Back in 2017 Mojang announced that they are working on a massive new update for Minecraft - the Super Duper Graphics Pack. This was supposed to be a complete visual overhaul of Minecraft, including reworked lighting, new models and textures, as well as comprehensive changes to how the whole graphics engine functions.

A truly ambitious project, but it would appear that it was a bit too ambitious. According to the most recent developer update, the Minecraft team is unfortunately no longer working on the Super Duper Graphics Pack.

"We realize this is disappointing to some of you – there was a lot of enthusiasm for Super Duper from inside and outside the studio – but unfortunately, we aren’t happy with how the pack performed across devices," reads the announcement. "For this reason, we're stopping development on the pack, and looking into other ways for you to experience Minecraft with a new look."

"Minecraft is available on a wide range of platforms, and we’re constantly trying to make the most of the technical architecture of each one. We’ll be able to share more on that subject very soon. Thanks for your patience, and sorry for not following through on our plans!"

While I can understand why they're not doing so, it would be downright lovely if they could release some of their improvements as a PC-only mod. Even if it is something as 'simple' as new models and improved textures, it would still be a neat option to have, and perhaps a foundation for the community to continue on with Mojang's work.

Whatever the future may bring, you can read the full announcement, as well as keep an eye on Minecraft's development, over at the official website.