Mojang has ambitious plans, as Minecraft is adding a new custom character creator for several platforms in early beta. Since its inception back in 2009, Minecraft only allowed custom skins to be imported onto the game through other methods, but this new update sets to change that by introducing the ability for players to customize their character with more options than before.
Character customization has been a key part of Minecraft and it’s community, with a litany of character designs known as “skins” being created by its community for others to enjoy in their games. Not all versions of Minecraft allowed for this option, however, with “Bedrock” and console editions having skin packs in their place, until now. This comes hot on the heels of the new Minecraft bee update last month.
In the newest Minecraft 1.13.0.15 beta patch notes for Xbox One, Windows 10, and Android, the new integrated character customization system was implemented, which sets to allow players to alter “body size and shape, limb replacement and tweaking of eyes, mouth, hairstyles and colors, facial hair and skin tones.” Additionally, more than 100 new items have been made available for free, alongside purchasable accessories if players wish to customize their character further. For players who like “traditional custom skins,” they can still be imported under the Classic Skins tab. The patch notes also state that players who access the new beta will find their current version of Minecraft replaced with the new beta version which does not allow realm access or previous saved worlds, so it is advised that players make world copies to avoid losing saved games.
The update is planned to be rolled out to other platforms iOS and Nintendo Switch eventually after it finishes it’s beta. Minecraft Skins in the past were limited to single layer pixel painting, only allowing players to customize their base character. This soon changed allowing players to customize two layers of skin, creating more complex customizations such as shades or hats, and is now stepping up further.
1.13.0.15 is shaping up to be a step in the right direction, as the new addition of custom skins within the game itself will make it more accessible for a wider playerbase, and the new animations such as blinking or body changes will no doubt add an extra degree of creativity to the game. So long as you don’t accidentally slip up like Tfue did while streaming Minecraft, the ability to create your own Gollum or Frodo character will go down well with players.
There are fair issues with this update, as the beta access overrides the previous versions and is not compatible with old worlds or realms. This will make the transition a rocky one for many, but as has been seen since 2009 when the game was first released, the player base is willing to make the leap. In turn, Mojang has been rewarding that devotion with great updates such as free ray tracing for Minecraft, and doesn’t show any signs of stopping soon.
Minecraft is out now for most video game platforms.
Source: IGN, Minecraft Feedback
