Minecraft has a lot of history, but not a lot of lore. This game stands as one of the biggest single titles of the modern era, having penetrated the mainstream to such a degree that it has received an assortment of books, content creators dedicated solely to it, attention in the education system, and possibly an upcoming movie. Despite that, Minecraft has never lost its simplistic charm. It's still just a game about a nameless stranger surviving and building things in a strange world filled with monsters and portals to other dimensions.

That makes Minecraft the perfect breeding ground for other works to tell their own stories. Minecraft: Story Mode is obviously one example, as are the aforementioned books. Microsoft and Mojang have tried their hand at a simple side story in Minecraft Dungeons, but are now directly expanding the universe's lore with Minecraft Legends. While this game is another spin-off, it is based on an in-universe tale passed down by generations of Villagers. In it, a hero unites the Overworld mobs against the invading Piglins from the Nether. The presence of Zombies and Villagers working together means Minecraft Legends shouldn't be taken too seriously, but there may be a hint of truth in it regarding the past of the enigmatic Piglins.

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How Piglins Were Set Up in Normal Minecraft

Piglin swarm Minecraft Piglins

Piglins in Minecraft are a relatively recent addition, though there have been hints that they've been intended for almost a decade. Zombie Pigmen have been the traditional inhabitants of the underworld-like Nether, but it turns out that they were only a placeholder. In 2020, the true civilization of the Nether was finally implemented: the Piglins. This race of pigmen live entirely within the Nether, unable to leave without turning into Zombie Piglins. They commonly live in Bastions but can be found almost anywhere alongside baby Piglins, Hoglins, and occasionally a Piglin Brute.

These creatures serve as an interesting parallel to the Villagers and Pillagers of the Overworld. They have their own societal laws revolving around gold and their possessions, and respecting these laws will cause Piglins to treat players well. It's even possible to trade with them by surrendering gold-based items. Left to their own devices, the Piglins simply live their lives, acting like more aggressive versions of Villagers. Multiple baby Piglins can stack on top of each other while riding Hoglins, and Piglins can organically organize hunting parties for Hoglins. Due to the multiple methods players can use to pacify angered Piglins, patient adventurers can spend hours immersing themselves in Piglin society.

What Minecraft Legends Adds to the Piglins' Backstory

minecraft legends piglins

That's about it in terms of what Minecraft presents on Piglins. They are, for better and for worse, a product of expanding the Nether into its own fleshed out game world. Because they can't cross over into the normal Overworld, their interactions with any other part of the game are limited. However, the Villager stories that make up Minecraft Legends posit that this was not always the case. At some point in the distant past, Piglins may have been able to spread the Nether's influence into the Overworld to launch an attack on Villager society.

The truth of this is ambiguous, but it does seem like modern Piglins are the product of a fallen empire. The enormous structures in the Nether suggest that there was once something much more grandiose going on there than the scattered communities that exist now. When Piglins were a united front, they may have been as aggressive as the modern Pillagers. Minecraft Legends may not be canon, but players should still pay close attention to its story to notice various little details that may explain why modern Minecraft is the way it is. How Piglins were confined to the Nether, what their culture used to look like, and even why they are so obsessed with gold could all be revealed in Minecraft Legends. Even if the gameplay isn't to one's liking, Minecraft theory crafters should still give the game a look.

Minecraft Legends releases in early 2023 for PC, PS4, PS5, Switch, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.

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