The government is urging households across England to set up a direct debit with their local council so they can receive a £150 council tax rebate that can be used to help with rising energy costs.
Who will receive the £150 rebate?
It’s expected that around 20 million households in council tax bands A-D (which includes 95% of rented properties) will benefit from the council tax rebate, which is costing the government £3 billion. The rebate will come in the form of a one-off payment that doesn’t have to be repaid.
In addition to this, an extra £144 million is also being given directly to councils. This money will be used to provide discretionary support to vulnerable households who do not qualify for the rebate. It’s expected most of this money will be provided to families on low incomes who live in properties in council tax bands E to H.
How will the rebate be received?
People who pay their council tax via direct debit will see the £150 rebate go directly into their bank account from April. Anyone who does not pay via direct debit will be contacted by their local council and will be asked to make a claim.
As a result, those who set up a direct debit will receive their rebate far quicker than those who do not. They will also benefit from receiving the payment directly, rather than having to make a claim.
Is any other support available?
The council tax rebate is a central part of the government’s £9.1 billion support package.
From October, every household in the country will also receive a further £200 rebate on their energy bills. However, this rebate actually comes in the form of a loan. From April 2023, households will pay £40 per year in repayments for a period of five years. It’s expected that global wholesale gas prices will have started to come down by this stage, so repayments will become more affordable.
Finally, the government is also expanding the Warm Home Discount Scheme. This will mean that nearly 3 million low-income households will benefit from a £150 discount.
Why is all this help needed?
The government is stepping in to help vulnerable households because energy bills have risen sharply over the past 12 months.
On top of this, earlier this month, energy regulator Ofgem announced that it is increasing the energy price cap (which restricts how much a supplier can charge) by almost £700 from 1 April. This means the price cap will rise from £1,277 to £1,971 per year, on average.
This sharp rise in energy bills has been caused by a number of factors, including huge spikes in wholesale prices, supply issues and rising demand for gas following the pandemic.
But, even though the price cap is rising, customers are being urged to ‘do nothing’ instead of running an online energy comparison. This is because the best energy deals on the market from the UK’s best energy suppliers are still unable to beat the price cap.
Instead, it’s hoped that the government’s package of reforms will help prevent households from being plunged into fuel poverty.
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The government has announced it will make a new £6.7m fund available to 24 UK projects that are working on developing new green energy storage technologies.
Each project will be able to enjoy a share of the fund, which comes as part of the government’s continuing commitment to help reach the nation’s net zero targets.
This is also claimed to be only the first phase funding through the ‘Longer Duration Energy Storage competition’, which in total will see upwards of £68m being awarded to similar projects in the long term. In addition, any successful projects from this first round could be eligible for further financial support in phase two.
Helping to store ‘intermittent’ green energy
One of the current issues with our production of renewables is the intermittent nature of when it is created.
We can often see increased creation of green energy when it isn’t needed – such as extended periods of sunshine or stronger than expected winds. But with more effective storage, we’ll be able to hold on to this energy for longer periods to then better manage changes in supply and demand.
The additional benefits from this would be that more energy would be available for households, which in turn would bring down wholesale costs and our energy bills. This would also significantly help reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and would make the transition to a cleaner energy infrastructure much easier.
Furthermore, creation of the new energy storage technologies would boost employment in this sector and see our levels of domestically produced energy notably increased.
Speaking about the potential of the fund, Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Hands said:
"Driving forward, energy storage technologies will be vital in our transition towards cheap, clean and secure renewable energy.
"It will allow us to extract the full benefit from our home-grown renewable energy sources, drive down costs and end our reliance on volatile and expensive fossil fuels. Through this competition we are making sure the country’s most innovative scientists and thinkers have our backing to make this ambition a reality."
A variety of innovative new projects
Some of the new creations from the 24 projects includes ‘new energy storage technologies that can utilise stored energy as heat, electricity or as a low-carbon energy carrier like hydrogen’.
A few specific examples include:
Sunamp’s EXTEND project, East Lothian, Scotland – which is developing the storage duration of their thermal batteries.
Cheesecake Energy’s FlexiTanker project, Nottingham, England – which is developing their thermal and compressed air energy storage technology to integrate more renewables into the grid.
B9 Energy Storage’s Ballylumford Power-to-X project, Larne, Northern Ireland – which is looking at storing green hydrogen in underground salt caverns.
How soon will we see the effects of these projects?
The current timeline for net zero means we should expect to see developments in green energy within the next decade, but if the first phase proves successful it may well be sooner.
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Windows on Arm has had a rough go of it for the last couple of years, but Lenovo is hoping to turn that around this year with the new Lenovo ThinkPad X13s.
This isn't Lenovo's first foray into Windows on Arm, but earlier efforts were held back by issues with the OS itself, including lack of compatibility with major apps like Adobe Photoshop.
Windows on Arm has come a long way since then. With Windows 11 on Arm, it's ripe for a breakthrough – one that Lenovo is positioning itself for with its popular ThinkPad line.
Powered by the 64-bit, 5nm Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 compute platform and running Windows 11 Pro, the ThinkPad X13s offers a slim and light form factor (about 2.35 lbs. and 0.53 ins thick) thanks to a fanless design that only ultra-efficient Arm chips are really capable of these days.
That efficiency also promises not just all-day but multi-day battery life, rated up to 28 hours. In our experience, Windows on Arm devices regularly hit 20+ hour battery life, so 28 hours isn't at all out of the question, especially with a 49.5 WHr battery.
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You'll also get up to a 400-nit 13.3-inch WUXGA (16:10 screen ratio) display with 100% sRGB coverage, up to 32GB LPDDR4X RAM (soldered), and up to a 1TB PCIe SSD.
Throw in 5G connectivity, initially through AT&T and later this year with Verizon, and Wi-Fi 6E and we might be on the cusp of that always-on-always-connected experience that we've been promised over the years but have never quite been able to achieve.
The Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx compute platform also features several enterprise-level security features and AI-powered acceleration. All together, the new Qualcomm platform is about 85% faster than its generational predecessor, with a 60% boost in GPU performance.
Whether these stats bear out remains to be seen once we actually get our hands on the ThinkPad X13s in a few months. Set for a May 2022 release in the US, the ThinkPad X13s will start at $1,099, with availability and pricing in other regions to come later as we get closer to launch.
Analysis: will we finally get a decent Windows-on-Arm laptop?
We have to admit, we haven't been all that impressed by Windows on Arm. The devices running what was once considered a mobile-only platform tend to be poor performers overall, with their battery life being the only real saving grace.
A lot of the compatibility issues that they've had in the past have been worked out, however, and the success of the Apple M1 chip and the M1 Pro and M1 Max has demonstrated that the problem isn't with the underlying Arm architecture, but with its implementation and the OS software that runs on it.
Hopefully, Windows 11 on Arm will prove to be a different animal than its predecessor, and we'll see that long-hoped-for all-day performance.
All of that rests on how well the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8cx Gen 3 performs.
And given the generally high-quality product that Lenovo consistently puts out with its ThinkPad line, we can't wait to get our hands on the ThinkPad X13s.
MWC (Mobile World Congress) is the world's largest showcase for the mobile industry, stuffed full of the newest phones, tablets, wearables and more. TechRadar is reporting on the show all week. Follow our MWC 2022 live blog for the very latest news as it happens and visit our dedicated MWC 2022 hub for a round-up of the biggest announcements.
