Minecraft Java Edition 26.2 Release Candidate 2, Two Critical Fixes
What Changed
On 12 June 2026, Mojang published Java Edition 26.2 Release Candidate 2, the second and hopefully final dress rehearsal before the full 26.2 release goes live. Release candidates are feature-complete builds whose only job is to stamp out the last stubborn bugs, and this one tackles exactly two of them:
- Sulfur-cube softlock (MC-308731): Under a very specific set of circumstances, a survival-mode player could become permanently trapped inside a hole created by a sulfur cube, unable to move, mine their way out, or otherwise escape. A classic "oops, now I'm stuck forever" moment that has now been permanently patched.
- Height-limit respawn delay: If a player died at or very near the world's height limit, the respawn screen would hang for far longer than it should. The fix restores the snappy respawn experience players expect.
Why It Matters
Neither of these is a flashy new feature, but both are exactly the kind of silent frustration that can ruin an otherwise great play session. Being stuck with no escape in survival mode is effectively a session-ending bug, your only choices were to log out and potentially lose progress, or wait for a friend to dig you free. The height-limit respawn delay, meanwhile, looks like a crash to younger players who may not realise the game is simply being slow. Fixing both before full release shows Mojang is taking stability seriously for 26.2.
The arrival of a second release candidate also signals that the full 26.2 release is very close. Release candidates are only issued when the build is considered release-ready; a second one simply means the first had a couple of last-minute surprises.
Java and Bedrock
This update is Java Edition only. Bedrock Edition follows its own separate release cycle and was not updated alongside this release candidate. If your household mixes Java and Bedrock players, the Bedrock side of things is unaffected for now.
Release candidates are available through the Minecraft Launcher by enabling snapshots under the Installations tab. Because pre-release builds can occasionally corrupt world files, always back up your worlds before testing, or run the release candidate in a completely separate folder.
For Server Owners
If you run your own server infrastructure, the usual advice applies: do not update production servers to a release candidate. Wait for the full stable release of 26.2, and then give the major server software projects (PaperMC, Velocity, Fabric, ViaVersion, etc.) a few days to publish compatible builds before migrating. Release candidates exist for client-side testing, not for live servers with active players.
Keep an eye on the PaperMC, Velocity, and ViaVersion changelogs, they will be your green light for a safe production upgrade once 26.2 goes fully stable.
For Parents
Nothing here changes how your child plays Minecraft day-to-day. These are small but important stability fixes heading into the next full release. The only thing worth knowing is that if your child asks to "try the new release candidate," it's a pre-release test build, completely fine to experiment with, but always make sure their survival world is backed up first, just in case. The full stable version of 26.2 will be the right moment for everyday play.
For Players
Good news if you've ever had a sulfur cube ruin your day, that sneaky softlock is gone! Here's the quick summary:
- 🧱 Sulfur-cube hole trap: Fixed. No more being stuck with zero escape options.
- ⏳ Slow respawn at the height limit: Fixed. Dying way up high will no longer make the respawn screen feel broken.
Want to try it out right now? Open the Minecraft Launcher, go to Installations, switch on snapshots, and the release candidate will appear as an option. Just play on a copy of your world, not your main one, until the full release lands.
Do SNT Kingdoms Need an Update?
No action needed, and kingdoms are not affected by either bug. SNT Gaming kingdoms currently run Paper 1.21.11 backends with a Fabric 1.21.4 backend for SharedLife, all sitting behind a Velocity proxy with Geyser+Floodgate for Bedrock crossplay. The version compatibility layer (ViaVersion / ViaBackwards / ViaRewind) supports client profiles from 1.13 through 1.21.11.
Because PaperMC, Velocity, and the Via suite have not yet migrated to Mojang's new year-based versioning format, 26.x clients, including 26.2, cannot connect to SNT kingdoms at this time. This means the sulfur-cube softlock and height-limit respawn bug were never reachable on our servers in the first place.
The moment the broader server ecosystem catches up to the 26.x version format, SNT kingdoms will be evaluated for upgrade. Until then, your kingdom stays stable, fast, and fully playable on any supported client, no disruption, no surprises. 🏰