The dungeon crawler returns

Minecraft's spin-off ambitions are alive and well. Mojang announced Minecraft Dungeons II for a 2026 launch during Minecraft Live, then showcased it again at TwitchCon Rotterdam. The sequel revives the co-op action-RPG formula that made the original a hit, promising more of the loot-driven dungeon crawling fans enjoyed.

It represents Mojang's active bet on the spin-off space, and it arrives with a broad platform commitment aimed at reaching as many players as possible.

What we know

The reveal came with concrete details:

Confirmed platforms include Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Nintendo Switch, Switch 2, Steam, Xbox on PC, and Game Pass.
The game supports up to four-player co-op with high-stakes encounters across familiar and new biomes, including deep dark and portal encounters.
A new enemy, the Twisted Warden, was revealed as slow-moving but capable of extremely high damage.
A tie-in LEGO Minecraft Dungeons II set was teased alongside the reveal.

No firm release date beyond later in 2026 had been announced at the time of reveal, so the window remains to be pinned down.

Why it matters

Minecraft Dungeons II arrives at a meaningful moment for the franchise's spin-offs. The original Minecraft Legends ended development after a final update, so Dungeons II signals that Mojang is doubling down on the spin-off concept that has worked rather than abandoning the space entirely. Choosing to build a sequel to Dungeons, the more successful of the two, is a logical bet.

The four-player co-op focus plays to the strengths of the first game, which thrived as an accessible, family-friendly dungeon crawler that groups and parents could enjoy together. Adding deep dark and portal encounters, along with a genuinely threatening new enemy in the Twisted Warden, promises to raise the stakes for returning players.

The wide platform release, including day-one Game Pass and both Switch and Switch 2, ensures the sequel reaches the enormous Minecraft audience wherever they play. The LEGO tie-in set reinforces how thoroughly Minecraft has become a multimedia franchise spanning games, toys, and film.

For fans of accessible co-op action, Dungeons II is a welcome return, and its 2026 window makes it one of the year's notable Minecraft-adjacent releases. The main question now is exactly when it lands.