The Sift comes to Minecraft Java and Bedrock in 2027, with no month announced yet. Dungeons II players enter the new dimension from September 29, 2026.
When Is the Sift Coming to Minecraft? The 2027 Window
Quick answer: the Sift comes to Minecraft Java and Bedrock in 2027. Minecraft Live on September 26, 2026 announced it as the first new dimension in 14 years and gave a year and nothing else — no month, no quarter, no day. Anyone quoting a month for the Sift before Mojang publishes one is guessing.
The second half of the answer matters more right now: from September 29, 2026 you can play the Sift first inside Minecraft Dungeons II, the sequel launching at 08:00 UTC that day. The dungeon crawler ships with the dimension fully in place, so the wait for mainline Minecraft does not apply to players who own or subscribe to the new game. This page separates what is published from what is not, because the gap between the two is where most of the confusing claims come from.
The Direct Answer: 2027, Year Only
Mojang stated the window as the year 2027 during the Minecraft Live showcase on September 26, 2026. The announcement covered both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition, with no distinction between the two and no internal milestone attached — no early-access window, no beta date, no seasonal split.
Three things players search for after every showcase are therefore not yet confirmed:
| Question | Published answer |
|---|---|
| Which month in 2027? | Not announced — year only |
| Java first or Bedrock first? | Not announced; both listed together |
| Beta or test build before launch? | Not announced |
The discipline here is simple: write 2027 as the answer, and treat any more precise date as unconfirmed until it appears on minecraft.net or an official Xbox channel. The same caution applies to the dimension's feature set in the mainline game, which has been described in broad terms but not detailed block by block.
Rumor months tend to arrive within days of a showcase like this one, usually sourced from a schedule leak or from the update-drop cadence of the past year. Mojang's drop schedule is a reasonable reason to expect something in the first half of a year, but it is not a date. When a month is published it will appear in the recap article or in a dedicated announcement, and this page will carry it.
Official source: Minecraft Live September 2026 recap
Play the Sift First in Minecraft Dungeons II
Minecraft Dungeons II launches on September 29, 2026 at 08:00 UTC with the Sift already inside it. The game is a separate product from Java and Bedrock — an Unreal Engine action RPG developed by Mojang Studios and Double Eleven — but it is the only way to walk through the dimension before 2027.
Inside Dungeons II, the Sift is entered through a Deep Dark portal or through dimensional rifts opened by the Grand Illusioner's staff, and it holds three named locations, three bosses and an illager invasion. The Sift dimension page on this site documents the entry routes, the zones and the boss lineup in detail.
Whether the Dungeons II version matches the 2027 Java and Bedrock version is not yet confirmed. The two games run different combat systems, camera perspectives and progression loops, so parity of layout, mobs and scale is an open question rather than a stated promise.
There is also a cheaper route than buying a copy. Dungeons II is a day-one Game Pass title on Ultimate and PC Game Pass, so a subscriber can walk into the dimension on September 29, 2026 for the cost of the subscription instead of the $29.99 sticker price. Which other tiers include the game is not yet confirmed, and the price page lays out both routes side by side.
September 29, 2026: playable in Minecraft Dungeons II. 2027: arriving in Minecraft Java and Bedrock, month not announced. Nothing published so far moves either date.
What the Sift Is
The Sift is a full dimension rather than a biome or a structure. Its internal codename is Wellspring, and its visual identity is red and orange stone beneath green vegetation, threaded with ichor and sculk — a palette no Overworld area uses. The sculk presence is the visual link back to the Deep Dark, which is why the portal family sits there.
Published location names are Lullaby Hills, Singer's Meadow and The Carapace. Official Minecraft Live language also called out the Meadow and the Carapace by name, which lines up with the wiki's list. Bosses inside the dimension are Monarchs, Sculk Monstrosity and Harmonizer, and the inhabitants list runs to 13 species, four of which the wiki marks as unofficial names because Mojang has not published a name for them.
Narratively, illagers have invaded the Sift to strip its resources and take souls, so the dimension is occupied territory rather than empty scenery. Which of the 13 inhabitants are official and which are community labels is covered on the Sift mobs page.
Coverage worth reading alongside this page: the official Xbox reveal, the community wiki entry for the Sift, and contemporary reporting from IGN.
Minecraft's Four-Dimension Line-Up
The announcement makes the Sift the fourth dimension in the game's history, which is why it drew attention: Minecraft has added new biomes, structures and mobs for over a decade, but the dimension count sat at three since the End arrived.
| Dimension | Status in Java and Bedrock | Status in Dungeons II |
|---|---|---|
| Overworld | Available since launch | Available |
| Nether | Available since launch | Not confirmed as a location |
| End | Available since launch | Not confirmed as a location |
| The Sift | Arriving 2027, month not announced | Included from September 29, 2026 |
Two honest gaps in that table: how the Nether and End appear in Dungeons II has not been published, and the mainline version of the Sift has not been shown in playable form. The recap page for Minecraft Live 2026 puts the Sift announcement next to the rest of the showcase, including the vanilla Ice Caves update shipping in the Fourth Drop 2026.
For the Dungeons II side of launch — time zones, storefronts and the pre-order deadline that closes the day before — the release time page carries the full conversion table, and the overview page explains what kind of game the Sift is shipping inside.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is the Sift coming to Minecraft?
In 2027, for both Java Edition and Bedrock Edition. That announcement was made at Minecraft Live on September 26, 2026. No month has been published, so the year is the whole answer.
Can I play the Sift before 2027?
Yes. Minecraft Dungeons II launches on September 29, 2026 at 08:00 UTC with the Sift included, so it is the first place the dimension is playable.
Is the Sift coming to Minecraft Pocket Edition?
Bedrock Edition covers mobile, console and Windows play, and the 2027 window was announced for Bedrock alongside Java. A separate date for the mobile app is not yet confirmed.
Will the Sift be free in Minecraft?
Nothing published says the dimension is a paid addition to Java or Bedrock. The announcement was made as part of a game update, and pricing for it has not been mentioned at all.
Is the Sift in Dungeons II the same as the 2027 version?
Not confirmed. The games run different combat and progression systems, so layout, mobs and scale may differ. Treat the Dungeons II version as the first look, not as a mirror.
Do I need Minecraft Dungeons II to see the Sift?
No. It arrives in Java and Bedrock in 2027. Buying Dungeons II only changes when you get access, not whether you eventually get it.
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