Minecraft’s 'Vibrant Visuals' side-by-side comparison pics — Here’s what it gets right and where it falls short

A comparison of the same ocean scene with standard Minecraft visuals versus Vibrant Visuals. There is more color and reflections in the Vibrant Visuals image. .

The Vibrant Visuals upgrade marks Mojang Studios' first real step into Minecraft graphical upgrades by bringing in features that were previously only available through community-made shaders in the Java Edition or with Bedrock Edition texture packs.

Mojang’s goal is to modernize Minecraft’s appearance while still holding onto that iconic look and feel that players have come to know and love. As such, this upgrade keeps the same overall style but introduces richer lighting, realistic volumetric fog, and a range of other visual enhancements.