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We're likely to see an iPhone SE 3 come out at some point, as it's a phone convention Apple seems to be continuing with, and reports suggest it could arrive as soon as March 8.
Rumored iPhone SE 3 features
- Might land on March 8
- 5G could be the main addition
- A similar design to the last model is likely
- The screen could either stay the same or grow
- A powerful A15 Bionic chipset
- A 12MP camera with a new sensor
Whenever it comes out, the iPhone SE 3 probably won't be called that, and it'll likely follow the iPhone SE (2020)'s naming convention with the year of release in the title, so perhaps we'll actually see the iPhone SE (2022). Then again, a recent leak suggests it could actually be called the iPhone SE Plus 5G.
But while the name is slightly unclear, some of the specs and features are starting to become more so, as there are various leaks and rumors about this upcoming phone, with more rolling in all the time. We've collected them all below, and we'll update this article whenever we hear anything new.
Latest iPhone SE 3 news
Feb. 27: A cheaper price? One analyst suggests the starting price of the iPhone SE 3 could drop as low as $300 in the US.
Feb. 5: A March launch? We weren't expecting the iPhone SE 3 until April or May 2022, but according to Bloomberg the device will be unveiled alongside the iPad Air 5 on Tuesday, March 8.
iPhone SE 3 price: Pricing is unknown, but the iPhone SE (2020) started at $399 / £419 / AU$749. Prices could well be similar for the upcoming phone, although there have been whispers that it could get even cheaper.
Design: The iPhone SE 3 is rumored to look much like its predecessor, with big bezels and a home button, housing a Touch ID fingerprint scanner.
Display: The iPhone SE 3 will likely have a 4.7-inch LCD screen, just like the last model. That said, some reports point to it launching as the iPhone SE Plus 5G and having a larger 5.7-6.1-inch display.
Camera: There might not be many camera changes, with the iPhone SE 3 thought to have the same 12MP snapper as the iPhone SE (2020). However, the actual sensor might be new.
Specs: 5G support is likely to be the big addition with the iPhone SE 3. Beyond that, leaks point to an A15 Bionic chipset - the same as the iPhone 13 range.
Battery: We don't know anything about the iPhone SE 3's battery yet, but it's likely to be similar to the 1,821mAh one in the iPhone SE (2020).
iPhone SE 3 release date
We thought the iPhone SE 3 might land at Apple's Spring Loaded event in April 2021 - after all, that would be a year after the iPhone SE (2020) launched, but it was a no-show. Nor did it appear at the iPhone 13 launch in September.
But there may well be one in 2022 at least, because it's also rumored that there won't be an iPhone 14 mini - meaning Apple might rely on the SE line for fans of smaller phones.
Trial production is also apparently about to start (as of December 2021), further suggesting it's coming soon.
That said, we've elsewhere heard that the iPhone SE 3 might have been delayed until 2024, so there could be a long wait.
And there’s also the iPhone SE Plus to consider. This was rumored to land sometime after the iPhone SE (2020), and while we haven’t heard much about it lately, Ming-Chi Kuo (an analyst with a good track record when it comes to Apple) claimed back in April 2020 that the iPhone SE Plus might not land until 2022.
So this might land instead of the iPhone SE 3 – or maybe we’ll get an iPhone SE 3 and an iPhone SE 3 Plus. It's hard to say at this point.
iPhone SE 3 price
As for the price, the iPhone SE (2020) starts at $399 / £419 / AU$749, so the iPhone SE 3 is likely to have a similar price – Apple tends not to change around its pricing too much between versions.
One analyst has suggested the iPhone SE 3 could come in at $300 in the US, a drop of 25%, but that hasn't been verified yet. It would certainly help the upcoming handset compete better against cheap Android phones.
The iPhone SE 3 might have a similar price to its predecessor (above)(Image credit: Future)
iPhone SE 3 design and display
The biggest iPhone SE 3 leak so far has revealed a number of the possible specs, including that it might be visually similar to its predecessor, with the same bezel-heavy design and 4.7-inch LCD screen.
We've also previously heard that it might have a 4.7-inch LCD screen, so that aspect is looking likely. More recently a third source has weighed in to say the design and screen size won't change with the next refresh.
That said, another source claims that actually it will have a 5.7-6.1-inch LCD screen. This is something we've now heard more than once, and it could be accompanied by a name change to the iPhone SE Plus 5G. So we're not sure which of these is right. It's possible that eventually we'll get both phones.
Elsewhere we've heard that Apple could bring Face ID to a future iPhone SE model. That would likely mean a substantial change to the design, with no more home button and a notch instead. However, given that the leaks above suggest a similar design for the iPhone SE 3, this change might be further out (if it happens at all).
In fact, one source said an iPhone 11-like design was on the cards but then backtracked and said that Apple had decided to stick with the iPhone 8-like look for 2022. The source also said that the company plans to use the iPhone 11-like look on the iPhone SE (2024).
iPhone SE 3 specs and features
According to a big leak, the iPhone SE 3 will have an A15 Bionic chipset (the same as in the iPhone 13 range) and support 5G, while another leak says it will also have 3GB of RAM like its predecessor.
Another source agrees, saying that an A15 chipset and 5G will be added, with a third source also pointing to 5G - so that upgrade looks very likely.
Elsewhere, a leak says it will also have 3GB of RAM, like its predecessor. So that aspect might not be upgraded.
There's also another report that echoes all of the above, but adds that the iPhone SE 3 might stick with a 12MP camera like the iPhone SE (2020), but with a new sensor.
What we want to see
As good as the iPhone SE (2020) is, there’s always room for improvement, so here’s what we want from the iPhone SE 3.
1. A modern design
The iPhone SE (2020) has a rather old fashioned design, and certainly an older design than the rest of the current iPhone range. So we’d like to see things brought up to date for the iPhone SE 3.
By that we mean get rid of the home button and the big bezels above and below the screen, for a more modern look. Doing this would also allow Apple to increase the screen size without increasing the overall size of the handset - or alternatively keep the screen the same size and shrink the phone even smaller.
2. An OLED screen with a higher resolution
The SE (2020)'s screen doesn't overly impress(Image credit: Future)
The iPhone SE (2020) has an IPS LCD screen with a 750 x 1334 resolution, neither of which are exactly cutting edge.
Now, there are of course limits to what can be done with a mid-range phone, but when you consider that the similarly priced OnePlus Nord and Google Pixel 4a both manage a higher resolution and OLED technology (which typically delivers better contrast and other improvements versus LCD), it’s hard to see how Apple could justify omitting these things from the next iPhone SE model.
That said, we wouldn’t count on getting either – Apple rarely competes with Android phones on pure specs.
3. Better battery life
The iPhone SE (2020) has a small 1,821mAh, which might seem reasonable given the phone’s compact size, but we found it didn’t go far, lasting around a day.
That’s not terrible, but it’s certainly not impressive, so we’d like much more from the battery in the iPhone SE 3, whether that’s achieved through increasing the size or making things more efficient.
4. Keep it small and affordable
The iPhone SE (2020) stands out through both its small size and its relatively affordable price, and we want both of those things to remain for the iPhone SE 3.
There aren’t many compact phones anymore – certainly not ones with good specs, and nor are iPhones known for being affordable, so the two things make for a great combination.
5. More cameras
The iPhone SE (2020) has just one rear camera, which isn't really enough(Image credit: TechRadar)
The iPhone SE (2020) has just one camera on the back and one on the front, and while they perform reasonably well, they don’t give you the versatility that you can get with more lenses.
