The surprise early release of 26.3 Snapshot 9 also gives Realm owners render distance up to 25 chunks with separate simulation controls. Creators are already testing the changes and calling out the quiet progress on old annoyances.
If you have ever watched an Enderman phase onto the one Bedrock block you needed for your build or a Shulker ruin a portal frame the same way then today is your day. Minecraft Java Snapshot 9 for the 26.3 cycle just landed early and it patches exactly that behavior.
The team also slipped in a significant Realms upgrade. Owners can now push render distance all the way to 25 chunks and set simulation distance independently. That is a big deal for larger communities who have been stuck with one size fits all performance settings.
What Actually Changed
According to posts and videos out today the snapshot focuses on polish rather than flashy new dappled forest content. The mob teleport fix targets a specific edge case that has irritated players for years. Realms tweaks give server operators real control instead of hoping the defaults work.
xisumavoid jumped on it immediately with a video titled around the Endermen changes. Other accounts quickly shared the full notes showing the render distance bump and the Bedrock teleport patch. Reaction so far is positive but measured. Players want to see how the higher distances perform on Realms hardware before getting too excited.
- Endermen and Shulkers no longer teleport onto Bedrock
- Realms render distance now configurable up to 25 chunks
- Simulation distance can be set separately from render distance
- Additional unspecified tweaks and fixes included in the early drop
This snapshot continues testing for the third major drop of 2026 which will eventually bring the dappled forest biome and poplar wood set. For now the focus is stability and Realms usability ahead of wider rollout. If you run a Realm it is worth checking the new options today.
Its all about the Endemens, baby… | 26.3 Snapshot 9
The early drop caught some players off guard but the visible reaction on X shows the community is paying attention. Expect more snapshots in the coming weeks as Mojang marches toward the full Third Drop release later this year.
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