Java Edition 1.16 Release Candidate 1

1.16 Release Candidate 1 (known as 1.16-rc1 in the launcher) is the first release candidate for Java Edition 1.16, released on June 18, 2020, which modifies splash text and fixes bugs.

General

 * Splashes
 * The COVID-19 pandemic set of splash texts have been added to the normal set of splashes.
 * Added new splashes:
 * This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be!
 * Honey, I grew the bees!
 * Find your claw!
 * Everybody do the Leif!
 * <3 Max & 99 & Ducky!
 * Bushy eyebrows!
 * Edit is a name!
 * From free range developers!
 * Music by Lena Raine!
 * Aww man!
 * #minecraftfarms
 * And my pickaxe!
 * Envision! Create! Share!
 * Fabulous graphics!
 * Also try Minecraft Dungeons!
 * Vanilla!
 * May contain traces of citrus!
 * Zoglin!?

World generation

 * The Nether
 * Fixed issues with the Nether surface generation, causing issues like floating lava and crimson forests without nylium.


 * Optimizing Worlds
 * The progress bar when optimizing worlds are now color-coded according to the type of dimension, and the ratio is calculated according to the number of chunks to optimize for each.
 * Green for the overworld, brown for the nether, and light orange for the end.
 * This applies even with custom dimensions.

General

 * Splashes
 * The COVID-19 pandemic set of splashes no longer overwrite the normal ones.
 * Removed some splashes:
 * Undocumented!
 * Down with O.P.P.!
 * Lewd with two dudes with food!
 * Switches and ores!
 * Huge tracts of land!
 * Totally forgot about Dre!
 * Popping tags!
 * Getting ready to show!
 * Getting ready to know!
 * Getting ready to drop!
 * Getting ready to shock!
 * Getting ready to freak!
 * Getting ready to speak!

Video
Video made by slicedlime:

Trivia

 * This is the first release candidate since RC2 for 1.0.0.
 * The time between the last release candidate (RC2) and this one is 8 years, 7 months and 5 days (3140 days).
 * The splash "This parrot is no more! It has ceased to be!" is a reference to Monty Python's Flying Circus "Dead Parrot Sketch".
 * The splash "Honey, I grew the bees!" is a reference to the 1989 film Honey, I Shrunk the Kids as well as the size of the bee mob added in 1.15.
 * The splash "From free range developers!" is a reference to the "From free-range hens" phrase seen on egg boxes.
 * The splash "Music by Lena Raine!" is a reference to the new music tracks added in 1.16, made by Lena Raine.
 * The splash "Aww man!" is a reference to the "Creeper, aww man" meme, originating from CaptainSparklez' Minecraft parody song, Revenge.
 * The splash "#minecraftfarms" is a reference to the misinformation contained in tweets tagged with #minecraftfarms.
 * The splash "Fabulous graphics!" is a reference to the new graphics option.
 * The splash "Also try Minecraft Dungeons!" is a reference to the spin-off game.
 * The splash "Zoglin!?" is a reference to the inconsistent naming of the new mob.