‘Minecraft’ Update 1.8.8 for PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 out, hackers looking at Minecraft servers for next target

“Minecraft” developer Mojang has a big treat for fans this Christmas. Its latest update, dubbed as “Minecraft” Update 1.8.8,” has already rolled out to the PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 editions of “Minecraft.”

Those who are on the PS Vita should expect it to arrive in a couple of days. Those who are looking to play the game via the “Minecraft Wii U Edition” should wait until sometime next year to get the same features.

The full change log, seen over at the official Mojang website, contains the full patch notes. There are a couple of notable features coming with the “Minecraft 1.8.8 Update.”

Generally, new features include new items, modes, blocks, mobs and biomes are coming. There are a lot of new items that will be available for new modes. These include the armour stand Prismarine crystals and shards and several kinds of plant life like Blue Orchid, Tulips, Peony, Double Tall Grass, Large Ferns, and Sunflowers. There are also a lot of new food bits, such as cooked or raw rabbit and mutton, rabbit’s hide, cooked salmon and pufferfish. There are also some new potions, such as the Potion of Leaping and Potion of Water Breathing.

Creative Mode also has new specific items, namely rabbit spawn egg, Endermite spawn egg and Guardian spawn egg, all of which are now out for Creative Mode. New mobs are joining the fray as well, including the Endermite, Rabbits, Chicken Jockey, Guardian and Elder Guardian. Players can also roam some new areas, like the Mesa, the Mega Taiga, roofed forests, the Birch forests, Savana, Extreme Hills, the deep Ocean and the snowless Taiga.

Finally, “Minecraft” players can enjoy new blocks to build their creations with. Already available in “Minecraft” PS4, PS3, Xbox One and Xbox 360 editions are granite, andesite, diorite, prismarine, red sand, red sandstone, wet sponge, slime blocks, coarse dirt, packed ice and dark oak saplings. There are also polished versions of the first three blocks, as well as other versions of the red sandstone.

“Yes, we’re constantly improving ‘Minecraft’ on all platforms but this is actually our biggest update ever, bringing the console versions closer to the current PC build than they’ve ever been before,” said Mojang in the official website blog post.

Despite the great news, “Minecraft” fans may want to be careful this Christmas. One hacker who goes by the name SkidNP has made their next intended target known. Neowin reported that “Minecraft” was one of the two targets, the other being Steam.

Again, the aim of the hacker is allegedly to ensure that the two platforms will improve their cybersecurity services. More than the aim to get companies into better shape with their securities, SkidNP appears to currently be in a hacking war with PhantomSquad following a hacking takedown of Xbox Live. According to the source, the PhantomSquad has taken credit for it, and now SkidNP has now come to straighten the deal.

Interestingly enough, PhantomSquad’s own website has been hacked by SkidNP. The current website features the hacked page, where the group is calling out to the other to quit claiming attacks that were not done by the group, especially those that will occur during the Christmas season.

The bad news here is that this hacking incident will supposedly occur during the holiday season, wherein a lot of people are expected to have their free time to play games. It comes at an inopportune time for “Minecraft” fans, seeing as how the update has just rolled out.