New cave biomes in Minecraft 1.17 Caves and Cliffs update: Everything we know so far

With the Minecraft 1.17 Caves and Cliffs update scheduled to come out in the summer of 2021, players cannot wait in anticipation of this game-changing update.

Many new additions and changes are being made to the game, which will improve the gameplay for new and veteran players alike. From the addition of new mobs, biomes, and ores to new game mechanics, there's a lot for players to explore.

However, one of the most anticipated aspects of this update is the new cave generation that the Minecraft game developers have come up with. Considering how the game's cave generation hasn't changed much since 2012, this is an exciting upgrade that players can explore once the update comes out next year.

Here's all the released knowledge about the upcoming Minecraft cave systems and biomes!

What are the new Minecraft cave biomes?

At the moment, the known cave biomes that will be included in the update are the Mesh Caves, Dripstone Caves, Lush Caves, and the Deep Dark. Each biome has particular types of generation, different contents, and very cool features for players to explore and uncover!

How are these new cave biomes different from the current cave generations of Minecraft?

At the moment, caves in Minecraft are very similar and rarely have discernable features.

They look and feel the same to the player. It's easy to get lost within them, as they're mainly narrow and winding. Despite the few ravines/mineshafts players come across, the underground doesn't hold many exciting things to explore and discover once a player has completed the game's primary mission — to defeat the Ender Dragon.

These new upgrades to the caves in Minecraft will be great for late-game players to discover and — along with the archaeology aspect getting added in Minecraft 1.17 — bring an almost Indiana Jones-esque exploration vibe to the game.

Here are the types of caves a player may come across once Minecraft 1.17 comes out!

Mesh Caves

Mesh caves. You'll see later.
— Henrik Kniberg (@henrikkniberg) October 6, 2020

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The new Mesh Caves seem to be a more enhanced version of some of the caves currently found in Minecraft. These caves consist of twisting and curving, almost catacomb-like, corridors for players to explore and get lost in. These maze-like caves will be more cramped than the regular caves and may even give players a claustrophobic feeling.

These caves seem to be very similar to the kinds the game has currently, but with a bit more interest threaded throughout them. Not much has been released about these caves so far, but it's exciting to think about what they may hold.

Lush Caves

The Lush Caverns being added into Minecraft with this new update seem absolutely adorable. Not only are there plenty of new decorative forms of plant life that can be found here, like spore blossoms, glow berries, dripleaf plants, and more. These beautiful caves are even marked by the Azalea trees that grow above them; a player exploring the surface of their world may stumble upon an Azalea tree, only to dig down and discover the wonders that lie underneath.

This beautiful, almost magical, caves will also be home to the new Axolotyl mob: a cute aquatic creature that can be caught in a bucket and used as little warriors during fights underwater.

Dripstone Caves

Dripstone caves will be open spaces underground with the all-new stalagmites and stalactites connected to the caves' ceiling and floors.

These caves will be large enough to fly through with elytras, and some of them may be bootable too.

These stalactites and stalagmites will deal damage if a player or mob falls on them, so expect new mob farms that utilize them to come out within the weeks after the update is released.

The Deep Dark

The Deep Dark is another cave biome that can be found at the lowest depths of the world.

This area will be protected by the Warden, a new mob that can kill a player with full netherite in just two swings. Skulk sensors are scattered across the floor, and any heavy footsteps or recognizable movement will be sensed, and a signal sent out for the Warden to pick up.

For those daring to explore such a dangerous place, there may be an area with chests filled with some great treasures. However, the chest's contents haven't been confirmed yet.