Release Date: June 7, 2017
Version(s): Java Edition 1.12
◄◄ Exploration Update | Update Aquatic ►►
The World of Color Update (Java Edition 1.12) launched on June 7, 2017 and focused on creativity, building, and accessibility. This update introduced a brighter and more vivid palette of blocks, new gameplay systems, and fresh mobs, alongside changes that streamlined crafting and progression.
The update’s official name was first revealed by Owen Jones on Reddit, on March 13, 2017. Development moved quickly, with seven pre-releases published between May 10 and May 31, 2017, leading up to the final launch in June.
Contents
- Additions
- Notable Changes
- Further Revisions
- Trivia
- Trailer
- References
- Navigation
1. Additions
New Blocks
- Colored Beds
- Beds now come in 16 different colors, crafted with wool of the desired dye color.
- Concrete Powder
- Crafted from four sand, four gravel, and one dye.
- Falls due to gravity like sand and gravel.
- Transforms into concrete when it comes into contact with water.
- Concrete
- Obtained when concrete powder touches water.
- Available in all 16 dye colors.
- Features a smooth, modern texture ideal for builders.
- Glazed Terracotta
- Created by smelting stained terracotta.
- Comes in 16 colors, each with unique decorative patterns.
- Can be rotated in four directions to create continuous designs.
- Does not stick to slime blocks when attached to their sides or top/bottom.
New Items
- Knowledge Book
- Obtainable only through commands.
- Used to unlock crafting recipes for players with limited recipe access.
- New Spawn Egg
- Parrot Spawn Egg
New Mobs
- Parrot
- Naturally spawns in jungle biomes.
- Can be tamed with seeds.
- Mimics sounds of nearby hostile mobs.
- Dances when music is played on a jukebox.
- Appears in five colors: red, blue, green, cyan, and gray.
- Drops feathers when killed.
- Feeding them a cookie instantly kills them (a hidden reference to real-life parrot toxicity).
- Illusioner(unused mob)
- Accessible only via commands.
- Hostile toward players and villagers.
- Attacks with a bow while casting spells.
- Can create duplicates of itself and inflict Blindness on players.
New Gameplay Systems
- Advancements System
- Replaced the older Achievements system.
- Fully customizable through JSON files.
- Organized into tabs:
- Minecraft (main story)
- Adventure (combat & exploration)
- Nether
- The End
- Husbandry (animals, food, farming)
- Advancements can reward experience and sometimes play a unique jingle.
- Some are marked as Goals or Challenges.
- Recipe Book
- Shows available crafting recipes.
- Activated via the green book icon in the crafting menu.
- Automatically places ingredients into the grid when clicked.
- Other Additions
- Narrator Tool: Reads chat messages aloud (Ctrl + B toggles it).
- 4 New Commands:
/advancement(replaces/achievement)/function/recipe/reload
- Functions System: Allows running lists of commands.
- Hotbar Save/Load in Creative Mode:
- Save:
Ctrl + [number] - Load:
Shift + [number]
- Save:
- Added new sound effects.
2. Notable Changes
- Colors of wool, banners, and shulker boxes updated to a brighter, more vibrant palette.
- Commands became stricter with NBT syntax validation.
3. Further Revisions
- 1.12.1
- Updated the end credits.
- Fixed a security issue.
- 1.12.2
- Official name changed to Minecraft: Java Edition.
- Final bugfix release of the World of Color Update branch.
4. Trivia
- This update marked a major push for creativity-focused gameplay, with new decorative blocks and a modern color scheme.
- The Illusioner mob, while coded in this version, remains unused and has never naturally spawned in survival.
5. Trailer
A showcase video highlighting the new colorful blocks and parrots was uploaded to Mojang’s official YouTube channel on June 7, 2017, celebrating the update’s release.
6. References
- Owen Jones, Reddit (March 13, 2017) – Official name reveal.
- Minecraft.net – “World of Color Update Released” (June 2017)