7 biggest features and changes coming to Minecraft 1.20.3

Mojang has been busy working on the upcoming Minecraft 1.20.3 update. The developer has dropped several pre-release versions for the patch, making small changes to fix the new features and fine-tune their impact on the game. This is an important incremental update containing a lot of content that is expected to be appreciated by the player base.

Here are some of the important additions and changes coming to Minecraft with the 1.20.3 update.

Note: Some aspects of this article are subjective and reflect the opinions of the writer

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7 highlights of the Minecraft 1.20.3 update

1) Experimental section changes with upcoming Minecraft 1.21 update features

Minecraft 1.20.3 will have a new experimental section showcasing future 1.21 update features. They will be under the Experiments tab and can only be toggled on when creating a new world.

Features like trial chambers, breeze mobs, and trial spawners cannot be listed under 1.20.3 since they are still in development for the 1.21 update. However, players can check out these features in a new world.

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2) tick command

Previously, players were only able to change random tick rate speed. However, the Minecraft 1.20.3 update will include a new command called '/tick' that will allow players to freeze, unfreeze, slow down, and speed up the tick rate, or essentially, time, in the game.

Players can completely stop the day-night cycle, mob movements, and block actions by using the freeze sub-command. Slowing down the tick rate through this new command can also help players create slow-motion clips of themselves.

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3) Decorated pots can store items

Decorated pots were added to Minecraft with the 1.20 update as part of the archeology feature. These blocks can be crafted using four pottery shards or four bricks.

At first, they were only used as decorative blocks. In the game’s 1.20.3 version, however, they will be able to store a single stack worth of items in them. Players can interact with them just like they do with regular chests.

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4) New bat model and texture

One of the more visually different changes in Minecraft 1.20.3 is that bats will get a completely new model and texture. This is mainly to make the mobs more in sync with other visuals in the game.

Previously, bats' bodies were quite small, while their wings were massive. This has been reversed, as now their bodies are stockier with smaller wings. Furthermore, they now have large years and bigger eyes.

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5) Special arrows retain features after being shot

Prior to Minecraft 1.20.3, whenever a special arrow, like a spectral arrow or dipped arrow, was shot and accidentally landed on a block, it turned into a regular arrow whenever it was picked by the player. This will not be the case after 1.20.3, as they will remain the same after being picked up from the ground.

This will be massively efficient, as players can pick up special arrows and use them again in a future fight.

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6) Nether portal delay game rule

When players try to go through a Nether portal in Creative mode, they will be sent to the other dimension much more quickly than in Survival mode, in which the animation takes quite a long time.

In Minecraft 1.20.3, however, this can be changed using a new game rule sub-command called 'playersNetherPortalDefaultDelay.' Through this command, players can reduce the animation time of the Nether portal and instantly switch dimensions to save some time.

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7) Realms are now available in snapshots, pre-releases, and release candidates

Usually, when a snapshot, pre-release, or release candidate comes out, players are forced to create a new world and are unable to play on their own world or any multiplayer server. From snapshot 23w41a, they will be able to use the realms server in any snapshot, pre-release, or release candidate version.

This is a massive update that came during the 1.20.3 development cycle. Players can now join their friends and test out all the new features as soon as they are released in beta versions.