Java Edition 1.16 Pre-release 1

1.16 Pre-release 1 (known as 1.16-pre1 in the launcher) is the first pre-release for Java Edition 1.16, released on June 4, 2020, that makes changes to floating-point precision and fixes several hand animations, among other things.

Command format

 * Makes angered neutral mobs stop being angry when the targeted player dies nearby.
 * Enabled by default.
 * Makes angered neutral mobs attack any nearby player, not just the player that angered them. Works best if  is disabled.
 * Disabled by default.
 * Makes angered neutral mobs attack any nearby player, not just the player that angered them. Works best if  is disabled.
 * Disabled by default.

Gameplay

 * Recipe book
 * Added recipe book unlocks for smithing tables, though they are non-functional.

General



 * Data packs
 * Added a new "Data Packs" button on the "Create World" screen.
 * Allows the player to select datapacks to be enabled in the world.
 * Supports drag-and-drop.
 * Dimensions and dimension types can now be added and changed by data packs.
 * Smithing recipes can now be added and changed by data packs.


 * Graphics
 * Added new "Fabulous!" graphics option
 * Uses per-pixel blending layers for some transparent elements.
 * Many of the fixes to transparent and translucent elements from 20w22a had their performance improved and are now locked behind this graphics setting.

Blocks

 * Nether gold ore
 * Now uses the "nether" color on maps.

Items

 * Water buckets
 * Can now be obtained in Creative mode when an empty bucket is used on water.
 * If a bucket of water is in the player’s inventory already, no additional water buckets are added when an empty bucket is used on water.

Mobs

 * Cows
 * Can now be milked in Creative mode.


 * Mooshrooms
 * Can now be milked in Creative mode.
 * Mushroom stew and suspicious stew can now be obtained in creative mode.


 * Snow golems and striders
 * Are now damaged by splash and lingering water bottles.


 * Villagers
 * When any villager is struck by lightning, the witch it is converted to will no longer despawn, regardless of whether the villager had been traded with or not.


 * Zombified piglins
 * No longer attack players who have not attacked a zombified piglin.
 * Now will stop being angry if the targeted player dies nearby.

Gameplay

 * Advancements
 * The advancement file "Serious Dedication" has been renamed to . This means progress in this advancement is not kept when upgrading to this version.
 * The advancement "Two By Two" now requires donkeys and mules.
 * This advancement now checks the child resulting from breeding.
 * The advancement "Hot Tourist Destinations" now rewards 500 experience.
 * The advancement "Cover Me in Debris" now rewards 100 experience.
 * Changed the capitalization of "Who Is Cutting Onions?" to "Who is Cutting Onions?".


 * Gamemode switcher
 * Changed the text indicating to press to select the next gamemode from "F4 Next" to "[ F4 ] Next".


 * Subtitles
 * Changed the subtitle for stripping logs and wood from "Debarking log" to "Axe scrapes".

Command format

 * The biome ID in the error messages for an invalid biome or a valid biome that could not be found is now in quotes.
 * Changed the error message for an invalid biome from "There is no biome named " to "There is no biome with type ''".
 * Changed the error message for an invalid biome from "There is no biome named " to "There is no biome with type ''".

General

 * Animations
 * Hand animations have been added for the following:
 * Entering a boat.
 * Speeding up a baby strider's aging.
 * Shearing sheep (a regression from 1.15.2).
 * Feeding a brown mooshroom.
 * Using a spawn egg on a mob to spawn a baby variant, if there wouldn't also be a block within reach through said mob.
 * Hand animations for the following have been removed:
 * Targeting a block through a mob then using a spawn egg.
 * Attempting to switch a minecart with furnace's direction when it isn't on a rail.
 * Using a dye on a sheep which already has that color.


 * Data packs
 * Game now detects critical data pack issues, like missing required tags that prevent the world from being loaded.


 * Distance effects in Java Edition
 * Certain game mechanics, mainly a handful of different particles, have been modified to use 64-bit (double) precision where previously 32-bit (single) precision was used.
 * As a result, the effects appear in the correct places even if the player is far away from the spawn point (with effects being the most extreme when over 16,777,216 blocks away).
 * The following precision loss errors are fixed:
 * Lava embers and popping sounds should now originate from the correct positions.
 * Campfire embers should now be generated at the correct position.
 * Particles from rain hitting the top of blocks should now appear at the correct position.
 * Smoke emitted by lava during rain should appear at the correct position.
 * Smoke emitted by campfires during rain should appear at the correct position.
 * Particles from redstone dust should now appear at the correct position.
 * Particles from redstone repeaters should now appear at the correct position.
 * Particles from nether biomes should now appear at the correct position.
 * Particles from adding eye of enders to end portal frames should now appear at the correct position.
 * Particles dripping from leaves during rain will no longer snap to block corners and are correctly randomized across the underside of the block.
 * The book of the enchanting table now opens properly at high distances; previously there were cases where the player could be pressed right up to the block, yet the book would not acknowledge them.
 * TNT ignited by other explosions now appears at the right locations at high distances.
 * Detector rails at high distances were not always being correctly powered and depowered, which has been fixed.
 * Mob pathfinding caused mobs to randomly swivel at high distances.
 * Mob spawning would also break down, spawning mobs at block corners and sometimes inside of other blocks.
 * Generation of minecart with chests in mineshafts will now spawn them at the intended positions..


 * Tags
 * Removed sweet berry bushes from the block tag.
 * The item tag now uses the  item tag instead of listen gold ore and nether gold ore individually.
 * Added gold nuggets to the item tag.

Trivia

 * This pre-release released on the same day as 1.13-pre1, but two years later.
 * The picture used in the 1.16 pre-releases are the same picture as the one found for the 20w17a snapshot.

Video
Video made by slicedlime: