Mojang Studios has launched beta testing for two major new Minecraft features: Happy Ghasts and Vibrant Visuals. First announced at Minecraft LIVE on March 22, 2025, these additions bring rideable ghasts to the Overworld and a significant visual overhaul to the beloved blocky world.
Take to the Skies with Happy Ghasts
Unlike their hostile Nether counterparts, Happy Ghasts are friendly, rideable mobs that thrive in the Overworld. Players can now craft a ghast harness using leather, glass, and wool (which can be dyed to your preference) to saddle up these floating companions. The most exciting part? Up to four players can ride a single Happy Ghast simultaneously, opening up new multiplayer transportation possibilities.
To obtain these new aerial companions, players will need to find or craft a dried ghast block using ghast tears and bone blocks. Waterlogging this block creates a ghastling – a smaller version with gills that can be fed snowballs to grow into a full Happy Ghast.
Vibrant Visuals Transforms Minecraft's Look
The second major addition in testing is Vibrant Visuals, a comprehensive graphical refresh that enhances Minecraft's visual fidelity while maintaining its iconic style. The update introduces infinite-appearing clouds, realistic water reflections, and enhanced sun shadows that dramatically improve the game's atmosphere.
Jens Bergensten provides an in-depth look at the Vibrant Visuals feature in the video above, showcasing the customizable settings that allow players to prioritize either performance or visual quality based on their preferences.
Which Platforms Support the New Features?
Currently, Vibrant Visuals is available for beta testing on select Bedrock Edition devices:
| Supported Devices for Vibrant Visuals Preview/Beta Testing |
|---|
| Xbox Series X/S |
| Xbox One |
| PlayStation 4 |
| PlayStation 5 |
| Android (Adreno 640, Mali-G68, Mali-G77, or Xclipse 530 or higher) |
| iOS (A12 or M1 or higher) |
| PC (Running Minecraft on DX12) |
Mojang has confirmed that Java Edition support for Vibrant Visuals is planned for the future, though no specific timeline has been provided.
How to Join the Beta
To test these exciting new features, players need to enable previews or beta for Minecraft: Bedrock Edition. You can follow these instructions to join the testing program. For Vibrant Visuals specifically, you'll need to toggle it on in the Experimental tab when creating or editing a world.
Players with active Realms subscriptions can create free testing Realms to try these features with friends. For information on enabling betas/previews on Bedrock Edition Realms, check the official guide here.
Important Testing Notes
Mojang reminds testers that preview versions can potentially corrupt worlds, so backing up saves is strongly recommended. Additionally, while Marketplace Add-Ons, Skins, and Persona items work with Vibrant Visuals, Worlds and Texture Packs are not yet compatible. Splitscreen play is also currently unsupported with Vibrant Visuals enabled.
Players are encouraged to provide feedback on Happy Ghasts here and on Vibrant Visuals here. Any bugs should be reported to bugs.mojang.com.