Mojang shipped the first release candidate for 26.3 yesterday. If testing goes smoothly this becomes the full build dropping in days, complete with combat tweaks and technical repairs ahead of the new biome content.
If you are running Java snapshots or just want to know what is shipping next, pay attention. Mojang pushed RC1 for 26.3 yesterday. The language is standard: if nothing explodes this is the build that goes live.
The fixes that actually matter
- Items using the weapon component with disable_blocking_for_seconds no longer incorrectly disable items with the blocks_attacks component
- Axes can no longer disable shields (MC-311705)
- The match_block loot predicate no longer requires a block entity in every case (MC-311725)
- Throwing ender pearls at blocks at certain angles no longer lets you briefly see through solid blocks (MC-311776)
These are not headline features. They are the kind of quiet technical cleanup that prevents weird combat exploits or broken world generation from reaching millions of players. The RC process exists exactly for this: give the community a few days to hammer it before the final stamp.
To grab the candidate enable snapshots in the launcher and select the RC build. Standard warnings apply: test worlds only, expect possible corruption, and report anything that feels broken through the usual channels. The full launch follows quickly if the community does not surface showstoppers.
This is the current pulse of Minecraft development right now. Everything else floating around today is either recycled drama, status page noise or months-old malware warnings. The RC is the thing actually moving the game forward on a visible timeline.
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