Mojang has confirmed that armor customization is finally coming to Minecraft as part of the upcoming 1.20 update. Fans have requested this update for years, and it looks like they'll finally have their wish when the update arrives in Minecraft sometime in the near future.
Since its release in 2011, developer Mojang has continued to release large updates at regular intervals. The last huge update, Minecraft 1.19, was titled The Wild Update and released in June 2022. The update featured a host of new mobs, biomes, blocks, and items that would give the game a new lease on life. While it's unknown if there are plans for a Minecraft sequel, if updates of this size continue, it can be assumed that it still has a long lifespan planned yet.
In the images released on the official Minecraft website, players get an early glimpse of what the armor customization looks like. Initially, it will just be armor trims, adding simple designs to the formerly plain armor sets. Players have always been able to dye armor in Minecraft, but this update will take it to new heights. While the designs aren't the most intricate, it's still a step up in what players are able to use in-game currently, so any update is welcomed. Armor in Minecraft has always just been functional - now it can be fashionable, too.
The post describes in detail how players will be able to customize their armor. The trims come in 11 different patterns, which players can dye in 10 different colors. The trims can only be used if the player hunts down a smithing template, which is a new ingredient that will be required for players to make smithing upgrades. Rather than simply adding the trims to the game, Mojang is weaving it with existing content, making it seem as though it's been part of the game all along. Players have long speculated about what the Minecraft 1.20 update would entail, and it's good to finally have a clearer picture, with more announcements surely on the way.
This update is a perfect example of why Minecraft continues to maintain hundreds of millions of active users over a decade since its release. Armor has long been a neglected part of the game, and rather than ignore the fans who wanted an update, Mojang has listened to them. They've done this consistently since 2011, remaining on top of fan demands to make sure as much of the player base is as happy as possible. Obviously, they can't please everyone, but Mojang does a solid job of coming close.
Minecraft is available now for Mobile, PC, PS4, Switch, Xbox One, and legacy platforms.
Source: Minecraft