Of course, with even the iPhone 13 only having a dual-lens snapper we don’t expect too much more from the iPhone SE 3, but when you consider that rivals like the OnePlus Nord and Moto G 5G Plus have four cameras on the back and two on the front, you’d think an extra lens or two wouldn’t be too much to ask for.
6. 5G
Apple has now embraced 5G on its flagship range, and we really hope the company lets the tech filter down to the iPhone SE 3, as it’s already available on some of the SE (2020)’s key rivals, notably the aforementioned OnePlus Nord and Moto G 5G Plus, among others.
7. A higher refresh rate
Another feature offered by a number of rivals now is a high refresh rate. The iPhone SE (2020) has a 60Hz refresh rate, which until relatively recently was what all handsets other than gaming phones offered, but now numerous mainstream phones have refresh rates of 90Hz or 120Hz.
It’s a feature that the iPhone 13 Pro and iPhone 13 Pro Max offer, but we’re not optimistic that Apple will bring it to the iPhone SE 3, since it's only on Pro models so far, so Apple is likely to keep the tech as a premium feature for a while.
But it would be great if the company did start including this as a standard feature – it could still differentiate by giving its flagships a 120Hz (or higher) rate, and the iPhone SE 3 a refresh rate of 90Hz.
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Ideas outlined in patents don't always end up becoming actual products, but they can give us an interesting insight into what tech companies could be working on – and it would seem Apple is developing a Mac that fits inside a keyboard.
This is based on a patent spotted by Patently Apple (via 9to5Mac), entitled Computer In An Input Device. Essentially, the key components – processor, memory, storage – all get embedded inside a keyboard.
The idea is that you could take this keyboard with you as you move between the home and the office (or wherever it is that you need a computer), plug it into a display, and load up macOS. It's sort of a Mac mini, in a keyboard shape.
An image from the newly published patent(Image credit: Patently Apple/USPTO)
Heat management
Obviously, packing everything inside a keyboard means there are going to be constraints in terms of performance, local storage, and so on. But for simple, day-to-day computing tasks, it would probably work just fine. After all, there's plenty of power in a smartphone.
The patent suggests that the keyboard could be manufactured from materials specifically designed to dissipate heat from the internal components. There would certainly have to be some clever airflow management with the electronics so tightly packed together.
A trackpad integrated into the keyboard is also mentioned in the patent filing, which would save you having to plug in a mouse. We'll have to wait and see whether this is one of those patents that eventually becomes a finished consumer device.
Analysis: the benefits of tiny computers
Computers built into keyboards are of course nothing new, as anyone who remembers owning a Sinclair ZX Spectrum or Commodore 64 will know. The modern day twist is that these keyboards can be made thinner and lighter than ever before.
That improves portability, so instead of having to find room for a laptop in your bag, you only have to find room for a keyboard – the trade-off being that there's no integrated display. You still need to find a monitor or a TV when you get to wherever you're going.
As the Mac mini and countless other tiny computers have shown, there's a lot of potential in these kinds of compact devices that you can take with you anywhere: from room to room, or office to office, or wherever it might be. All your files and apps move with you.
Apple already makes its own keyboards, though the Magic Keyboard might need some extra bulk to fit a complete computer inside. It's bound to appeal to many users, even if it's only going to be capable of basic tasks such as emailing or web browsing.
Dragon Age 4 is in development and it's safe to say that fans of the series are excited for their next trip to Thedas.
Though it's been in development for a few years now, at the moment Dragon Age 4 doesn't actually have a release window and solid, official information on what we can expect from it is still fairly thin on the ground.
Case in point—we're calling the game Dragon Age 4, but a recent trailer appears to suggest that the series might defy its own (admittedly inconsistent) naming conventions with its fourth outing and simply go by the title Dragon Age. Regardless of whether the title includes a number 4, however, it looks like the game is going to be a direct sequel to 2014's Dragon Age: Inquisition, bringing back familiar characters like Varric and Solas.
In a recent blog post, BioWare promised that we'll “start to hear more from the Dragon Age team in the form of blogs and social content” as we get further into 2022. While we wait, keep scrolling and enjoy all the confirmed news and intriguing rumors we have for Dragon Age 4 so far.
[Update:In the most recent development update, BioWare has announced that Dragon Age 4 is “in the middle of production". Read on to find out more.]
Dragon Age 4: cut to the chase
What is it? The fourth installment in the popular RPG franchise, Dragon Age
What can I play it on? TBC but it's likely to be on the next generation of consoles Xbox Series X and PS5 as well as PC.
When can I play it? TBC but 2023 or later seems most likely
Dragon Age 4 release date
(Image credit: BioWare)
Despite the fact that the game’s development had long been a very open secret, Dragon Age 4 was only officially announced by BioWare a couple of years ago. Since then, BioWare has kept its cards pretty close to its chest and neither a release date nor a release window has been confirmed.
"Hey everyone, we have been working on a new Dragon Age game for quite a while now and I am pleased to finally tease the existence of this project," said Mark Darrah, executive producer on a BioWare blog post. "While we won’t be sharing any details for now, I can tell you we have been building a new team around a core of Dragon Age veterans, people I’ve worked with on Dragon Age, Jade Empire, and some of whom I’ve worked with since the Baldur’s Gate days.
"I’m so excited to show you more!"
EA's 2019 earnings call (via Eurogamer) had a note about Dragon Age 4 that suggests we won't see it released for a couple of years yet. During the call, the company's CFO Blake Jorgensen said that the game "probably comes after fiscal '22". This lines up with a 2021 report from GamesBeat's Jeff Grubb, who claims that multiple sources familiar with the project have said the game is on track for a 2023 release.
Jeff Grubb stuck by his 2023 estimate in a February 2022 episode of his GiantBomb video series GrubbSnax. In that, Grubb said that the game is in "very good shape" but that it's "still at least 18 months out" and suggesting that we may not get our hands on it until "maybe late 2023" at the earliest. Shortly after this report, BioWare posted an official development update, stating that the game is "right in the middle of Production" and promising further updates as we go further into 2022.
Basically, it looks like Dragon Age 4, if that is its real name, won't be with us until 2023 at the earliest.
Given its release date seems to be a while off and a Gamescom 2020 clip made mention of "next-generation technology", it's likely that Dragon Age 4 will be a release for PS5 and Xbox Series X as well as PC.
Dragon Age 4 trailers
The Game Awards 2020 brought hungry Dragon Age fans a brand new CGI trailer to enjoy. Though it still doesn't reveal very much, it does feature the characters Varric and Solas as well as some extremely pretty locations that we will likely explore when we can finally become the new hero of Thedas.
At Gamescom Opening Night Live, we got a behind-the-scenes video with the developers at BioWare who are keen to start talking about their plans for the fourth installment of the game. Take a look for yourself below:
The Game Awards 2018 had plenty of reveals but one of the biggest was a teaser trailer for Dragon Age 4. At only a minute long, the trailer doesn’t give much away but the hashtag TheDreadWolfRises as well as the appearance of Inquisition’s Solas is enough to pique any fan’s interest.
You can watch the teaser trailer below:
"I suspect you have questions..." #TheDreadWolfRises pic.twitter.com/oT7L6LOFKADecember 7, 2018
BioWare has posted a development update on Dragon Age 4, describing it as being “in the middle of production.”
