diff --git a/.gitmodules b/.gitmodules
index d3824a75ff8..73978079e38 100644
--- a/.gitmodules
+++ b/.gitmodules
@@ -2,33 +2,33 @@
 	update = none
 	path = lib/linux_x64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-linux_x64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.4-release
 [submodule "lib/macos_arm64"]
 	update = none
 	path = lib/macos_arm64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-macos_arm64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.4-release
 [submodule "lib/macos_x64"]
 	update = none
 	path = lib/macos_x64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-macos_x64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.4-release
 [submodule "lib/windows_x64"]
 	update = none
 	path = lib/windows_x64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-windows_x64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.4-release
 [submodule "lib/windows_arm64"]
     update = none
 	path = lib/windows_arm64
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/lib-windows_arm64.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.4-release
 [submodule "release/datafiles/assets"]
 	path = release/datafiles/assets
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender-assets.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.4-release
 [submodule "tests/data"]
 	update = none
 	path = tests/data
 	url = https://projects.blender.org/blender/blender-test-data.git
-	branch = main
+	branch = blender-v4.4-release
diff --git a/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake b/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake
index 5dc48258a95..2b106f7d7de 100644
--- a/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake
+++ b/build_files/build_environment/cmake/download.cmake
@@ -3,7 +3,7 @@
 # SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
 
 ## Update and uncomment this in the release branch
-# set(BLENDER_VERSION 3.1)
+set(BLENDER_VERSION 4.4)
 
 function(download_source dep)
   set(TARGET_FILE ${${dep}_FILE})
diff --git a/release/datafiles/splash.png b/release/datafiles/splash.png
index 4475ee064ac..fdea4249c21 100644
Binary files a/release/datafiles/splash.png and b/release/datafiles/splash.png differ
diff --git a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
index 41a2fca1029..14c5a4433d6 100644
--- a/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
+++ b/source/blender/blenkernel/BKE_blender_version.h
@@ -25,7 +25,7 @@ extern "C" {
 /** Blender patch version for bug-fix releases. */
 #define BLENDER_VERSION_PATCH 0
 /** Blender release cycle stage: alpha/beta/rc/release. */
-#define BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE alpha
+#define BLENDER_VERSION_CYCLE beta
 /** Blender release type suffix. LTS or blank. */
 #define BLENDER_VERSION_SUFFIX