Our next game drop has a name

Copper fans, your time has finally come! Because our third game drop of 2025 is called... *drumroll* The Copper Age! Copper was first discovered in the Overworld back in 2021 with the Caves & Cliffs Update and got decorative features added with the Tricky Trials Update in 2024, but after years of stocking up on this abundant metal and wondering if there could be more ways to use copper, we've finally cracked it! It’s almost like we’re entering a new Minecraft era??  

Soon, you’ll be able to turn copper into useful tools, clever storage, oxidizing decor, and even copper golems! Perhaps you dream of building a steampunk airship, a copper-golem run alchemy lab, or a shining new copper cavalry? Whatever you choose to use these new features for, let's forge a copper-powered future together! 

This quirky little invention is a copper golem. Summoned by placing a carved pumpkin on top of a copper block, the copper golem is a player-made mob and the perfect companion for ambitious builders or messy clutter-prone players alike. Not only does it liven up your base by clonking about and whirring its little head, but it also has a knack for organizing.

Like most things made of copper, the copper chest and the copper golem oxidize over time, changing their coloring from shiny orange into a vibrant turquoise. When a copper golem is fully oxidized, it retires by turning into a happy, decorative copper golem statue, freezing into one of four poses. The perfect addition to any shelf, castle entrance, or sculpture park. You can change a copper golem statue’s pose simply by interacting with it – but that’s not all! When connected to a redstone comparator, each pose sends a distinct signal, allowing redstone engineers to create some clever combination-based contraptions. Super-secret vault entrance, hello?

Okay okay. If that made you stress about missing your copper sidekick too much (even if you happen to have 42 more working in your factory) – no need to worry! You can always scrape the copper golem statue with an axe to wake up your friend again. And if you already know you want it to clean up after you collaborate with you forever, just wax your copper golem with honeycomb to prevent it from oxidizing further. Awwwww, best friends forever! Whether scraped or oxidized, one thing is certain – you'll always shine brightest together!

Copper golem, meet the iron golem

The copper golem isn’t our first golem in Minecraft – the iron golem has been around since 2012! So what happens if these two golems meet? Well, that is for you to discover on your own. All I’ll say is that it’s too cute to miss. Oh, and that copper golem likes everything to have a proper place, even gifts... 

Copper tools, weapons, and armor

You and your horse can also gear up in new copper armor including a copper helmet, copper chestplate, copper leggings, copper boots, and let’s not forget the full copper horse armor. Who wore it best? Actually, don’t answer that, I’m too focused on choosing which of my trusty steeds to lead my copper cavalry. 

Decorative copper blocks

Still left with stacks of copper ore to use up? With these new decorative blocks, there’s no such thing as too much copper! Light up your base and the deepest mines with the new copper lanterns and copper torches, or add some visual interest to your projects with copper chains and copper bars! Funnily enough, these are what I’ve needed for both my Japandi rain chains and to give my prisoners false hope that I’ll ever lower the drawbridge to my evil lair again. Anyways! What’s cool about building with copper is how its oxidation will change the look of the build with time, or you can wax them to keep them shining forever. Oh, that reminds me, lightning rods now oxidize too!  

Shelf

Now, you may be wondering, where are you supposed to display all the trophies you secure in your copper armor or copper décor to use for any future inventions? On the new shelf, of course! This very useful block can display up to three items at once, but you can also connect several shelves to create a long row of gorgeous storage for all your trophies and treasures. In other words, perfect for bragging expressing your personal style! 

Shelf blocks are also very efficient as they allow for hotbar swapping. Say you’re mid decorating when your prisoners escape you get ambushed by hostile mobs, then you can swap the painting you're holding for that ender pearl on the shelf with one click to make a quick escape. Block engineers can take this even further by powering up a row of shelves with redstone, which allows you to swap up to nine items at once.  

New dye art