diff --git a/cluster/applications/minecraft/deployment.yaml b/cluster/applications/minecraft/deployment.yaml
index 618c669..c842daa 100644
--- a/cluster/applications/minecraft/deployment.yaml
+++ b/cluster/applications/minecraft/deployment.yaml
@@ -2,7 +2,7 @@
 # PaperMC Minecraft Server — Journey Into Imagination
 #
 # Image: itzg/minecraft-server:2026.7.0
-# PaperMC version: 26.1.2 (new PaperMC versioning scheme, mid-2026+; requires Java 25)
+# PaperMC version: 26.2 (build 62, latest stable as of 2026-07-19; requires Java 25)
 # NOTE: 26.x series uses PaperMC's independent versioning (not Minecraft version-based).
 #       Plugin ecosystem is still catching up — verify plugin compat before adding new ones.
 #
@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ metadata:
   labels:
     app.kubernetes.io/name: minecraft
     app.kubernetes.io/component: papermc
-    app.kubernetes.io/version: "26.1.2"
+    app.kubernetes.io/version: "26.2"
 spec:
   replicas: 1
   # Recreate strategy — Minecraft server requires exclusive access to world data.
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ spec:
       labels:
         app.kubernetes.io/name: minecraft
         app.kubernetes.io/component: papermc
-        app.kubernetes.io/version: "26.1.2"
+        app.kubernetes.io/version: "26.2"
     spec:
       securityContext:
         runAsNonRoot: false  # itzg image requires root for some setup steps
@@ -54,7 +54,7 @@ spec:
             - name: TYPE
               value: "PAPER"
             - name: VERSION
-              value: "26.1.2"
+              value: "26.2"
             # Server settings from ConfigMap
             - name: MOTD
               valueFrom: