diff --git a/wp-admin/about.php b/wp-admin/about.php
index 5a2fe8b94a..990833e9c1 100644
--- a/wp-admin/about.php
+++ b/wp-admin/about.php
@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ include( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/admin-header.php' );
 	<div class="wrap about-wrap">
 		<h1><?php printf( __( 'Welcome to WordPress&nbsp;%s' ), $display_version ); ?></h1>
 
-		<p class="about-text"><?php printf( __( 'Thank you for updating to the latest version! WordPress %s helps you add more content to your widgets (like media!) faster and easier.' ), $display_version ); ?></p>
+		<p class="about-text"><?php printf( __( 'Thank you for updating to the latest version! WordPress %s adds more ways for you to express yourself and represent your brand.' ), $display_version ); ?></p>
 		<div class="wp-badge"><?php printf( __( 'Version %s' ), $display_version ); ?></div>
 
 		<h2 class="nav-tab-wrapper wp-clearfix">
@@ -46,9 +46,8 @@ include( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/admin-header.php' );
 		<div class="feature-section one-col">
 			<div class="col">
 				<h2><?php _e( 'An Update with You in Mind' ); ?></h2>
-				<p class="lead-description"><?php _e( 'WordPress 4.8 adds some great new features &mdash; gear up for a more intuitive WordPress!' ); ?></p>
-				<p><?php _e( 'Though some updates are tiny (TinyMCE, that is &mdash; see what we did there?) they&#8217;ve been developed by hundreds of Core Contributors and Committers with <em>you</em> in mind.' ); ?></p>
-				<p><?php _e( 'Get ready for new features you&#8217;ll welcome like an old friend: link improvements, <em>three</em> new media widgets covering images, audio, and video, an updated text widget that supports visual editing, and an upgraded news section in your dashboard which brings in nearby and upcoming WordPress events.' ); ?></p>
+				<p class="lead-description"><?php _e( 'WordPress 4.8 adds some great new features. Gear up for a more intuitive WordPress!' ); ?></p>
+				<p><?php _e( 'Though some updates seem minor, they&#8217;ve been built by hundreds of contributors with <em>you</em> in mind. Get ready for new features you&#8217;ll welcome like an old friend: link improvements, <em>three</em> new media widgets covering images, audio, and video, an updated text widget that supports visual editing, and an upgraded news section in your dashboard which brings in nearby and upcoming WordPress events.' ); ?></p>
 			</div>
 		</div>
 
@@ -72,19 +71,19 @@ include( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/admin-header.php' );
 		<div class="feature-section two-col">
 			<div class="col">
 				<h3><?php _e( 'Image Widget' ); ?></h3>
-				<p><?php _e( 'Adding an image to a widget is now a simple task that is achievable for any WordPress user without hiring a developer. (Don&#8217;t tell them we told you that.) Simply insert your image right within the widget settings &mdash; try adding a headshot and brief bio &mdash; and see it appear, automatically.' );?></p>
+				<p><?php _e( 'Adding an image to a widget is now a simple task that is achievable for any WordPress user without needing to know code. Simply insert your image right within the widget settings. Try adding something like a headshot or a photo of your latest weekend adventure &mdash; and see it appear automatically.' );?></p>
 			</div>
 			<div class="col">
 				<h3><?php _e( 'Video Widget' ); ?></h3>
-				<p><?php _e( 'A welcome video is a great way to humanize the branding of your website. It creates trust and empathy in your visitors. You can now add any video from your Media Library to a sidebar on your site with the new Video Widget. So, you, too, can be liked and trusted instantly.' ); ?></p>
+				<p><?php _e( 'A welcome video is a great way to humanize the branding of your website. You can now add any video from the Media Library to a sidebar on your site with the new Video widget. Use this to showcase a welcome video to introduce visitors to your site or promote your latest and greatest content.' ); ?></p>
 			</div>
 			<div class="col">
 				<h3><?php _e( 'Audio Widget' ); ?></h3>
-				<p><?php _e( 'Are you a podcaster or musician? Adding a widget with your audio file has never been easier. Upload your audio file to the media library, go to the widget settings, select your file, and you&#8217;re done. This would be a great way to add a more intimate welcome message, too!' );?></p>
+				<p><?php _e( 'Are you a podcaster, musician, or avid blogger? Adding a widget with your audio file has never been easier. Upload your audio file to the Media Library, go to the widget settings, select your file, and you&#8217;re ready for listeners. This would be a easy way to add a more personal welcome message, too!' );?></p>
 			</div>
 			<div class="col">
 				<h3><?php _e( 'Rich Text Widget' ); ?></h3>
-				<p><?php _e( 'This feature deserves a ticker-tape parade down Main Street. Rich-text editing capabilities are now native for text widgets. Simply, add a widget anywhere and format away. Create lists, add emphasis with bold or italics, and easily insert links. Have fun with your new-found formatting powers, but try to use them for good!' ); ?></p>
+				<p><?php _e( 'This feature deserves a parade down the center of town! Rich-text editing capabilities are now native for Text widgets. Add a widget anywhere and format away. Create lists, add emphasis, and quickly and easily insert links. Have fun with your newfound formatting powers, and watch what you can accomplish in a short amount of time.' ); ?></p>
 			</div>
 		</div>
 
