Why Minecraft needs a combat update

Minecraft requires a combat update because the combat systems found within the game have become outdated when viewed through the lens of modern game design. The clunky, barely functional hit detection was charming back in alpha and beta, but in a modern video game era of Twitch shooter cash cows such as Counter-Strike and Valorant, these systems just no longer keep up.

That being said, this article explores why the game requires an update for it to be more appealing among games.

Disclaimer: This article is subjective and solely reflects the author's opinions.

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Why Minecraft's combat is no longer good enough

Java

Java's combat system is in a decent place, all things considered. There is a healthy variety in the tools and weapons used in PvP, from pre-loaded crossbow volleys to fishing rods to drag opponents in for the kill. However, there are still some issues with things such as hit detection and lag compensation that drag PvP down, alongside some general balance issues involving shields.

However, for the healthy variety that Java PvP has, its combat update was very controversial, with many refusing to play any editions of the game past 1.8. Some of Minecraft's largest servers, such as Hypixel, still run on this older version of the game.

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Bedrock

When it comes to combat-breaking bugs, the Bedrock edition has by far the worst version of PvP combat of all the game's versions.

There are multiple PvP-breaking combos that players can pull off that infinitely juggle opponents, meaning PvP can be decided by a single attack. Strategies are also often primarily focused on landing this combo.

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The future of Minecraft's combat

Thankfully, Mojang Studios is aware that combat within the game, especially PvP, is currently in a bad place, and it is actively working to fix the issues. The team is doing this through the development and release of combat snapshots. These snapshots are forks of older versions of the game with updates specifically to combat that will be implemented into the current version once done.

The most recent version of these snapshots is Combat Test 8c, which was released in 2020 and features changes to Minecraft shields, such as disabling crouch shielding while jumping and fixing shield knockback calculations.

However, there are also other major combat changes. Some of these include giving Minecraft swords faster recharge on attacks, buffing uncharged sword swings to deal passable damage, buffing axe attack speed, and allowing axes to always break shields and to be enchanted with a sweeping edge enchantment.

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It can be easy to get disheartened when a major system within a game, such as its combat, is left lacking for so long. What makes this game different, however, is that Mojang has let the Minecraft community know that it is aware of these issues and is actively working to address them. While the wait may be long, players can rest easy knowing that changes will come eventually.