In the February 2022 post, BioWare general manager Gary McKay said that there are “are a few different stages to a game’s development” and that Dragon Age 4 is currently “right in the middle of Production, which is a great feeling. Our blueprint was completed last year, so we’re now focused on building out our vision: creating amazing environments, deep characters, strong gameplay, impactful writing, emotional cinematics – and much more. The blueprint for the game is well understood and the team is focused.”
McKay went on to announce that the game’s executive producer, Christian Dailey, is leaving BioWare. With Dailey’s departure, McKay explains that “A strong leadership team of industry and Dragon Age veterans is in place to carry us through Production and beyond.” Mac Walters, who led development on Mass Effect Legendary Edition, is production director; Dragon Age design director, Corrine Busche, is game director; and long-time Dragon Age team member, Benoit Houle, is director of product development. McKay says that he will also be working closely with the team.
McKay closed out the Dragon Age 4 news with a promise that fans will “start to hear more from the Dragon Age team in the form of blogs and social content” later this year, adding “As we move through development we’ll also be in regular communication with players who sit on our community council. As passionate fans like you, we take their feedback seriously. We are also listening to all of you as you share your thoughts and experiences, so keep talking to us!”
In “very good shape” but not a 2022 release
Dragon Age 4's development is on schedule but we won't get our hands on the next entry in BioWare's RPG series until at least 2023, according to a new report.
In the latest episode of his GiantBomb video series GrubbSnax (only available for premium members), Grubb claimed that Dragon Age 4 is in "very good shape" according to his sources (via VGC).
Grubb went on to say that developer BioWare is apparently where it's "supposed to be" in its development cycle for Dragon Age 4 and that the "game is on schedule".
However, it sounds like we won't be getting our hands on Dragon Age 4 in 2022, with the journalist claiming that the game is "still at least 18 months out" and adding that we may not get our hands on it until "maybe late 2023" at the earliest.
"Built on choices that matter”
In a brief update on the development of Dragon Age 4, BioWare general manager Gary McKay dropped a small, but substantial, detail about Dragon Age 4.
“We have a veteran group of talented developers working on the next iteration of the franchise,” McKay wrote. “We are focused on a single-player experience that is built on choices that matter.”
The details also came alongside further comments, in which McKay emphasized how the game is being developed to rebuild goodwill among the studio's long-time fans, with many having been left disappointed by the studio's most recent releases.
“When I took on the GM role, I talked about rebuilding our reputation, and that remains a huge priority,” he wrote. “We are laser-focused on building back the trust of our fans and community, and we plan to do that by delivering the types of games that we are best known for and ensuring they are of the highest quality.“
McKay went on to say that he wants future BioWare releases, like Dragon Age 4, to represent “seminal moments in the industry” that garner similar reactions that last year’s Mass Effect Legendary Edition received.
Commitment to single-player
BioWare, has confirmed that Dragon Age 4 will be a “single-player focused experience.” The confirmation comes by way of a 2021 blog post celebrating Dragon Age Day, which takes place on December 4 each year. In the post, the Dragon Age team thanked the community for their passion and said that they’re “still hard at work” on what will be a “single-player focused experience for Dragon Age.”
In the post, BioWare also said that we can expect more updates on the game in 2022, stating that they’re “excited for next year when we can talk more about what we're working on”.
The news comes after a LinkedIn post from one of Dragon Age 4's lead designers described the game as being in development for "PS5/Xbox Series X+S/PC," omitting mention of last generation's consoles. The report was corroborated by insider Jeff Grubb, who claimed he's heard the same thing from his sources.
Potentially, this is very good news. It means that Dragon Age 4's development could go a lot smoother, not having to optimize or scale the game down to support older consoles, and will allow the game to look as good as possible on the best hardware available right now.
Reportedly on track for a 2023 release
Just as BioWare said, Dragon Age 4 didn’t make an appearance at EA Play Live 2021 with an official update but a recent report from GamesBeat could offer some explanation as to why.
GamesBeat’s Jeff Grubb claims that multiple sources familiar with the project have said the game is on track for a 2023 release, though EA is not willing to reveal a release window just yet and has declined to comment on the report. According to the report, EA held back from providing a Dragon Age 4 update at EA Play Live 2021, to enable it to “get the game into position to begin marketing in earnest”, likely in 2022.
The report also corroborates Bloomberg's report from earlier this year that BioWare has decided to drop plans for a Dragon Age 4 live-service model, instead opting to build the new Dragon Age as a single-player experience, like its predecessors. GamesBeat does, however, suggest that Dragon Age 4 could have an online multiplayer element, similar to Dragon Age: Inquisition.
A 2023 release window would line up with previous comments from EA, such as a 2019 earnings call in which the company’s chief financial officer Blake Jorgensen stated that Dragon Age 4 “probably comes after fiscal '22”, meaning the earliest we could see the new Dragon Age is April 2022 - when the next fiscal year begins.
Antivan Crows
Dragon Age fans have been living on crumbs of concept art and the latest features what appears to be the Antivan Crows. Dragon Age 4 executive producer, Christian Dailey, shared the new image on Twitter with an accompanying message that reads, “sorry for no EA Play news this year but please know that the team is heads down with a lot of momentum and making great progress. We are excited to share more when the time is right. Please stay safe and have a great weekend!”
Hi Friends – sorry for no EA Play news this year but please know that the team is heads down with a lot of momentum and making great progress. We are excited to share more when the time is right. Please stay safe and have a great weekend! @SerGoldman @dragonage pic.twitter.com/eveXFbJtgYJuly 2, 2021
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Based on the insignia in the corner of the image and the clothing of the characters, the art Dailey shared features the Antivan Crows, an organization of thieves, assassins and spies with a long, important and bloody history in Antiva and Thedas as a whole.
Return of the Grey Wardens? Dragon Age fans have been treated to a hint that the Grey Wardens will make an appearance in the game. The tease came in the form of an image of the game, tweeted by executive producer Christian Dailey.
@SerGoldman I got you! Is this the right amount of pointy and gray?Happy Friday all. I hope everyone is staying safe and doing well. :) 🐉⚔️🛡️🐉 pic.twitter.com/LbAmD1SKGRApril 30, 2021
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New character concept art Brace yourself for another piece of Dragon Age 4 concept art. BioWare Austin Executive Producer, Christian Dailey, tweeted the art out in March 2021 with the message “Happy Friday my friends - I hope you are all staying out of the rain! Stay safe. Have a great weekend!!”. The image shows a mage standing in a rain-drenched alley, wielding a staff carved to look like a snake.
@SerGoldman perfect!Happy Friday my friends - I hope you are all staying out of the rain! Stay safe. Have a great weekend!! pic.twitter.com/ViYBms8GngMarch 20, 2021
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Unfortunately Dailey didn’t provide any more context on the image but given the dearth of Dragon Age 4 information, it’s welcome.
Single-player only? According to a report from Bloomberg, Dragon Age 4 is going to be an entirely single-player experience after a recent pivot in development.
The report claims that Dragon Age 4 had been designed with a heavy multiplayer emphasis, but has transitioned to a single-player only game in recent months following “a recent multiplayer flop” – heavily implying that Anthem’s decline and failure partially caused the pivot in Dragon Age 4. But it wasn't just the failure of Anthem – the report cited the success of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order as a motivation to return the game to a solo focus.
While this isn't definitive, the report noted that the 30-person team dedicated to the Anthem overhaul was re-tasked to work on Dragon Age 4, showing increased focus on the game.