@@ -93,7 +92,7 @@ include( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/admin-header.php' );
 		<div class="feature-section two-col">
 			<div class="col">
 				<h3><?php _e( 'Link Boundaries' ); ?></h3>
-				<p><?php _e( 'Have you ever tried updating a link or the text around a link, but you can&#8217;t seem to edit it correctly? You try to add a word after the link and your new text also ends up linked. You try to add more words to a link but they end up outside the link. Frustrating! This new feature streamlines that process. You&#8217;ll be happier. We promise.' ); ?></p>
+				<p><?php _e( 'Have you ever tried updating a link, or the text around a link, and found you can&#8217;t seem to edit it correctly? When you edit the text after the link, your new text also ends up linked. Or you edit the text in the link, but your text ends up outside of it. This can be frustrating! With link boundaries, a great new feature, the process is streamlined and your links will work well. You’ll be happier. We promise.' ); ?></p>
 			</div>
 			<div class="col">
 				<?php
@@ -114,9 +113,11 @@ include( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/admin-header.php' );
 			<div class="col">
 				<h3><?php _e( 'Nearby WordPress Events' ); ?></h3>
 
-				<p><?php _e( 'Did you know that WordPress has a thriving offline community with groups meeting regularly in more than 400 cities around the world?' ); ?></p>
+				<p><?php _e( 'Did you know that WordPress has a thriving offline community with groups meeting regularly in more than 400 cities around the world? WordPress now draws your attention to the events that help you continue improving your WordPress skills, meet friends, and, of course, publish!' ); ?></p>
 
