'Minecraft' update news: December console update to add new creatures, items, and 'other mysteries'

A screenshot of "Minecraft" with the console updateMojang

Developer Mojang will cap off the year 2016 with what it describes as its biggest console update of the year for its hit sandbox game, "Minecraft."

There will be all sorts of new items, creatures, and blocks to get a load of in this "Minecraft" update, which Mojang will release sometime this December.

For starters, the "Minecraft" update will introduce the Elytra, "freshly-minted insectoid glider" that will help players to dash to The End.

"If you'd rather practice first, why not put your aerobatic skills to the test by generating a world with the new Amplified Terrain option?" Mojang advised.

While "Minecraft" players get a helpful friend in the new Elytra, they will also make enemies in the form of the new creature called the Shulkers, who thrive in the new End Cities.

These Shulkers are "limpet-like enemies who fire homing rockets" and they like to hide behind blocks, which is a perfect hidey-hole as "Minecraft" players often deal with these items.

"Take a hit and you'll take damage and experience something new, too: levitation! Elytra are essential to avoid an uncomfortable landing," Mojang explained.

But End Cities is not all about the bad that is Shulkers. The place from the "Minecraft" console update is also packed with End Ships, Chorus Plants, Chorus Flowers, and Purpur blocks that players will definitely love.

Thanks to the "Minecraft" update, players can now make use of the Dragon's Breath to concoct some killer Lingering Potions, which are described as "throwable potions that leave a bubbling slick behind, ideal for ensnaring unwary pursuers."

There are also "other mysteries" to discover in the "Minecraft" console update. A specific release date is yet to be announced, though, so fans should keep their eyes peeled.

In other news, Lego's very own "Minecraft" clone, "Lego Worlds," officially gets its release date. It will arrive on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Steam on Feb. 21.

The game allows players to create a character, drive vehicles, and build anything like real Legos. Players can check out what it is all about by watching the game's announcement trailer.