Minecraft Dungeons II is about to do more than expand Mojang’s action-RPG spin-off. The sequel will be the first playable home for The Sift, Minecraft’s first new dimension in more than 14 years.
The Sift was shown in the official Minecraft Dungeons II gameplay trailer in August and received a much deeper look during Minecraft LIVE on 26 September. It arrives with Minecraft Dungeons II on 29 September, before Mojang brings the dimension to Minecraft Java and Bedrock Edition in 2027.
We had already included Minecraft Dungeons II among the games in our Gamescom 2026 coverage, but the latest reveal makes the sequel far more important to the wider Minecraft universe.
What is The Sift?
The Sift is a colourful, soul-filled dimension with its own biomes, creatures and rules. Mojang has shown areas including the Meadows and the Carapace, while deliberately keeping other regions hidden for players to discover.
Rifts appear throughout Minecraft Dungeons II’s new interconnected world and transport players into The Sift. Once inside, they will encounter unique mobs, hazardous blocks and shifting conditions that can affect the player and surrounding characters.
That gives the dimension a purpose beyond simply changing the scenery. Mojang is using The Sift to alter exploration and combat, helping Dungeons II establish an identity that goes beyond being a larger version of the first game.
Dungeons II is opening up its world
The original Minecraft Dungeons was structured around self-contained missions. The sequel moves towards a connected world, allowing exploration to flow more naturally between different areas.
There is also a deceptively important addition: jumping. It sounds basic, but alongside rifts, environmental hazards and more vertical spaces, it gives Mojang considerably more freedom in how encounters and routes can be designed.
The sequel remains an action RPG at heart, built around loot, character builds and co-op play. Mojang says players can adventure alone or team up with as many as three friends.
Day one on Game Pass
Minecraft Dungeons II launches on 29 September for Xbox Series X|S and PC, with day-one access through Game Pass Ultimate and PC Game Pass. It is also coming to Steam, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch and Nintendo Switch 2.
That gives Xbox another first-party release at the end of an unusually busy September. We highlighted the sequel in our September gaming round-up, but The Sift now gives players a much stronger reason to pay attention beyond the action-RPG sequel itself.
The bigger Minecraft story
The Overworld, Nether and End have defined Minecraft’s dimensional structure for years. When The Sift reaches Java and Bedrock in 2027, it will become the fourth dimension in the core game.
Mojang has not yet explained exactly how players will access The Sift in standard Minecraft, or how closely its systems will mirror the Dungeons II version. For now, the sequel is effectively the first opportunity to explore the mobs, blocks, biomes and ideas that will eventually feed into the main game.
Tech Torque Verdict
Minecraft Dungeons II already looked like a broader, more flexible sequel. The Sift gives it something more valuable: a direct connection to the future of Minecraft itself.
For Game Pass players, that turns the 29 September launch into more than another co-op action RPG. It is also the first chance to step inside a part of Minecraft that will eventually become part of the main game.