This report has also been corroborated by GamesBeat's Jeff Grubb who claims in a July 2021 report that "BioWare is building the next Dragon Age as a single-player narrative adventure, just like the previous entries in the series", though he doesn't discount the possibility of an online multiplayer like Dragon Age: Inquisition.
Set in Tevinter It looks like, as long-suspected, Dragon Age 4 is going to be set in Tevinter, if a recently released BioWare book is anything to go by. As spotted by Eurogamer in early 2021, BioWare: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development confirms that Tevinter is the setting for Dragon Age 4.
This will make it the first time players will get to visit Tevinter, which was set up as the next location at the end of Dragon Age: Inquisition’s Trespasser DLC. According to Eurogamer, the book also hints that Dragon Age 4 will take us to other locations, too, as Antiva City, the capital of Antiva, is also shown in the book.
The Game Awards 2020 As teased by BioWare, The Game Awards 2020 brought a brand new Dragon Age trailer (scroll up to watch). The CGI trailer was extremely pretty but it didn't reveal too much more about the game. What it did confirm, however, is that Dragon Age 4 will see the return of Solas from Dragon Age: Inquisition as well as the beloved Varric who fills a narratorial as well as companion role in the series.
It also confirmed that players will return to Thedas as a new hero, "the kind of hero they'll never see coming", according to Varric. As the new hero, players will have to "Forge a courageous fellowship to challenge the gathering storm. Friendship, drama, and romance abound as you bring striking individuals together into an extraordinary team. Become the hero and light the beacon of hope in their darkest moments."
Judging from the locations shown in the trailer (and previous rumors and the ending of Inquisition) it looks like we'll may finally make the journey to the Tevinter Imperium, Thedas' ancient country ruled by magisters, though this is still to be confirmed. The trailer didn't show any gameplay or confirm any kind of release window, but we're likely going to have to wait some time for anything like that.
The trailer suggested that the fourth game in the Dragon Age series is going to drop subtitles and numbers and simply be released as Dragon Age but this remains unclear.
(Image credit: BioWare/EA)
Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah leave BioWare In what could be perceived as a blow to the development of Dragon Age 4, Casey Hudson, the general manager of BioWare, and Mark Darrah, the executive producer on Dragon Age, are departing the studio. BioWare and Darrah have reassured fans that the Dragon Age franchise is still in good hands with Christian Dailey who will replace Mark Darrah.
Gamescom 2020 Gamescom 2020 gave us an update Dragon Age 4 with a behind-the-scenes video (scroll up to watch) featuring the development team at BioWare.
Although there weren’t too many specifics, the video gave a rousing look at some voice recording footage, some in-development game footage as well as interviews with developers. At the beginning of the video General Manager of BioWare Casey Hudson mentioned the game is still in "early production" but added that the studio is making use of "next-generation technology" in the development of the game. Developers also mentioned that Dragon Age 4 will have “new things” and “new places” and chance to “interact with people who live and grew up in these spaces as well.”
The game will explore “what happens when you don’t have power, what happens when the people in charge don’t address the issues” and will allow players to form “close relationship with game characters” who will be “loved or hated”, with a particular focus on the divisiveness of Solas.
An update from Mark Darrah Producer, Mark Darrah, posted on Twitter regarding Dragon Age 4 again, this time with more of an aim to provide clarity on the game's progress than to tease fans. In his tweet, Darrah confirms that work on Dragon Age 4 is still underway and that progress is still being made. However, he also notes that, no doubt due to the coronavirus pandemic, the development team is having to work from home and that this is "harder".
I realize that most of you are here for Dragon Age news and there hasn't been a lot of that lately...Let me just run down some things I an say:1. We are working on the next Dragon Age2. Yes we are working from home3. Working from home is harder 4. We are making progressJuly 22, 2020
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Many development teams have been forced to work from home during the pandemic and shifting working processes has the potential to cause some development slow-downs or disruptions for studios. Darrah hasn't given any insight into how this "harder" way of working has impacted the team behind Dragon Age 4 or progress on the game, but fans will no doubt be glad to know that progress is still being made.
EA Play 2020 It was largely quiet on the Dragon Age 4 front during EA Play 2020 but it's possible the game wasn't completely absent. A montage of images was shown while EA chief studio officer Laura Miele discussed how “Generation shifts are an opportunity to push beyond the boundaries of gaming as we know it today, and this time is no different,” adding that “Our studios are taking their crazy, ambitious ideas, and making them real.”
Miele then moved onto BioWare specifically, saying that the studio "imagines and creates worlds where you become the hero of your own story. And we're using this next generation of technology to make those fantasy worlds your reality.”
The images shown during this elaboration on BioWare's next-gen plans were not explicitly tied to a specific game but they certainly look like they're from Dragon Age 4, largely because of what appears to be the presence of red lyrium, which appears often in the Dragon Age universe, usually to cause trouble.
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(Image credit: EA/BioWare)
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EA October Earnings Call EA's recent earnings call (via Eurogamer) had a note about Dragon Age 4 that suggests we won't see it released for a couple of years yet. During the call, the company's CFO Blake Jorgensen said that the game "probably comes after fiscal '22." This would mean that the earliest the next Dragon Age should be expected is April 2022. That would mean around an eight year gap between entries but fans will no doubt be happy to wait if it means getting things right.
September Update If the silence around Dragon Age 4 since its initial teaser has left you feeling nervous for the game's future, worry not as BioWare's Casey Hudson made reference to the game's ongoing development in a BioWare blog post.
The post went into more detail on games like Anthem and Star Wars: The Old Republic, while Dragon Age 4 came under the "super-secret" category so not much can be said. Hudson did, however, say that "one of our projects has a large and growing team in Edmonton working through pre-production, and based on the progress I’m seeing, I can confirm that indeed the Dread Wolf rises." It's not much but it is confirmation that progress on Dragon Age 4 is still being made.
Fernando Melo departure On the heels of Anthem's lead producer, Ben Irving, Dragon Age 4 lead producer, Fernando Melo has left BioWare. Melo worked on Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 before being appointed lead producer on Dragon Age 4 (codenamed 'Morrison'.)
In a thread of tweets, Melo explained that he is taking "time to disconnect" after 12 years at BioWare and in an email to his colleagues he said that "Morrison is well underway to becoming the definitive Dragon Age experience" which bodes well for fans.
(1/4) Today was my last day at BioWare. After 12 years.. that's a heck of a lot of feels. :)Tonight I got to write my name up at our local pub, alongside many other amazing peers over the years, and it reminded me of a lot of folks no longer here that I miss dearly. pic.twitter.com/MFQELPM2jrAugust 17, 2019
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Live Service elements? Not likely Back in January 2018 a report from Kotaku suggested that Dragon Age 4 could include live elements, stirring some fan concern that this could mean an always-online multiplayer approach.
Then, in April 2019, Kotaku reported that while Dragon Age 4 game could potentially include Anthem-like live elements, it won’t simply be “Anthem with dragons”. One developer told Kotaku:
“The idea was that Anthem would be the online game and that Dragon Age and Mass Effect, while they may experiment with online portions, that’s not what defines them as franchises. I don’t think you’ll see us completely change those franchises.”
The suggestion was that any live plans for Dragon Age aren’t likely to take the form of a shared online world exactly like Anthem’s and will still be suited to the single-player adventuring Dragon Age is known for.
In a tweet in January 2018, Casey Hudson also stated that the “live” elements being considered are actually ways of continuing the game’s story after the main story has been completed.
