Image: Epic Games
If you’re looking for a spooky gaming session this Halloween, we’ve got you covered.
It’s that time of the year again. A time for tricks and treats, costumes and pumpkins, scary movies and jumpscares - but also a time for live-service games to double down on Halloween-themed events. If you’re looking to soak in some spine-tingling Halloween vibes this month, most multiplayer games are holding spooky events right now to deliver the content you seek.
Here are the five spookiest Halloween in-game events you should check out this month:
Fortnite: Fortnitemares (Live until November 1)
Fortnite holds a pretty spectacular Halloween event every year under the Fortnitemares banner, but this year’s iteration is somewhat unique. Fortnitemares takes place halfway through Fortnite Chapter 5 Season 4: Doomed this year, following a live event that saw our beloved heroes foil Doctor Doom’s evil schemes and defeat him for good. A premature end to what was meant to be this season’s big bad ended up laying the foundation for a small map revamp and the arrival of Fortnitemares.
Since this is a Marvel-themed season, Fortnitemares’ usual witchy items and spooky decorations look a little out of place - but that also lends them some dissonant charm. Mephisto has been added to the map as an interactable NPC, and several POIs on the map have been changed or added in the spirit of the season (of the witch). We also have spooky weapons like chainsaws and flying brooms to maim opponents or soar through the skies, in addition to Iron Man Flight Kits and Repulsors. It’s a mess, but it’s a fun mess.
Overwatch 2 Season 13: Spellbinder (Live until November 4)
Overwatch 2 Season 13: Spellbinder is an entire spooky season of content, making it perfect for anyone looking to keep the Halloween vibe going for longer. This season’s new Mythic skin transforms Widowmaker into a witch, adding new visual elements to her weapons and abilities to give the sharpshooter a Gothic twist. Additionally, this season heralds the return of Overwatch’s annual Halloween Terror event. The event adds an all-new PvP mode called Junkenstein’s Laboratory, along with two returning PvE modes: Wrath of the Bride and Junkenstein’s Revenge.
For an added bit of fun, you’ll also be able to check out Overwatch’s latest anime collaboration with My Hero Academia, which transforms various heroes on the roster into characters from the anime franchise.
Pokemon Go Halloween event (Live until November 3)
Pokemon Go's Halloween event was broken down into two parts, and Part 2 is going live on October 28! Players can now expect to encounter new costumed versions of Froakie and Rowlet in the wild, both of whom are now wearing Gothic hats to fit in with the season. Similarly costumed versions of Vulpix, Piplup, Pumpkaboo and, of course, Pikachu will also appear in the wild. Shuppet, Woobat, Zorua, Inka, and Phantum will also have an increased chance of appearing in the wild. Gigantamax Gengar will now appear in Max Battles, and if players are lucky, they'll be able to encounter a shiny one.
Additionally, new Field Research tasks can be completed to earn Mega Energy for Gengar, Houndoom, Sableye, Banette, and Absol. You'll also be able to tick off free Timed Research quests to snag Spiritomb and Morpeko. There are additional paid Timed Research quests you can purchase to get more Pokemon, but the real star of the show here are the horror-inspired in-game visuals, and the Lavendar Town music that now plays at night.
Apex Legends: Techno Terror (Live until November 4)
Apex Legends is introducing a new Techno Terror Collection Event for Halloween this year, including new cosmetics, a map variant, and a slightly different version of a returning game mode. Trick N’ Treat Trios is returning with the revival mechanic included this time. The mode has players eliminate enemies and collect their sweets, EVO points, Ultimate charge, and 25 points of shield healing over time. Additionally, they can also activate a Copycat Kit to gain an extra ability from a different Legend for the duration of the match.
E-District has also been given a grim cybernetic makeover for this Halloween event, overrun with robotic abominations and populated with decaying buildings. The Techno Terror Collection Event also adds 24 cosmetics for players to collect for a limited time, along with a 25th reward if players scoop them all up: a Prestige skin for Pathfinder called Apex Mecha, complete with a Finisher and Dive Trail.
Dead by Daylight: Haunted by Daylight (Live until November 7)
One could argue that Dead by Daylight is a Halloween game every day of the year, but it’s hosting an event this October regardless. Haunted by Daylight returns this year, bringing players into the Entity’s junkyard: the Void Realm. Here, they can open up portals using Void Energy to unlock all-new role-specific Void Items for use in a Trial. Killer Powers can also now be used within the Void Realm, as if things weren’t tense enough.
Of course, plenty of horror-themed cosmetics are coming for the game’s Killers and Survivors, along with more returning Halloween skins from last year. This month’s Tome 21: Dominus is also themed after Castlevania, adding more spooky flavour to Haunted by Daylight in the form of cosmetics and lore.