Major changes coming to The End in Minecraft

Back in 2011, Mojang introduced a new realm into Minecraft, on that would offer a "proper ending" to the game. Appropriately called "The End," this realm would go on to house the deadly Ender Dragon, along with a few new block types. Since its release, The End has pretty much remained the same, but that'll change as Mojang announced at Minecon this weekend plans to expand upon the realm.

For starters, rather than existing as one island, The End will become a more fully-fledged area, similar to The Nether. It'll boast many islands with "more things to find."

While conventional ladders may exist in End City, some areas will require parkour skills to reach the top. To assist those of you not skilled in the art of parkour, a new enemy is being created to assist you. The Shullker resembles a block, but opens up and shoots out wisp-like projectiles. If hit by one of these, you are levitated into the air. This new mechanic is perfect for reaching End City's higher points, but you'll also have to be careful as you can still take fall damage.

The Ender Dragon is also getting some changes. Deeming the PC version's final boss fight too easy, Mojang will presumably implement mechanics more in line with the console version. Additionally, you'll also be able to craft ender crystals which can be placed on the Ender Dragon's pillars to respawn the boss; however, you won't be able to loot a second Ender egg. Instead, you can use it to farm new ingredients and something related to the dragon's "breath."

And lastly, to reach these new End areas, you'll need to create a different kind of portal — the End Gateway. Mojang didn't detail how you'll construct these portals, but did reveal that the portal exists only as a one-by-one block, so it'll be fun to figure out how to get inside.

In terms of The End, those were all of the changes teased, though Mojang also revealed that dual wielding, enchanted arrows, and more are currently in the works.

[IGN]