The mystery Witcher 3 expansion everyone keeps speculating about is quickly becoming my most-anticipated unannounced release of 2026. PC is becoming the most important platform for Capcom as console growth remains sluggish. And multiple Final Fantasy 14 blogs are apologizing to Square Enix for online toxicity aimed at its staff. Is the planet finally healing?
It’s the latest edition of Morning Checkpoint, Kotaku‘s daily roundup of gaming news, rumors, and culture. I spent last night trudging through Mt. Moon for the second time after my kids turned off Pokémon FireRed without saving. These tunes are the only thing getting me through it.
Now this is TALENT pic.twitter.com/6WPLOvXAvS
— Pokémon Daily (@pokemon_daily) March 3, 2026
New Witcher 3 quests in Velen when the game comes to Switch 2? Maybe? Please?
Rumors of a small Witcher 3 expansion arriving over a decade after the game launched have been swirling since last summer. Ever since January, however, they’ve continued to intensify, with new sources and speculation appearing to bolster predictions that something is happening in CD Projekt Red’s old open-world fantasy RPG. Tired of waiting for official news, one modder even went ahead and crafted their own new story quest to bridge the gap between The Witcher 3 and The Witcher 4 (which definitely isn’t getting a new UE5 trailer this month).
Now podcaster NateTheHate has weighed in on the rumors, signaling that there’s definitely something to them. “It does,” he wrote on X when asked if new DLC exists. It was originally thought that these new quests my take players to a previously unexplored part of the Witcher continent, but one Polish games journalist recently appeared to suggest that the DLC would take place in a new part of Velen instead. All of this would be a nice snack as fans wait to feast on The Witcher 4, and would be perfect to reveal alongside a Switch 2 version of The Witcher 3. CDPR has been silent on the rumors thus far.
More game studios hit with layoffs
Killing Floor developer Tripwire Interactive is laying off 23 people (via Gamesindustry.biz). Killing Floor 3 released last year to mostly negative reviews on Steam. Fruit Ninja and Jetpack Joyride developer Halfbrick is also making cuts. It’s laying off 41 people following the release of a Bluey game on mobile last year (via Mobilegamer.biz).
Xbox is exploring ways to have AI beat games for you
Following Sony’s lead, Microsoft has filed a “State Management for Video Game Help Sessions” patent to allow for players to hand off control of their games when they get stuck (via Tech4Gamers). The tech can be used for pre-approved human players or agentic models who would then play the game for you. While all of this is exploratory, it feels like we’re quickly hurtling toward a world where every game can play itself.
Square Enix goes to war with Final Fantasy 14 news websites
The publisher went after the Japanese blog Netoge Sokuhō for hosting toxic comments that were allegedly harmful toward the Final Fantasy company’s team and executives, eliciting an apology. Another site, Umadori Sokuhō, has now pre-emptively shut down, according to Automaton. “Having reconsidered the weight of responsibility involved in disseminating information online, I have decided to draw a line under this matter in my own way,” the site announced. “To all the FF14 development and operations staff whom I have inconvenienced, I sincerely apologize.”
PC is now 50 percent of Capcom sales as the console business continues to stagnate
Monster Hunter Wilds and Resident Evil Requiem both had record-setting launches on Steam for their respective franchises. “As of the third quarter, PC sales account for approximately 50 percent of total unit sales, and we expect this ratio to continue increasing,” Capcom revealed in its latest earnings call. “Accordingly, we will further strengthen our PC development framework. The technical expertise gained from addressing increasing program complexity and performance challenges in Monster Hunter Wilds will be applied to future title development.”
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