New Minecraft patch rescues horses who were suffocating to death

Minecraft horse nervously entering portal

(Image credit: Mojang)

As Mojang works on developing the upcoming Minecraft 1.20 update due sometime in 2023, regular snapshot and preview builds continue to deliver bug fixes and changes. Today's new Java version snapshot 22w45a comes with a "visual refresh" of the Vex enemy alongside eminently critical bug fixes like horse suffocation and backseat camel trolling.

The actual marquee change is of course the Vex redesign, which takes the player-shaped, greyish flying enemy and gives it a fairy-like silhouette similar in size to the Allay helper mob from the Wild Update. So now we've got helper fairies and murder fairies that match one another, lovely.

"The Vex model change was requested so much, we planned it a long time ago but could never say anything about it! So happy its out in the open now," Minecraft's art director Jasper Boerstra tweeted. The patch notes for the update do note that the Vex still has "a slightly oversized hitbox," so that it doesn't become too difficult to actually fight as you swing your sword in the air at that tiny moving target.

Down in the bug fixes section are a couple vital mob-related corrections. Literally first on the list is, "Horses can suffocate when going through nether portals," a resolved issue that apparently happened when a player shoved a horse through a nether portal with a wall too close by, spawning their poor mount's entire head inside a wall. Be kind to your horses, folks, and look both ways before crossing the nether portal.

Another bug related to the new Minecraft camel mob, which is currently accessible in snapshot builds prior to its full launch next year in the 1.20 update. It notably allows two players to ride at once, unlike horses, with the front player doing the driving. This bug allowed a backseat passenger to press the space bar to trigger the camel's dash ability, but the turbo button capability has now been revoked from backseat drivers, who'll have to find something else to do on their road trips.

You can read the rest of the 22w45a snapshot patch notes on Mojang's site, which includes a bunch of other routine bug fixes and adjustments.

Lauren has been writing for PC Gamer since she went hunting for the cryptid Dark Souls fashion police in 2017. She accepted her role as Associate Editor in 2021, now serving as self-appointed chief cozy games and farmlife sim enjoyer. Her career originally began in game development and she remains fascinated by how games tick in the modding and speedrunning scenes. She likes long fantasy books, longer RPGs, can't stop playing co-op survival crafting games, and has spent a number of hours she refuses to count building houses in The Sims games for over 20 years.