diff --git a/packages/hxtorch/package.py b/packages/hxtorch/package.py
index 088cb0dda9bf0caffec5c9d2d959bc5f3f17861f..09695e977136e4d279d6140951311f20baec4fd0 100644
--- a/packages/hxtorch/package.py
+++ b/packages/hxtorch/package.py
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ class Hxtorch(WafPackage):
 
     maintainers = ['emuller']
 
-    version('7.0-a1', branch='waf')
+    version('7.0-rc1', branch='waf')
 
     # compiler for the BrainScaleS-2 embedded processor ("PPU"); needed for
     # building/linking, at runtime and for testing
-    depends_on('oppulance@7.0-a1', type=('build', 'link', 'run', 'test'))
+    depends_on('oppulance@7.0-rc1', type=('build', 'link', 'run', 'test'))
 
     # host software dependencies
     depends_on('bitsery', type=('build', 'link', 'run', 'test'))
diff --git a/packages/oppulance/package.py b/packages/oppulance/package.py
index 77a47abb3802426db600257743f259ce56491e16..c8525f3b94374a5c7dcf94e0db7ea12fd620ad5e 100644
--- a/packages/oppulance/package.py
+++ b/packages/oppulance/package.py
@@ -22,8 +22,8 @@ class Oppulance(Package):
 
     releases = [
         {
-            'version': '7.0-a1',
-            'tag': 'ebrains-7.0-a1'
+            'version': '7.0-rc1',
+            'tag': 'ebrains-7.0-rc1'
         },
     ]
 
diff --git a/packages/pynn-brainscales/package.py b/packages/pynn-brainscales/package.py
index b0271bd391847dd473bcc69151d5ea9e36545567..344280e1c6dc4c5c227eacaeee4ebd01313c8f79 100644
--- a/packages/pynn-brainscales/package.py
+++ b/packages/pynn-brainscales/package.py
@@ -16,11 +16,11 @@ class PynnBrainscales(WafPackage):
 
     maintainers = ['emuller']
     
-    version('7.0-a1', branch='waf')
+    version('7.0-rc1', branch='waf')
 
     # compiler for the BrainScaleS-2 embedded processor ("PPU"); needed for
     # building/linking, at runtime and for testing
-    depends_on('oppulance@7.0-a1', type=('build', 'link', 'run', 'test'))
+    depends_on('oppulance@7.0-rc1', type=('build', 'link', 'run', 'test'))
 
     # host software dependencies
     depends_on('bitsery', type=('build', 'link', 'run', 'test'))
diff --git a/spack.yaml b/spack.yaml
index b72573369b7586236aaedfd4e06eff2ff551445b..75c7fa64fd867616cfb75890a6aa3530cd95d132 100644
--- a/spack.yaml
+++ b/spack.yaml
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@ spack:
     - biobb-model@4.0.0
     - biobb-structure-checking@3.12.1
     - biobb-structure-utils@4.0.0
-    - hxtorch@7.0-a1
+    - hxtorch@7.0-rc1
     - nest@3.6_rc1 +sonata
     - neuron@8.2.3 +mpi
     - py-bluepyefe@2.2.18
@@ -53,7 +53,7 @@ spack:
     - py-tvb-multiscale@2.0.3.dev
     - py-tvb-storage@2.8.1
     - py-viziphant@0.3.0
-    - pynn-brainscales@7.0-a1
+    - pynn-brainscales@7.0-rc1
     - r-rgsl@0.1
     - r-sbtabvfgen@0.1
     - r-uqsa@2.2