Quick answer
The Sift is Minecraft's fourth dimension and its first new dimension in 14 years. It debuted in Minecraft Dungeons II on September 29, 2026. The official Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition release is planned for 2027; its exact date and entry mechanism have not been announced by Mojang. Meadows and Carapace are two named biomes, not a complete list.
Want to play it now? Minecraft Dungeons II is the only official way into the Sift today, and Mojang recommends it as the best preview of how the dimension works. It is available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox on PC, Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2, and it is included with Game Pass. When in the story you reach the Sift has not been announced by Mojang.
Official sources: Xbox Wire, September 26, 2026 and Minecraft LIVE recap.
Looking for a specific answer? See the release timeline, entry information and its limits, or third-party mods and add-ons.
The Sift at a glance
| What it is | A new Minecraft dimension, first revealed at Gamescom and shown in detail at Minecraft LIVE on September 26, 2026 |
|---|---|
| First appearance | Minecraft Dungeons II — out now (September 29, 2026) |
| Coming to | Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition, 2027 |
| How it ranks | Minecraft's 4th dimension — the first new one in 14 years |
| Named biomes | Meadows and Carapace; additional names have not been announced by Mojang |
| Key mechanic | Shifting tides affect your character and nearby companions; detailed rules have not been announced by Mojang |
| Also new | Hazardous blocks, plus new mobs (companions and threats) |
| In Dungeons II | Mojang describes the way in as a rift; how entry works is not detailed |
| In Java & Bedrock | Official entry method and exact date have not been announced by Mojang |
Confirmed vs. still a mystery
This overview separates official announcements from details that Mojang has not announced. Community records and third-party mods do not establish official game mechanics.
Officially confirmed
- The Sift is a new dimension — Minecraft's fourth, and the first new one in 14 years (revealed at Gamescom, shown in detail at Minecraft LIVE on September 26, 2026)
- It appears first in Minecraft Dungeons II, released September 29, 2026
- It comes to Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition in 2027
- Two biomes have names: Meadows and Carapace. Mojang is keeping other areas secret
- It brings new mobs — both companions and threats
- Shifting tides can affect your character and those around you
- Hazardous new blocks will change how you approach exploration
- Mojang's description of Dungeons II invites you to "step through the rift" to reach the Sift — it uses the word rift without explaining how entry works
Not announced by Mojang
- The exact 2027 release date for Java & Bedrock
- How you'll enter the Sift in vanilla Minecraft (no portal, item or ritual has been confirmed)
- The names of any biomes beyond Meadows and Carapace
- How shifting tides will behave in Java & Bedrock
- Mob stats, drops, spawning rules, and boss details
- Any connection between the Sift and the Ice Caves game drop (Mojang hasn't linked the two)
What Minecraft's new dimension actually is
In Dungeons II, the Sift is discovered the way most stories start: something is wrong. Strange events begin to upend the natural order of the Overworld, new enemy types appear, and souls start flying through the world. That's the official starting point for your contact with the Sift, though it doesn't mean you can enter the dimension that early.
Mojang's own description is short: the Sift is "an uncharted dimension of threats, mysteries, and breathtaking beauty." It adds new mobs that are both companions and threats, hazardous new blocks that change how you explore, and a mechanic called shifting tides that can affect your character and those around you.
The Sift in Minecraft Dungeons II (playable now)
The official Sift experience is available in Dungeons II, which launched on September 29, 2026. Its release and the planned arrival in Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition in 2027 are two separate points on the release timeline.
Mojang recommends playing Dungeons II for a preview of how the Sift works. The opening story describes strange events disrupting the Overworld, new enemies appearing and souls flying through the world; this establishes the story's starting point without specifying when players enter the dimension.
For this overview, the distinction is between what is playable now and what is coming to the main game. Dungeons II provides the current experience. How the Minecraft version will differ from it: Not announced. Mojang's guidance for further information about the main game's version is to follow future Minecraft LIVE events.
The Sift in Minecraft Java & Bedrock (2027)
The official Sift dimension is coming to Minecraft Java & Bedrock Edition in 2027. The exact date in 2027 has not been announced by Mojang. Xbox Wire's announcement is the source for this release window.
Mojang is deliberately quiet about the rest. They haven't discussed how you'll access the Sift in the main game, or how the version you'll get in Minecraft will differ from Dungeons II's take on it. The company's guidance is simply to tune into future Minecraft LIVE events.
Mojang recommends Dungeons II as a preview of the Sift. Third-party Sift mods and add-ons are fan projects unrelated to Mojang, and do not confirm the official Java & Bedrock version's mechanics. That version's exact release date, entry method and differences from Dungeons II have not been announced by Mojang.