Despawn is a term used for the game mechanic involved when a Mob, a dropped Item, or another unplaced object disappears after a particular amount of time, during a certain time of day, or in a particular situation. Despawning is different from when a mob dies, as the mob will not drop any items or materials when it disappears. This term should not be confused with the game mechanic known as Spawning, which works in the opposite manner.