Minecraft Dungeons Shows Off New DLC, Increased Difficulty, And Crossplay

Mojang has shown off some new additions to Minecraft Dungeons during Minecraft Live 2020, including a new paid DLC pack and 20 new free difficulty levels, as well as details on crossplay support. The Minecraft spin-off's next DLC is called Howling Peaks, and it'll introduce new snowy biomes and a major new boss to fight.

Howling Peaks will include the new Tempest Golem boss, which can blast adventures with harsh winds. Along with this boss, there will be new missions, items, and mobs introduced alongside these new environments. This is the third DLC for the game, following Jungle Awakens and Creeping Winter.

A new difficulty system is being introduced, too, with 20 new difficulty modes being added through the new Apocalypse Plus system. This will add 20 new difficulties beyond Apocalypse VII, which will allow for more powerful characters and significantly increased challenge. Alongside this, new enchantments and unique items will also be added.

First footage of cross-platform support between the PC, Xbox One, PS4, and Switch versions of the game was also shown during Minecraft Live. You can check it out below, alongside footage of the new DLC.

This functionality will be added in a free update in the future, which is just one part of the game's content update calendar. Players will be able to experience crossplay by the time Howling Peaks is available, it seems. The Bedrock Edition of Minecraft already supports crossplay for the majority of systems. In fact, it was one of the first games to support the feature this generation.

Minecraft Dungeons is available on Xbox Game Pass for Xbox One and PC. Exact dates on the DLC and these updates have not been announced yet. Minecraft Live also brought news of a new Minecraft update centered around its caves. It's due to arrive next year, and will dramatically improve cave environments throughout the crafting game.

The Minecraft spin-off scored a 7/10 in our Minecraft Dungeons review. Reviewer Steve Watts wrote: "Rather than shift our expectations of what games can be, it's banking on its own popularity to introduce younger players to a classic genre and serves as a short-but-sweet treat for looter vets. It scratches the dungeon-crawler itch with a sense of goofy charm and expands what Minecraft can be."