Since these reports, however, Bloomberg has claimed in 2021 report that development has once again pivoted and that Dragon Age 4 is planned to be a single-player experience, dropping any plans for heavy multiplayer emphasis following the disappointing performance of Anthem.
(Image credit: Tor Books)
The Game Awards 2018 - official announcement After years without an update, BioWare officially announced during The Game Awards 2018 that it will be returning to Thedas in a new Dragon Age title.
According to a report by Venture Beat (and understood to be correct by Eurogamer), we expected an announcement regarding Dragon Age 4 during The Game Awards 2018 - and BioWare didn't disappoint.
What that announcement turned out to be, interestingly, was the game's first 1-minute-long teaser trailer that re-introduced Fen'Harel, the elven god of betrayal, and Solas from Dragon Age Inquisition.
We didn't get any gameplay or story details but, for now, the confirmation from BioWare is enough to keep the hype train chugging.
Roundabout confirmations - confirmed Regardless of whether or not BioWare had confirmed it, Dragon Age fans were pretty certain that another game was going to be in the works. Partly because they had faith in the power of their sheer force of will and partly because over the last couple of years there have been hints from BioWare that something would indeed be happening. It’s the secret that was never really a secret - and the fans were right.
One non-official confirmation came from executive producer Mark Darrah, who tweeted in January 2018 that he’s working on both Dragon Age as well as BioWare’s next big IP, Anthem.
Halfway through my trip to Barcelona!I’m here showing Anthem internally to EA. I am EP of BOTH DA and Anthem working with @Bio_Warner as Game DirectorAnthem’s up next but there are people hard at work on both franchises and I look forward to sharing more in the futureJanuary 24, 2018
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Though he’s now left the company, BioWare veteran Mike Laidlaw was tweeting that there was still another couple of games in Dragon Age series yet back in mid-2017. Even before that, Alexis Kennedy became the writer that launched a thousand headlines after comments he made in an interview with Eurogamer were taken as a semi-official confirmation of the game’s existence and his place in it.
There is no planned ending for DA. There is an evolving plan that tends to look 2 games ahead or so. https://t.co/6Tp1lP6d5GAugust 8, 2017
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In the interview Kennedy teased that he's been "given considerable autonomy to work on a storyline bit of lore which is well-segregated from other parts of the game.“
”I don't want to exaggerate the degree of the chunk [I'm writing],“ Kennedy was at pains to add. ”It's nothing that grandiose, but it is distinct. It's a bit of lore which has not been addressed much to date in Dragon Age.“
Story and character Every game in the Dragon Age franchise has had a heavy emphasis on story and character and fans will be glad to know that Dragon Age 4 isn’t likely to be any different.
After Mark Darrah tweeted that he was working on the game, BioWare general manager Casey Hudson chipped in with his own elaborative tweet. In this tweet he said it was “too early to talk details” but the game would be “story & character focused.”
Reading lots of feedback regarding Dragon Age, and I think you’ll be relieved to see what the team is working on. Story & character focused.Too early to talk details, but when we talk about “live” it just means designing a game for continued storytelling after the main story.January 25, 2018
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It seems that the game will continue on from Inquisition's Trespasser DLC in some senses given the appearance of Solas and Varric in its teaser trailers, though the 2020 trailer has confirmed that players will step into the shoes of a new hero rather than the Inquisitor.
We've known for some time that writers are working on lore and side quests, following Alexis Kennedy’s interview with Eurogamer in 2017 in which he confirmed he was working on a part of the game that’s “well-segregated” from the rest and focuses on some lore that’s not been widely addressed.
Kennedy, who has worked on titles such as Sunless Sea and Fallen London, said the subject matter would not be surprising to those familiar with his work. To us this implies that his quest (or quests) will include thoughtful choices, themes of tragic love and desire and an underlying sense of unease.
Dragon Age 4: what we'd like to see
A world like Dragon Age: Inquisition We hope that the next Dragon Age game has a map similar to the one in Dragon Age: Inquisition, by which we mean we hope it's big and open without being overwhelming. It was the perfect follow-up to the closed and repetitive maps of Dragon Age 2 and we’d like this approach to continue.
Solve that cliffhanger Our previous point brings us to this one – we’d really like that Solas storyline to continue to be explored. He’s the perfect focus for the next game and the player’s approach to him is the perfect narrative crux.
(Image credits: BioWare)
New games 2022: upcoming game release dates for console and PC
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I'm currently testing the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus, the big new mobile on the block, and while my full thoughts on the phone are all going in my full review (coming soon), there's something I had to share about the phone now.
It's the way the phone feels - and I don't mean in a vague, whimsical, sentimental way - I mean the actual handfeel of the mobile. The way it sits in the palm of my hand.
You see, after kicking off the curved-edge-screen trend a few years back, Samsung then ditched the concept, and now the Galaxy S22 and S22 Plus have flat screens (the S22 Ultra luckily doesn't).
But the frame of the device is almost flat - it's a lot like an iPhone 13 in that way, though admittedly the edge does have a slight roundness. You know what other phone I was using recently that I also hated the feel of? The iPhone 13 Pro.
The iPhone problem
I really, really just can't like the way the iPhone 13 Pro fits in my hand. The flat edges dig into my palm further and further with each tap of the screen (yeah, I've got soft hands) and it just doesn't feel nice to hold.
It's a far cry from the experience of using curved-edge screen phones, as that feature makes the phone feel rounded, pebble-like and smooth. Before the Plus, I was using the Ultra, and that felt great to hold.
Even some phones with flat displays have rounded edges, making them fine to hold - I just tested the Realme 9 Pro Plus and that felt great.
This isn't the case for the Samsung Galaxy S22 Plus or iPhone 13 Pro - I don't like holding them, and it makes using them way less fun.
Maybe I should try smaller mobiles from the families, like the Galaxy S22 or iPhone 13 mini, but why bother? There are loads of Androids that do feel great in the hand, and hours spent playing games or numbing my mind on Instagram will be much more enjoyable on them.
Kanye isn’t the first artist to craft his own audio player. If you can remember back to 2014, there was a lot of hype for something called PonoPlayer - a device crafted by artist Neil Young that would be the Hi-Fi replacement for the waning Apple iPod.
Long story short, it failed. Big time.
Ye’s STEM Player isn’t exactly a one-to-one facsimile of Neil Young’s player and it comes with a few neat features like STEM remixing that Pono did not. That being said, it’s making all the same mistakes and that’s why - as neat as it sounds - the STEM Player will never take off.
Why are we hating on Ye’s latest pet project? Here are the five reasons why we think the STEM Player is doomed to fail.
Reason #1: You probably haven’t heard of it until right now
Although almost everyone is hearing about the STEM Player for the first time this week, it’s actually been out for over a year. It originally launched in the middle of 2021 and came with the rapper’s last album, Donda, pre-installed.
Why it’s making headlines this year is because the rapper says he’s making his latest album, Donda 2, exclusive to the STEM Player - i.e. no streaming on Apple Music, Spotify or anywhere else. It’s on that player and that’s it.
But before Ye brought it back into the limelight, there was almost no one talking about it - and that’s honestly going to happen again once the hype around the latest album dies out. And that might happen sooner rather than later because…
Reason #2: Kanye is going to cave under the pressure (again)
Donda was a STEM Player exclusive, sure, but that only lasted all of two months. After that, you could find it on Apple Music - the one place Ye said it would never be.
