Minecraft is fighting for your love. OK, “love” might be dramatic. Let’s call it “continued interest.”
The game’s newest update — 1.9 — is out now, developer Mojang announced today. The new version of Minecraft adds notable changes to the game’s combat system, making it more complex. Minecraft is available on just about every platform you can imagine, from PC to consoles to mobile, and is among the biggest mainstream video game hits of the last decade. The game has sold 70 million copies. Microsoft bought Mojang for $2.5 billion in 2014. Updates like these can keep people playing, which makes them more likely to spend money on microtransactions like costumes.
Previously, combat in Minecraft was little more than pressing a button and swinging a weapon. The new update introduces a cooldown to attacks, meaning you can’t just furiously use your weapon as quickly as you can press the button. You’ll now have to be more careful about when you choose to strike.
The update also adds shields and allows players to perform special attacks with swords and axes. It all makes combat sound a lot more like The Elder Scrolls and less like, well, Minecraft. You can find a full list of what’s new in the update at Mojang’s site.