Mojang has added a new set of features to the Minecraft 26.4 winter update with snapshot 7, and the biggest addition is a full Calcite blockset that gives builders more shapes to work with.

The update also includes a new music disc, a secret decorative block that players are already hunting for, and several gameplay changes that alter how fire, freezing and certain mobs behave. For a snapshot that is still in testing, it is a crowded release.

Calcite Blocks Get Four New Shapes

Calcite now comes in Pillar, Slab, Stair and Wall variants. All of them can be crafted at the Stonecutter, which means players can turn plain Calcite into the shapes they need without building each piece by hand.

For builders working on cliffs, caves, or pale stone structures, the new variants remove a lot of guesswork. A slab can finish a ledge, a stair can soften an entrance, and a wall can close off an open edge.

Polished Calcite and Calcite Bricks

Mojang has also added Polished Calcite blocks. Players craft them by arranging four Calcite blocks in a 2x2 pattern on a Crafting Table. Like the base material, Polished Calcite comes with Slab, Stair and Wall variants, and these are made at the Stonecutter.

The next step up is Polished Calcite Bricks. Four Polished Calcite blocks placed in the 2x2 crafting grid produce them, and they also have Slab, Stair and Wall versions. That gives the Calcite family a full ladder from raw block to refined brick.

There is one detail that matters beyond decoration. In the context of the Sulfur Cube, Calcite, Polished Calcite and Calcite Bricks all fall under the Slow Bouncy archetype. Anyone experimenting with that mechanic will want to note it before rebuilding a setup.

The Flurry Disc and Where to Find It

The most talked-about addition for many players is the music disc featuring the track Flurry by Hyper Potions. It is a frosty tune, and it fits the winter theme that Mojang is building toward.

The disc is not handed out freely. The best way to find it is to loot the chests inside Igloo basements. Players who want to add it to their collection will need to explore igloos rather than wait for it to appear elsewhere.

The Secret Block Players Are Hunting

Mojang added a special decorative block to this snapshot without a big announcement, and players have been digging through the update to identify it. Early findings point to Chiseled Soulshale.

The block has a dull green color similar to Warped planks, and it carries an image of the Singer mob from Minecraft Dungeons 2. That detail has fueled plenty of speculation about where the block fits in the wider Minecraft universe, though the update itself does not explain it.

Gameplay Tweaks That Change Survival

Several smaller changes could matter more in survival than the new blocks do. Being on fire now counters the Freezing effect. That is a useful shift for players who have been caught in cold biomes and need a quick way to stop the slowdown.

Mojang has also changed how Zombies and Strays interact with the Frostbite mob. Making those mobs wear leather armor now prevents them from turning into Frostbite. Players who rely on that transformation to be dangerous will need to rethink their defenses.

A Winter Update Taking Shape

The main menu background panorama has been updated to showcase the upcoming winter update. It is a small change on the surface, but it signals how much of the release is already being prepared behind the scenes.

The Ice Caves are the feature players are watching most closely. Snapshot 7 does not show the full picture, but it adds several pieces that look designed to sit comfortably in a snowy, cold-biome world.

The pattern across this snapshot is clear. Mojang is layering decoration, crafting depth, a music disc, a hidden block and survival rule changes into one release. Each piece gives players a reason to go back into the game and test what has changed.

It seems as if Christmas arrived early, because Mojang just keeps adding to the list of new features for the Minecraft 26.4 winter update.

Players who have already started digging through the snapshot are finding new details every session. The question now is how many more secrets Mojang has tucked into the update before the winter release arrives.

Are you ready to explore the Ice Caves, hunt for the Flurry disc in igloo basements, and test the new Calcite builds for yourself? The snapshot is open, and the secrets are waiting.