There’s no telling exactly what Ye’s going to do next (I’m not even sure he knows) but chances are good that, as a rapper and a competent business-person, he’s not going to keep his music locked on a device that no one’s buying.
HOW TO USE STEMPLAYER PLATFORM pic.twitter.com/F12VnFzEomFebruary 24, 2022
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Reason #3: It has a neat - but very niche - killer feature
Every device needs a gimmick, something to justify its price tag. For the STEM Player, it’s the ability to extract and remix stems on the fly. Of course, unless you’re really into mixing music, the word stem might not mean anything to you - and that’s the problem.
For those who don’t mix, a stem is a compilation of like recordings that can be adjusted in the broader mix of a song. For example, you could lump all the vocals of a track into one stem, and then raise or lower the overall volume of those vocals to better match the drums, guitars, piano, or whatever other instruments you have in the mix.
For large instrumental scores, this can equate to dozens of stems, all of which need to be carefully blended so that no section gets lost in the mix.
The STEM Player doesn’t allow you that granular level of control, but it does allow you to isolate some elements of the track to better hear them. You can independently mix up to four of these stems and save your mix to the player.
Objectively, that’s pretty unique - but that’s not a feature that’s going to sell a £200 / $200 audio player to a broad audience.
Reason #4: There’s no UI or a real road map for the future
Comparing any device to the iPod is a lofty comparison - but the STEM Player bills itself as an MP3 player first and foremost and that warrants the comparison.
Two of the biggest reasons the iPod succeeded? Apple’s MP3 player had a great UI and rock-solid road map of the future. The STEM Player doesn’t have much of either.
The device itself is pebble-shaped and relies on touch controls. That’s absolutely fine for a cheaper player, but at the $200 level, folks really want to see what they’re listening to.
Another problem is that, when you go to STEM Player’s website, there are really no details on how the product will change in the future - there’s no word on updates, nor is there much information about how the device works. Those are bad signs if you want people to feel a connection to the product before they buy it.
Not every device needs to have these in order to thrive, but for relatively unknown devices like the STEM Player, they can really help.
The now-defunct PonoPlayer.(Image credit: PonoPlayer)
Reason #5: The curse of the pop-star tech product
We’ll just come right out and say it: Most of the products pitched to us by pop stars and rap moguls are vaporware. They’re announced one minute and gone the next.
PonoPlayer is the example we used earlier, but the same could be said about any one of will.i.am's projects or Soulja Boy’s Nintendo rip-offs. Sure, Dr. Dre did an amazing job with Beats, but most celebrities aren’t committed to the R&D necessary to make truly cutting-edge products. And yeah, that includes the STEM Player.
Looking for a better alternative? Check out our guide to the best MP3 players
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- Plot will be based on The Time of Contempt book
- All major characters set to return
- Location scouting for season 3 filming has taken place
- Principal photography rumored to begin in March
- New fan favorite characters apparently set to appear
- Two season 3 directors are reportedly in place
The Witcher season 3 may seem like a long way off right now. After all, the live-action TV adaptation's second season only launched on Netflix in December 2021, so it could be a while (again) before it returns to our screens.
Based on some teases from the behind-the-scenes team, though, we're hoping that it won't be a two-year wait before The Witcher season 3 arrives on Netflix. Add, with rumors circulating online that the hit fantasy Netflix show could start filming as early as next month, maybe we won't have such a lengthy wait on our hands.
In the meantime, there's plenty of other speculation that's sure to excite fans after The Witcher season 2 (which we thought was brilliant, by the way). Talk of fan favorite characters, returning directors, and intriguing character arcs for established players in the Witcher-Verse have been bandied about online. However, you should take these with a big helping of salt for the time being.
What exactly do we know about The Witcher season 3, though? Below, we've compiled all of the latest news surrounding the TV series' return, including its likely cast, potential plot points, when it could be released, and more. Major spoilers follow for The Witcher seasons 1 and 2, as well as Andrzej Sapkowski's Witcher novels. And, while you're here, why not check out our season 2 chat with the show's cast and creator? It's a good read, we promise you.
The Witcher season 3 release date
The Witcher season 3 release date: 2023?
How will Geralt and Ciri's relationship evolve in The Witcher season 3?(Image credit: Jay Maidment/Netflix)
It's hoped that The Witcher season 3 will arrive more quickly than season 2 did. The Witcher season 1 landed on Netflix in December 2019, but it would be another two years – due to the ongoing pandemic – before its sequel was released.
And it could be another long wait before The Witcher season 3 launches. Speaking exclusively to TechRadar in December 2021, showrunner Lauren Schmidt Hissrich revealed that, while season 3’s scripts were nearly complete, there was still plenty of work to be done.
“This is our last week [December 3] in the writers’ room,” Hissrich said. “We’re almost done with the scripting phase… but the creative process is now really just starting. We have the scripts, and now we’ll bring the directors on, the actors back in, and start delving in deeper and reflecting back and making sure that it’s the perfect season.”
Based on Hissrich’s comments, fans may think that they’re in for another lengthy wait for season 3. But those scripts have since been completed, and the show's chief creative team has spent the first few months of 2022 scouting locations for The Witcher season 3.
Additionally, according to Witcher fansite Redanian Intelligence, which has been correct about other aspects of the show’s production, filming will begin in March 2022. Principal photography is due to take place at Longcross Studios in the UK.
Redanian Intelligence has also reported that The Witcher season 3 will comprise a six-month shoot. If that’s the case, filming should end in August 2022. Taking that and the show’s lengthy post-production phase into account, we wouldn’t expect the show’s third season to be released before spring 2023 at the earliest.
It's possible that the March 2022 start date could have truth to it, too, with Redanian Intelligence also claiming that one season 2 director is returning for season 3. Stephen Surjik, who directed the first two episodes in season 2, will be back for more, while fellow director Loni Peristere (American Horror Story, Warrior) joins The Witcher crew for the first time.
The Witcher season 3 cast
The Witcher season 3 cast: who is returning?
Yennefer and Fringilla will likely be back in The Witcher season 3.(Image credit: Jay Maidment/Netflix)
You can expect all the show’s key players, plus the majority of its sizable supporting cast, to return:
Henry Cavill as Geralt of Rivia
Freya Allen as Princess Cirilla of Cintra
Anya Chalotra as Yennefer of Vengerberg
Joey Batey as Jaskier
Eamon Farren as Cahir
MyAnna Buring as Tissaia de Vries
Mimî M. Khayisa as Fringilla Vigo
Royce Pierreson as Istredd
Anna Shaffer as Triss Merigold
Mahesh Jadu as Vilgefortz
Tom Canton as Filavandrel
Mecia Simson as Francesca Findabair
Lars Mikkelsen as Stregobor
Terence Maynard as Artorius Vigo
Graham McTavish as Sigismund Dijkstra
Ed Birch as King Vizimir of Redania
Chris Fulton as Rience
Aisha Fabienne Ross as Lydia van Bredevoort
Cassie Clare as Philippa Einhart
Wilson Mbomio as Dara
Bart Edwards as Duny/Emperor Emhyr, aka The White Flame of Nilfgaard
Most of the above characters have played significant parts in The Witcher so far but you can expect those who haven’t to have expanded roles in season 3.
Emperor Emhyr is the most notable of that contingent. As the season 2 finale shockingly revealed, Duny – the knight Geralt saved in season 1, and also Ciri’s father – is not only still alive, but he’s the leader (aka The White Flame) of Nilfgaard’s forces. And he wants to be reunited with Ciri, so he can use her abilities for his own nefarious means.
