Minecraft’s familiar update line , the one that gave us labels like 1.17, 1.18, and 1.21 is officially over. As the community spotted in Mojang’s latest announcement (and as the comparison chart circulating online shows), version 1.22 will never happen. Instead, every future release will follow a new year-based format starting with 2025.
Under this updated system, both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition share the same core version number, written as YEAR.DROP. It sounds simple on paper, but the two editions still behave differently once you look beneath the surface. The major drops line up for example 25.1 for Spring to Life, 25.2 for Chase the Skies, and 25.3 for The Copper Age, yet their patch numbers take separate paths depending on platform needs.
Bedrock tends to move in larger increments such as 25.10, 25.20, 25.30, while Java sticks to classic decimals like 25.1, 25.2, 25.3, followed by smaller hotfixes (.1, .2, .3, etc.). Mojang says this split is intentional: The editions release at different speeds, face different technical constraints, and sometimes receive fixes at separate times.
Snapshots also adapt to this system. Java snapshots now attach directly to the drop they belong to, creating clearer test versions such as 25.4-snapshot-1. Bedrock doesn’t use snapshot builds the same way, so its numbering stays tied to stable releases and hotfix waves.
In practice, players should track the drop names, not the tiny version differences. If your launcher says Chase the Skies or Mounts of Mayhem, both editions are aligned on content, even if the numbers don’t match exactly.
Minecraft’s new system marks a clean break from the old era. Whether longtime players embrace the change immediately or not, year-based updates are now the future of the game. For more gaming industry coverage, breaking Minecraft updates, and drop-by-drop breakdowns, follow VGNW on the web and on X for fresh news, zero nonsense, always on time.
What’s the point of year-based versioning?
Mojang says it makes updates easier to track in a year filled with multiple drops. Instead of juggling 1.xx numbers forever, each new drop clearly ties to a moment in the game’s yearly roadmap.
Will Minecraft 1.22 ever release?
No. Mojang has confirmed that traditional version numbers are being retired. Updates will now follow the YEAR.DROP model (e.g., 25.1 instead of 1.22).
