Minecraft is a game that has been shaped by its community since its earliest versions. That starts with the name of the game and continues through to the implementation of mods and player suggestions. Between 2017 and 2023, Mojang regularly ran votes where players could decide which updates should come next. But many features fell by the wayside and never made it into the game. Today we look back at those votes and explore which ideas might still find their way into Minecraft in future. It’s definitely not out of the question, as the upcoming Copper Update shows.
Minecraft Mob Vote: What are Community Votes?
During the Community Votes, later known mostly as the Mob Vote, players could vote for new features across various social media platforms. These were introduced in light-hearted animations featuring developers Jens and Agnes. Whatever received the most votes was added to Minecraft in the following months or years. As we’ll see, that doesn’t mean all other ideas disappear forever – some return later in an adjusted form.
Over time, the Mob Vote grew huge and also became controversial, as votes could be swayed by high‑reach creators. In 2024, Mojang discontinued the format and adjusted its update planning. It’s still fascinating, though, to see what was possible – and what might yet be possible.
Minecraft Community Votes 2017–2023: overview and what’s next
Minecraft 2017 Mob Vote: Phantom, Wildfire, Barnacle, and Great Hunger
The first Mob Vote was surprisingly small and straightforward, considering how big Minecraft already was at the time. Across all rounds there were around 10,000 votes for a new mob.
- Mob A “Barnacle”: An underwater creature with a huge mouth and tentacles.
- Mob B “Phantom”: A flying monster that harasses sleepless players.
- Mob C “Great Hunger”: A lizard hungry for enchanted items.
- Mob D “Wildfire”: An upgraded Blaze with shields and stronger defence.
The Phantom won and now attacks you if you haven’t slept for a long time. It’s one of the few sources of phantom membranes, which you can use to repair your elytra. The Wildfire mob was used as well, but only in Minecraft Dungeons.
Minecraft 2018 Biome Chooser: Taiga, Desert, and Savanna
The second vote wasn’t about mobs but biomes. Here, a full 55,000 people took part – far more than the first time.
- Taiga: With sweet berries, foxes, and campfires.
- Desert: With oases, palm trees, and meerkats.
- Savanna: With baobab trees, ostriches, and termites.
The Taiga won. Many of the showcased features define the biome to this day – an update that truly paid off. So far, none of the other biomes’ features have made it into the game.
Minecraft 2019 Biome Vote: Mountains, Swamp, and Mesa
The next year’s biome vote was one of the most important in Minecraft’s history. Over two rounds, around 500,000 people voted.
- Mountains: With goats, powder snow, and new mountain biomes.
- Swamp: With frogs, boats with chests, and mangrove trees.
- Mesa: With tumbleweeds, a new cactus (prickly pear), and vultures.
The Mountains won – and with them came the Caves & Cliffs Update, which completely changed world generation: new mountain biomes, taller and deeper worlds, and entirely new cave systems. Later, the Wild Update brought the promised Swamp content. Perhaps we’ll one day see elements of the Mesa as well.
Minecraft 2020 Mob Vote: Moobloom, Iceologer, and Glow Squid
From 2020, the votes returned to mobs only. Many designs came from other Minecraft games. Over 1.5 million players took part.
- Moobloom: A yellow cow from Minecraft Earth with flowers on its back.
- Iceologer: Another illager lurking in icy mountains.
- Glow Squid: A bioluminescent squid.
The Glow Squid won. Its ink sacs let you, among other things, make sign text stand out more clearly and add atmosphere underground.
Minecraft 2021 Mob Vote: Allay, Glare, and Copper Golem
With over 2 million votes, this was the biggest poll so far. And again, Mojang doesn’t throw every idea away.
- Glare: A leafy spirit that warns of dark cave sections.
- Allay: A blue helper that collects dropped items.
- Copper Golem: A small golem made of copper that would have interacted with redstone.
First, the Allay was added with the Wild Update. Players can also look forward to the Copper Golem – it’s coming too, albeit with slightly altered functionality, as the upcoming Copper Update shows.
Minecraft 2022 Mob Vote: Sniffer, Rascal, and Tuff Golem
For the penultimate Mob Vote, more than 2 million players showed up again.
- Sniffer: Searches the ground and finds rare flower seeds.
- Rascal: Appears underground, offering hints and useful items.
- Tuff Golem: A decorative statue that holds items.
The Sniffer won, with more than twice as many votes as the runner-up, the Rascal. It arrived with the Trails & Tales Update. Learn more in our guide (Minecraft Sniffer Farm: Automated Methods for Rare Crops)
Minecraft 2023 Mob Vote: Armadillo, Penguin, and Crab
The last Mob Vote (2023) focused on cute animals. So far, nothing besides the winner has been added.
- Crab: Lives in mangrove swamps and interacts with seaweed.
- Penguin: Lives on stony shores and swims in the water.
- Armadillo: Found in warm biomes; occasionally sheds its scutes.
The Armadillo won. Its scutes are used to craft wolf armour – find details here (Wolves and Armadillos in Minecraft: Tips for Horn Shield Farm)
Conclusion: winners, losers, and future Minecraft updates
The Minecraft Community Votes were a powerful way to involve players in development. Best of all, it wasn’t only the winners that made it in. Mangrove swamps (from the Swamp vote) and the upcoming Copper Golem show that Mojang is happy to revisit runner‑up ideas later on.
If you want to experience the features that made it into the game thanks to these votes, rent your own Minecraft server
And who knows – perhaps the votes will make a comeback one day.
