Java Edition 1.9

1.9, known as The Combat Update, is an upcoming update to Minecraft with no set release date. It is currently listed on the bug tracker as "Far Future Version - 1.9+" and has been 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 within the NBT data.
 * Would be implemented via resource packs.
 * Will make better use of code so that map/mod makers can create better/new mobs.
 * Same as the block data changes in 1.8.
 * May take some time before they are completed.
 * 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 boss fight
 * A redo of the Ender Dragon's boss fight, making it similar to the fight in Console Edition.
 * Some obsidian pillars will have iron bars surrounding the ender crystal.
 * Now breathes purple particles.
 * The dragon will respawn without resetting the End if it has already been killed.

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 said that this wasn't a joke.