-				<p><?php _e( 'Being part of the community can help you improve your WordPress skills and network with people you wouldn&#8217;t otherwise meet. Now you can easily find your local events just by logging in to your dashboard.' ); ?>
+				<p><?php _e( 'This is quickly becoming one of our favorite features. While you are in the dashboard (because you&#8217;re running updates and writing posts, right?) all upcoming WordCamps and WordPress Meetups &mdash; local to you &mdash; will be displayed.' ); ?>
+
+				<p><?php _e( 'Being part of the community can help you improve your WordPress skills and network with people you wouldn&#8217;t otherwise meet. Now you can easily find your local events just by logging in to your dashboard and looking at the new Events and News dashboard widget.' ); ?>
 			</div>
 			<div class="col">
 				<img src="https://cldup.com/GuISab3_X1.png" alt="" />
@@ -137,7 +138,7 @@ include( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/admin-header.php' );
 			<div class="under-the-hood three-col">
 				<div class="col">
 					<h3><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/05/17/cleaner-headings-in-the-admin-screens/"><?php _e( 'More Accessible Admin Panel Headings' ); ?></a></h3>
-					<p><?php _e( 'New CSS rules mean extraneous content (like &ldquo;Add New&rdquo; links) no longer need to be included in admin-area headings. This improves accessibility for those using assistive technologies.' ); ?></p>
+					<p><?php _e( 'New CSS rules mean extraneous content (like &ldquo;Add New&rdquo; links) no longer need to be included in admin-area headings. These panel headings improve the experience for people using assistive technologies.' ); ?></p>
 				</div>
 				<div class="col">
 					<h3><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/05/22/removal-of-core-embedding-support-for-wmv-and-wma-file-formats/"><?php _e( 'Removal of Core Support for WMV and WMA Files' ); ?></a></h3>
@@ -145,19 +146,19 @@ include( ABSPATH . 'wp-admin/admin-header.php' );
 				</div>
 				<div class="col">
 					<h3><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/05/22/multisite-focused-changes-in-4-8/"><?php _e( 'Multisite Updates' ); ?></a></h3>
-					<p><?php _e( 'New capabilities checks have been added to 4.8 with an eye towards removing calls to <code>is_super_admin()</code>. Additionally, new hooks, network-specific site functions, and user count controls have been added.' ); ?></p>
+					<p><?php _e( 'New capabilities have been introduced to 4.8 with an eye towards removing calls to <code>is_super_admin()</code>. Additionally, new hooks and tweaks to more granularly control site and user counts per network have been added.' ); ?></p>
 				</div>
 				<div class="col">
 					<h3><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/05/23/addition-of-tinymce-to-the-text-widget/"><?php _e( 'Text-Editor JavaScript API' ); ?></a></h3>
-					<p><?php _e( 'With the addition of TinyMCE to the text widget in 4.8 comes a new JavaScript API for instantiating the editor after page load. This can be used to add an editor instance to any textarea and customize it with buttons and functions.' ); ?></p>
+					<p><?php _e( 'With the addition of TinyMCE to the text widget in 4.8 comes a new JavaScript API for instantiating the editor after page load. This can be used to add an editor instance to any text area, and customize it with buttons and functions. Great for plugin authors!' ); ?></p>
 				</div>
 				<div class="col">
 					<h3><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/05/26/media-widgets-for-images-video-and-audio/"><?php _e( 'Media Widgets API' ); ?></a></h3>
-					<p><?php _e( 'The introduction of a new base media widget REST API schema to 4.8 opens up possibilities for more media widgets (such as galleries or playlists) in the future. The three new media widgets are powered by a shared base class that covers most of the interactions with the media modal. That class also makes it easier to create new media widgets and paves the way for more to come.' ); ?></p>
+					<p><?php _e( 'The introduction of a new base media widget REST API schema to 4.8 opens up possibilities for even more media widgets (like galleries or playlists) in the future. The three new media widgets are powered by a shared base class that covers most of the interactions with the media modal. That class also makes it easier to create new media widgets and paves the way for more to come.' ); ?></p>
 				</div>
 				<div class="col">
 					<h3><a href="https://make.wordpress.org/core/2017/05/16/customizer-sidebar-width-is-now-variable/"><?php _e( 'Customizer Width Variable' ); ?></a></h3>
-					<p><?php _e( 'New responsive breakpoints have been added to the customizer sidebar to make it wider on high-resolution screens. Customizer controls should use percentage-based widths instead of pixels.' ); ?></p>
+					<p><?php _e( 'Rejoice! New responsive breakpoints have been added to the customizer sidebar to make it wider on high-resolution screens. Customizer controls should use percentage-based widths instead of pixels.' ); ?></p>
 				</div>
 			</div>
 		</div>
diff --git a/wp-includes/version.php b/wp-includes/version.php
index 7406233e91..79814cc946 100644
--- a/wp-includes/version.php
+++ b/wp-includes/version.php
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
  *
  * @global string $wp_version
  */
-$wp_version = '4.8-RC1-40862';
+$wp_version = '4.8-RC1-40863';
 
 /**
  * Holds the WordPress DB revision, increments when changes are made to the WordPress DB schema.