Minecraft fans get a lot out of the second-annual Minecraft Live; a virtual event covering the kind of announcements usually reserved for MineCon. A new "Seasonal Adventure" system for the ARPG Minecraft Dungeons was confirmed, set to begin with Cloudy Climb this December; and players voted for the next mob to be added into Minecraft. Developer Mojang also announced The Wild Update, Minecraft's next big step following the second half of its Caves & Cliffs update later this year.
Part of The Wild Update is content originally coming from Caves & Cliffs. The "Deep Dark" half of The Wild Update introduces a moss-like substance called Sculk that reacts to player activity, including calling upon a hulking new enemy called the Warden. This was originally going to be all, but plans expanded to create entire cities underground, meaning it will now release alongside brand-new swamp biome updates. Minecraft's swamps will be enhanced with mangrove trees and mud blocks, as well as new creatures like frogs and fireflies that have a lot more potential than Mojang may be letting on.
How Minecraft's Frogs and Fireflies Work (So Far)
When introduced by Mojang developers, frogs were described as the first cold-blooded real animal to be introduced (it's harder to judge for fictional creatures like Zombies or Endermen). They hop around on lily pads, croak via a clever use of a block expanding out of their model, and catch fireflies with their tongues in a unique animation. Fireflies appear to be simple based on the first look at Minecraft Live 2021, serving as small masses of bugs that create a light source in swamps.
An interesting aspect of the frog mob is that tadpoles are also being added, which then grow into adult frogs. Not only is this a more natural transition than something like chickens, which hatch as smaller versions of their adult forms, it also lends itself to a new mechanic. Depending on where tadpoles grow up there can be three frog variants: basic swamp frogs, snowy frogs, and tropical frogs. Their colors change, though it isn't clear whether they have different traits as of this writing. Players can use buckets to bring tadpoles wherever they want, much like fish and axolotl.
Frogs and Fireflies Could Accomplish Much More
Not a lot else was revealed about these new swamp mobs, including what kind of resources they drop when attacked. Given swamp biomes in Minecraft are traditionally associated with the Witch hostile mob, there's plenty of room for alchemical pursuits. Frog legs seem like an obvious option, as they're both a well-known delicacy in places like France and could be used as new potion ingredients - perhaps with different effects depending on the frog's biome. William Shakespeare's Macbeth invokes this idea with its famous witches' song, which includes adding "eye of newt and toe of frog" into a boiling caldron.
Fireflies may not be as commonly associated with food or alchemy, but the awe-inspiring beauty of their bioluminescence often lead to young children capturing fireflies in jars. Using a glass bottle in Minecraft could achieve the same effect, creating a more natural light source than the game's lanterns but with similar properties. Alternatively, Mojang could take a page from Fortnite, which added firefly jars as a sort of grenade with literal incendiery properties.
Regardless of whether Mojang adds extra utility to these mobs or their resource drops, the idea they are being added as a way to spruce up swamp biomes is a great sign. One of Minecraft's biggest strengths is its atmosphere and world generation, so something as simple as fireflies are sure to go a long way. Plus, it suggests more biomes may get new life in coming updates, which would give fans even more reason to keep playing.
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