a ghast dies in the Nether, and five new ambient tracks composed by Amos Roddy. These audio enhancements add emotional depth and variety to the game’s atmosphere, continuing Mojang’s tradition of blending music with environmental storytelling.

“Chase the Skies” reinforces Mojang’s newer update philosophy: deliver exciting, modular content that keeps players engaged year-round. From rideable mobs to collaborative features and visual upgrades, this update is both playful and practical.

Whether you’re a solo builder, a survivalist, or part of a multiplayer crew, Minecraft’s latest update brings something new to the skies and to the players chasing them.