We expect Philippa Einhart to feature more regularly in season 3, too. She was only present in a couple of season 2 scenes but, based on what we know of her novel counterpart, she has a bigger role to play. That expectation also extends to King Vizimir and Sigismund Dijkstra, with the kingdom of Redania becoming more prominent as the story in the novels unfolds.
Henry Cavill and Kim Bodnia break down the fascinating relationship between Geralt and Vesemir in Season 2 of #TheWitcher... pic.twitter.com/GO97PAtO35February 1, 2022
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Other season 2 newcomers, including Adjoa Andoh’s Nenneke, Simon Callow’s Codringher, Liz Carr’s Fenn, Kaine Zajaz’s Gage and Sam Hazeldine’s Eredin/King of the Wild Hunt, may also be back. Until we hear official confirmation on this front, though, we haven’t included them above.
As for who may not return, Kim Bodnia’s Vesemir and other Witchers including Coën (Yasen Atour) and Lambert (Paul Bullion) might not be back. That’s based on Geralt, Yennefer and Ciri deciding to leave the Witchers’ Kaer Morhen stronghold in the season 2 finale. Unless the trio has to make an unexpected return, Vesemir and company aren’t likely to return just yet. Netflix’s Witcher series has diverged slightly from its source material at times, though, so Vesemir and company could still be included in season 3 in some capacity.
Finally, there are plenty of characters from the books who could be introduced. Again, though, until we receive official cast announcements, we can’t say who will show up. But, according to Redanian Intelligence, a fan favorite female character in Mivia, as well as a new villain known as The Professor, may have supporting roles.
The Witcher season 3 plot
The Witcher season 3 plot: what's the story about?
Geralt is sure to get into more scrapes in The Witcher season 3.(Image credit: Susie Allnutt/Netflix)
Major spoilers follow for The Witcher books and TV show.
Little is known about season 3’s plot, but we do have some idea of where it’ll go. That’s based on Sapkowski’s books, as well as what Hissrich and the show’s cast have said.
Hissrich exclusively told TechRadar that season 3 will be based on the second main novel in The Witcher saga – i.e. The Time of Contempt. “I’m really thrilled with how season 3 is shaping up,” Hissrich told us. “Because it’s based on my favorite book in the saga, which is The Time of Contempt [and] I feel like seasons 1 and 2 have been laying the playing field for everything huge that’s about to happen.”
Chatting with Collider, Hissrich also reaffirmed her desire to stick as closely to the source material as possible, saying: “I don’t feel the need for our story to go beyond where the books go. I think Andrzej had a natural end in mind. Now actually, since we started the show, he’s released more books, so we’ll have to see how that fits into it.”
It sounds like season 3 will incorporate plot points from other books in the series, too. In the same Collider interview, Hissrich confirmed that a “big story from Blood of Elves”, the first novel in The Witcher saga, will form part of the third season’s story.
“Mysteries require research.” At https://t.co/funIjosqy0, Istredd is your guide to a whole Continent of #TheWitcher secrets. Lose yourself in the interactive map and vast library now. pic.twitter.com/6QhrIqQLUYJanuary 10, 2022
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There are only two major Blood of Elves storylines not included in season 2. The first concerns the Scoia’tael, a group of non-human guerillas who fight for Nilfgaard and attack Geralt, Ciri, Triss and Yarpen Zigrin’s dwarven contingent in the novels. Hissrich has confirmed (per Polygon) that the Scoia’tael will be part of season 3, so their introduction should cause problems for Geralt and company.
The second, though, is far more important. It relates to Geralt telling Ciri about the roses of Aelirenn, an elf who led the last band of elven youths against an invading human army. Aelirenn’s forces were massacred by their foes and, given that only young elves can produce offspring, the demise of Aelirenn’s forces inadvertently led to the elves’ slow march towards extinction. Expect this particular story to tie back into events concerning Francesca and her murdered elven baby in season 2.
Lastly, where Hissrich’s quotes are concerned, she teased the prospect of more action in season 3 and that the show’s next instalment will take place across a shorter time period – a welcome plot point for fans after season 1’s many time jumps drew criticism.
What catchy tune will Jaskier have for us in The Witcher season 3?(Image credit: Susie Allnett/Netflix)
She told The Wrap: “There’s tons of action, there’s tons of things that are just jaw dropping when you get to them. So we’re really letting that lead our storytelling. Season 3, for instance, takes place on a very, very small timeline. Not a lot of time passes, because it doesn’t need to.”
As for the cast, lead actor Henry Cavill wants the show to follow Sapkowski’s novels more closely than before. Speaking during The Witcher Unlocked, a filmed spoilercast released post-season 2, Cavill said: “I'm a huge fan of the books and staying loyal to them, and it's about making sure that story happens without too much in the way of diversions or side things going on to muddy the waters.”
So we should expect season 3 to contain less in the way of plot diversions. Or should we? Speaking to Newsweek, Jaskier actor Joey Batey said: “There are inevitably going to be plot lines that deviate from the books, so we're no longer trusting the books... we're obviously completely trusting the books but there's so much trust in Lauren.” We’ll have to wait and see if Cavill gets his wish, then.
Anya Chalotra, who plays Yennefer, wants season 3 to incorporate more of the maternal relationship between her character and Ciri from the novels. Chatting to Glamour, Chalotra said: “[I want to see] everything that happens in the book where she gets to develop a mother-daughter relationship with Ciri. She also calms down a bit and she realizes she is enough.”
Finally, Reddit has rounded up so potential spoiler-y content from Hissrich (based on some Twitter replies to her followers) about certain season 3 character arcs. You can read about them here but, be warned, they do reveal new locations and development of specific characters in season 3. We'd advise you not to click the link if you want to go into The Witcher's third season with no prior knowledge.
The Witcher season 3 trailer
The Witcher season 3 trailer: is there one?
Expect more shots like this of Geralt in The Witcher season 3.(Image credit: Jay Maidment/Netflix)
No, and there won’t be for a long time. Once one is released, we’ll update this section.
The Witcher season 3: the future
The Witcher season 3: what does the show's future hold?
The Witcher: Blood Origin will precede The Witcher season 3.(Image credit: Netflix)
Netflix hasn’t renewed The Witcher for a fourth season yet – but we’d be surprised if another installment isn’t greenlit. Speaking to Collider, Hissrich revealed that she’s mapped out a seven-season arc for the show, but her plan will depend on its continual renewal.
Cavill has also expressed a desire to star in all seven seasons, telling The Hollywood Reporter (THR) that he’s “absolutely committed” to Hissrich’s vision. Freya Allen, who portrays Ciri, also told The Radio Times that she wants to finish Ciri’s story in the mainline series, but not be part of any Witcher side projects.
Speaking of spin-offs, there are a few offshoot productions in the works for Netflix’s Witcher-Verse.
First up is The Witcher: Blood Origin prequel series. Set 1200 years before Netflix’s mainline Witcher series, Blood Origin will cover the creation of the first Witcher. The show will also follow events leading up to and during the Conjunction of the Spheres, the cataclysm that results in the collision of multiple universes and their human, elven and monstrous races. Blood Origin is due to be released sometime in 2022.
Other Witcher spin-off productions currently in development include a family-friendly animated series and a second anime movie, both of which were announced at Netflix’s Tudum fan event in September 2021. Neither project has been given a concrete release date yet.
