Java Edition 1.9

1.9, known as The Combat Update, is an upcoming update to Minecraft with no set release date, currently only listed in the bug tracker as "Far Future Version - 1.9+" , as well as mentioned by the Minecraft developers.

Planned additions

 * Dark colored block
 * A new block type.
 * A way for mod/plugin makers to implement new commands and register them in a simple way.
 * Animation / Entity Models
 * Could possibly include model changes via NBT.
 * Would be implemented via resource packs.
 * This will make better use of changes in the code, so map makers/mod makers can create better/new mobs.
 * Basically what had happened with the block data change in 1.8.
 * May take some time before it is fully finished.
 * Pressed Dirt
 * A 15/16 block tall grass-like "path". It features a similar texture to the grass block.
 * Captions / Subtitles
 * Subtitles which display for each sound for the hard of hearing/deaf.
 * An example would be "[creeper hissing]"

Planned changes

 * Command blocks
 * New GUI
 * Will contain tab to complete.
 * Clouds
 * New cloud rendering system.
 * Shaders
 * Switch away from using fixed-function OpenGL to using Shaders.
 * Bosses
 * Proper support for multiple bosses including boss bars for each boss.
 * Ender Dragon
 * A redo of the Ender Dragon's boss fight, being similar to the fight in Console Edition.
 * Now breathes purple particles.
 * The dragon will respawn without resetting the End if it has already been killed.
 * Some pillars have iron bars surrounding an ender crystal.

Trivia

 * 1.9's title, The Combat Update, was discovered in Mojang's April Fool's prank snapshot, 15w14a, by how snow was coded to form a QR code that could be scanned to find the title. Dinnerbone later confirmed that this wasn't a joke.